How Old Is Your Saddle?

[Cheshire Chestnut]

As the title really?

I've just bought my instructor's very well looked after Antill saddle and it's wonderful, very lovely and comfy. It's about 12 years old and just had it all checked with the saddler yesterday and it's had a full bill of health

So, it got me thinking... do you all have an older saddle you've kept for years and just looked after, or do you replace yours after a while?

 

[blitznbobs]

My oldest saddle is 21 years old - it's my favourite (albion legend 2000 dressage) it's like new. It has been used in 2 different horses 10 years apart as I kept it cos it fit me so well ... I was over the moon when it fit my latest cob!

I'm of the generation which believes that saddles, well cared for, last a life time.

 

[Stroppy Mare]

The oldest saddle I have was new in 2007. My dressage saddle was new (to me, second hand but still only about a year old then) in 2011 and our other mares saddle was bought around 2009/10.

For my first horse though I bought a lovely kieffer gp which was of an unknown age, amazingly comfy and when I moved my horse to a yard the YOs daughter recognised the saddle as one she had 10 years previously!

 

[WindyStacks]

I've got two oldies, one stubben vss I bought brand new in 2004 knowing that stubben would last a lifetime - it looks amazing. I then bought a secondhand stubben dressage in 2008 which I think is probably 15 years old - again, in bloody good nick!

 

[martlin]

The Stubben is about 25 years old, the Euroriding is 15 years old and the Lemetex is about 6-7 years old.

 

[AAR]

My Equipe jumping saddle is about 2 or 3 yrs old. Other jumping saddle is about 7 - 10yrs old think its a Cliff Barnsby

 

[Annagain]

I've had my saddle 9 years and bought it 2nd hand - don't know how old it was but it was well used. My share horse's saddle was bought new when he was 5, he's now 18. They're both Ideal Events. They get checked annually and we've had no problems with them. I actually prefer 2nd hand / older saddles as you don't have to break them in and supple them up, someone's already done that for you.

 

[Sukistokes2]

I have a mark 1, isabell werth dressage saddle, just going to sell it on as horse has retired, I am sure it has years in it yet!!

 

[iconique]

hmm, well one of my Ideal GP's was bought new in 1990 (my dad very proudly found the receipt the other day!) and I have an old english dressage saddle by Antill which is stamped 1954?
Then I can go onto my side saddles.....
I actually prefer the older style saddles for fit and comfort!

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

hmm, well one of my Ideal GP's was bought new in 1990 (my dad very proudly found the receipt the other day!) and I have an old english dressage saddle by Antill which is stamped 1954?
Then I can go onto my side saddles.....
I actually prefer the older style saddles for fit and comfort!

oooo just out of interest... How much was a brand new Ideal in 1990 on your receipt?

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

As the title really?

I've just bought my instructor's very well looked after Antill saddle and it's wonderful, very lovely and comfy. It's about 12 years old and just had it all checked with the saddler yesterday and it's had a full bill of health

So, it got me thinking... do you all have an older saddle you've kept for years and just looked after, or do you replace yours after a while?

Good grief, no problem , my saddle is 1985, and is in good condition, I threw my last one away when a nail came through, it was tatty, but then it was 40 year old, and It was used most days when I worked in racing ......... I got the 1985 Jeffries to replace the 1973 unbranded one, which had been such a great saddle.

 

[pansymouse]

I have three Lauriches all 25 - 30 years old. The one I use most was refurbished at Barrie Swain's about 18 months ago. Co-incidentally by Graham who made it originally.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I can beat all your saddles!

I have just resurrected the saddle that I bought in 1990, with a Clydesdale mare. She came from a RS and her saddle was nowhere near new at the time, I doubt that it was new to her at any point. She used it for 10 yrs and when she was pts the saddle was put away. Then it was brought out again to use on the next Clydie mare, a couple of years later. I then bought her a new SC saddle and the old one was put away again. 8 yrs later, the Draft horse has changed shape so much that she is now on her third saddle and, more in hope than expectation, I tried the old saddle on her. I was delighted that it fits her, although disappointed that I had the SC saddle refitted to a ID, so can't use that on the Draft without further changes.
So I'm pretty sure that the ancient, unbranded afaik, saddle must be about 30 yrs old.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

My saddle is 44 years old. My dad bought it when he was 18 and just before I moved up to Scotland in May he said I could have it as he no longer rides and I've been using it for the last 10 years anyway. It has a bit of wear and tear to it but it's still the comfiest saddle I've ever sat in.

My other 'bareback saddle' is only 8 months old as I had it made as a Christmas present. Still using my old saddle more though!

 

[Casey76]

My mixed/event saddle is just over a year old. My Wintec was bought in 2007. My old dressage saddle I have no idea. I bought it second hand and it is beautiful and very comfy but there are no identifying marks on it at all.

