How old is "old"? (saddles)

Coblover63

Coblover63

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Just bought a second-hand NPS Glen and from the pics, it looks as if it has been well looked after. It is eight years old. Having a chat with my husband about whether this is classed as "old" so I thought I'd throw it to the floor..... What would YOU class as old?
 
My pony saddle is old- it was 2nd hand in 1998 so is probably knocking on 20 and the style is a bit outdated but the leather is still good, my other ponies saddle is new- 12 years. Still cleans up like new and is of modern style.
 
I have a saddle that my grandparents bought me 35 years ago, a Falcon Hawk Event, its in fantastic condition and my saddler says he could get me a very good price for it if I wanted to sell it, but I wont, sentimental value is too much:)
 
Old is my eldonian brooks

They stopped making this particular model in 1976.... Jeffries took over EB in 1983 I believe

That said with new girth straps and new flock it would pass muster at a local show
 
I have some Albion saddles from about 1993 and they are as good as new, a few marks but no real wear.
 
I have a Giddens saddle, mid 1970's. Still in almost perfect condition and very comfortable. Would use it if it fitted my horse! (my horse is the first horse I've had that the saddle doesn't fit!) Very dated, and poo-poo'd by many, but I like it, just don't have a need for it. Tried to sell it, but no-one is remotely interested, purely due to its dated fashion.
 
i have a jeffries saddle that is at least 25+yrs old and still in fab condition so a well made saddle will litterally last a lifetime, ide only class a saddle as old if it was over 15yrs and in need of repair lol
 
Fools Motto said:
I have a Giddens saddle, mid 1970's. Still in almost perfect condition and very comfortable. Would use it if it fitted my horse! (my horse is the first horse I've had that the saddle doesn't fit!) Very dated, and poo-poo'd by many, but I like it, just don't have a need for it. Tried to sell it, but no-one is remotely interested, purely due to its dated fashion.
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I have one as well!
its been to Olympia, HOYS etc, fits most native 12.2 and some 13hh, picked it up in 1985 from a friend when it was 5 years old.

Also have my event saddle , brought new in 78 but thats been stored the last 5 years and i should really sell it :(

Also have a half panel cob saddle, 55/56 vintage, my mother used it on much that she rode till around 2002 :)
 
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The Fuzzy Furry said:
Also have a half panel cob saddle, 55/56 vintage, my mother used it on much that she rode till around 2002 :)
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I was lent one of these in about 1992 when it was already old and loved it! I was gutted when we had to give it back and I've never seen one since :( It had serge panels and seemed to fit anything we put it on!
 
Just bought an old Stubben Dressage saddle. It pretty much fitted one of our horses so we got it re flocked & it fits him well. It had been left unloved in a tack room for years & looked extremely old. It's now been well cleaned & soaped & it now looks a totally different saddle. Age doesn't matter, it's the way its looked after & treated. If the leather is fed & kept clean a saddle will last you for ever.
 
To be honest ,I am not wild about many modern saddles . Insufficient spread of the load . It needs to be less than 1.5 lbs per square inch or you stop the circulation under tyhe saddle. People worry about rider weight yet even a comparatively light rider can do serious damage on some saddles. For me they stopped making good saddles when Stuben first came to fashion here in the 70 s.
 
My Turf And Travel, Fulmer dressage saddle was made in 1975, my Bates Olympia GP was made around 20 years ago.
The dressage saddle is starting a new competition life with a 12yr old girl. My GP is still regularly used.
 
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I just recently sold a Palaton event saddle that must have been at least 20 years old. I had it for my gelding who is 19 and it was originally his mother's. It really was a bloody nice saddle and my gelding no longer needs it and it didn't fit my mare and so it was sitting around doing not very much.

Anyway I managed to sell it within 10 minutes of advertising. Decent saddles well looked after easily last longer than any horse does!!
 
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