Is this a scam?

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

Been looking at some saddles on eBay, and I've noticed they are very cheap, like I'm talking 200-300 pound for an all leather jump saddle!? Is this a scam of some sort of is this genuine?

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/37416792...pFFVWwlJWEy4Zw%3D%3D|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2332490. Sorry for the long link, but this is one I was looking at.

 

[adamntitch]

There rubbish made and come from India

 

[Hackback]

I can't even work out if it has a tree...

 

[Barton Bounty]

I dont think its a scam, I do think it will be tough leather they are made with, if there is an option for returning for a refund if it isn’t suitable, I would , its about £18\£20 to return a saddle.

 

[Lady Jane]

From the 'about' in eBay:
HORSET94 is one of the India's leading manufacturer of hand- made saddles under the brand name QADRI HORSE TACK STORE Like Freemax Saddle,Dressage, Jumping, Close Contact and Western saddle. Our range of high quality saddles are sold throughout Germany and exported to over 20 countries world-wide. A family run business with connections to the saddle trade going back 30 years, FUSION ENTERPRISE are renowned for exceptional high quality, Our clients from various corners of the world are very much satisfied with the quality and durability of our products. Going forward, we are keen in tapping key markets to include regions like Northern and Southern region of America, European Region, United Kingdom, Asia, Australia and New Zealand countries.
Where We Are Located, We are located to the Most Popular Leather Industry City,Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh in India.'Kanpur' is quite famous for leather goods from all over the World.

 

[sbloom]

It looks like a photo of a Bates but it won't be like that when you get it I'd wager. Don't touch with a bargepole. You should see the horrors with these things, pine trees that splinter, all sorts in the panels (sanitary towels in one example I've heard of).

 

[Sossigpoker]

It will be a death trap from India , unsafe and filled with general rubbish. I've seen a video of these being opened up and they had literally rubbish off the street in them.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

They come direct from Kanpur - they are a very cheap imitation of a Bates saddle. The seller also has a very short history of selling only 17 items. The feed back is for every single item bar a saddle!

Some well known companies do have tack made in India or Pakistan these days surprisingly for some, but it is not from Indian or Pakistan leather, it is from imported English leather and then exported back as a finished product to the saddle manufacturer in the UK or Europe. That is not what you are seeing here. I would not even give €50 for one!

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Just found one feedback on one of their saddles - google translated from German to English:

 

[ycbm]

I dont think its a scam, I do think it will be tough leather they are made with, if there is an option for returning for a refund if it isn’t suitable, I would , its about £18\£20 to return a saddle.

People have been caught with this one before. Return is often to India and either costs more than the item is worth or there is no way of proving it arrived or claiming for it if they say it didn't.
.

 

[Rowreach]

If it looks too good to be true ...

These things are flipping dangerous, but eBay won't stop the sellers selling. I inadvertently bought a leather girth from India (via a seller's address in the UK), it was an absolute deathtrap and I refused to return it for a refund and let the seller off the hook, choosing instead to raise it with eBay and get them to take the items off the site - which they didn't, so the seller is still selling these things to this day.

Interestingly when I posted about it on here, people were telling me that I should have taken the refund and not made a fuss I'd rather try and save someone a horrible fall/possible death tbh.

This sort of saddle is held together with a few nails, some glue, and a prayer or two. Not only would I not put one anywhere near a horse, I most certainly wouldn't risk a rider on one.

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

Ah, won't be purchasing from eBay then

 

[Barton Bounty]

People have been caught with this one before. Return is often to India and either costs more than the item is worth or there is no way of proving it arrived or claiming for it if they say it didn't.
.

Ahh ok i did look for country

 

[Elno]

Um...the first picture looks exactly like a Bates gp or jump saddle, they must have stolen the picture from the website Definitely a "Don't buy!"

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

Well there is another one that I found

Um...the first picture looks exactly like a Bates gp or jump saddle, they must have stolen the picture from the website Definitely a "Don't buy!"

Okay, thankyou won't be purchasing that one

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Betcha these "cheap" saddles are made in India. Nothing against the country, but I've seen a helluva lot of treeless saddles in particular (which is what I tend to ride in) for around the £65 mark.

If it is too good to be true then it is a scam essentially.

I would steer well clear.

 

[AmyMay]

Your best bet is to get the best second hand saddle you can from your saddler.

 

[Prancerpoos]

Nothing changes. Going back nearly 50 years Indian saddles were held in utter contempt. They were an odd reddish brown colour and cost £20 at the local horse auctions, at a time when my Stubben cost £150, and were very frowned upon as rubbish.

I don’t think a barge pole would get you sufficiently far away from their reincarnation.

 

[Baywonder]

Echo everyone else....avoid like the plague!

 

[Rowreach]

Well at least the seller openly states they're made in and posted from India, in this case.

 

[Rowreach]

Nothing changes. Going back nearly 50 years Indian saddles were held in utter contempt. They were an odd reddish brown colour and cost £20 at the local horse auctions, at a time when my Stubben cost £150, and were very frowned upon as rubbish.

I don’t think a barge pole would get you sufficiently far away from their reincarnation.

I have some bits and pieces of Indian made leatherwork, inherited from my great uncle and grandfather who were Indian Army/Indian Police, which must be 80 years old now, and it's fabulous stuff. Not quite the same nowadays.

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

Your best bet is to get the best second hand saddle you can from your saddler.

This, then you get someone with training to fit and a range of saddles to try, plus then they can adjust the flocking etc and make sure it fits the horse AND you.

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

Your best bet is to get the best second hand saddle you can from your saddler.

Good idea, I will get on contact with him.

 

[Kaylum]

We opened an Indian saddle up a good few years ago now. It was full of used bandages and swabs.

A lot of retailers say their stuff is Italian or German leather when it's Indian.