 

[kandor]

My first all-purpose leather saddle I bought from Decathlon when I got the horse 13 years ago. Still good.
I got a JMS trekking saddle in 2008.
Then I have an old Theurkauff side saddle from somewhere between 1880 and 1930.
We have a leather Griffith saddle too, must be from the 1980s or 1990s.

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

My saddle is 44 years old. My dad bought it when he was 18 and just before I moved up to Scotland in May he said I could have it as he no longer rides and I've been using it for the last 10 years anyway. It has a bit of wear and tear to it but it's still the comfiest saddle I've ever sat in.

Amazing!! Do you still ride in it?

 

[Sleipnir]

I have a wonderful Passier jumping saddle that was made in 1994. Good as new with a timely reflocking.

 

[bakewell]

Most sidesaddles date back quite a way and people are still using them!
Likewise a lot of heavy horse show/ parade tack.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Amazing!! Do you still ride in it?

Yes, regularly. It fits both my mare and gelding. The last two winters I used it for hunting every week and a few years back it made an appearance for Pony Club and the occasional local show/jumping comp. I bought the new one as my other half has a variety of different sized Standardbreds (ranging from 14.3hh to 16hh) which are gradually being broken to the saddle before we sell them on so figured it would fit anything (it's basically a pad with various rings on it).

Wouldn't swap my old saddle for anything!

 

[dogatemysalad]

My oldest saddle is 12 years old, used daily and cost £250 from a Walshall saddler. I can't identify the maker from the button, but each time a saddler comes out, they can never find a saddle that fits him better, so it gets reflocked and it still looks and feels fabulous.

I bought an Ideal saddle in 1993 which was specially made to fit my mare. It cost £685 I think. Used daily for 5 years and then traded in for £375. Lovely saddle and I think I had my money's worth out of it.

 

[Follysmum]

My oldest saddle was an 18th birthday present 30 years ago and still looks in fantastic condition it cost £150.

 

[Meems]

I've got a much vilified (well from that I've seen on other threads!) Wintec 2000 saddle which I've had for 11 years now. It's still going strong apart from the stitching at the bottom of the saddle flaps which has come undone.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

I have a 40 year old Barnsby which I bought from the original owner, I have all its history and its still good as new. Also have the matching bridle and reins with nickle bit and the sheep skin numnah, stirrup leathers and nickle irons. I love it :smile3: I prefer the design of old saddles, they are more likely to fit and have bigger seats for the same length when compared to newer saddles. Old leather is better quality than new too IMO.

 

[windand rain]

I have a Farringdon WH saddle that is at least 20 years old I bought it for my highland second hand when she was five she is 20 next year and it was in lovely condition but far from new and had one made to measure when she was 4 so that one will be 16 years old both still looked like new til last week when naughty baby pony marked the farringdon with her teeth hope it is going to clean out eventually. Both are butter soft and very comfortable

 

[Illusion100]

My two favourite saddles were both secondhand when they were bought over 20 years ago. Both still in pretty good nick and they fit me so well and luckily most sporthorses and TB's. If they don't fit my youngster, I will cry. A lot.

 

[pennyturner]

Several of my saddles are 1970s or thereabouts.

My oldest tack is two sets of driving harness that were a barn find - wrapped in hessian sack where they had been put away before the war. I replaced the wool pad on both, and one of the crupper docks. The wool padding and linseed inside the crupper had been eaten by rats. There were a few repairs needed, one of which rather quaintly was to re-do a repair to a pad which must have already been very old when it was laid away. From the grandchildren of the final owner I have a photo of it worn by ponies in tandem to a milk cart in front of the big Yorkshire house it came from, with coachmen in attendance c. 1900. Even then the sets were already clearly relegated to 'kids playing about', and not new, so must be from the late 1800s! Still use one of these sets as my regular shetland harness.

 

[Archangel]

Fabulous story PennyT

My dressage saddle must to 25/27 years old and my event saddle 25 years old. The black has faded a bit now on the event saddle but the dressage saddle looks like new.

 

[Autumn sonnet]

I recently sold my ideal H and C saddle that I bought for my first pony when she was 5 , and we lost her 3 years ago at 35 . So that's 33 years old I think , and it was being used up until the day before she died . Cost me £700 then , so it got treated like cut glass , and I would have kept it but I don't own anything anywhere near as wide - although she was a 14.2hh Arab / welsh , she had a back like a table . Sold it for £250 , and it still looked immaculate . I cried all the way home from delivering it , so many memories were in that saddle .

 

[iconique]

oooo just out of interest... How much was a brand new Ideal in 1990 on your receipt?

I bought it at the Semley saddlery closing down sale half price at £361!