nice saddle but how much???!!!

[SKW]

I had the saddle fitter out to see Josh today. Since I bought him I've been borrowing a friend's saddle which is really nice, but is a bit short for him and doesn't fit perfectly. I am looking for a decent quality leather GP that won't cost the earth but will get a reasonable resale price if he changes shape. The only one I really found comfy of the ones we tried, and the one that fit him the best, was a farringtons saddle (they said GP but looking at the pics online it may be an international event, I'm not sure). I really liked it, so I asked the price and it was £1350!!! Am I just in a happy world of my own when it comes to saddles or is that an awful lot of money??

I'm wondering whether I should be trying to get one second hand, but I'm not really confident with fitting it myself. I might wait and see if I can get the same saddle online cheaper and then get someone out to check the fit/reflock etc if needed, but I'm a bit worried they will say it doesn't fit at all and it will be a waste of money. Anyone know any decent saddlers who carry a good second hand selection in Oxford??!

 

[CrazyMare]

I'd say thats about average for a good saddle. Certainly that has been the new retail value of all of mine (bit less actually than my jump saddles)

I did manage to get mine 2nd hand from Bridlepath International, who come out Oxford way I think...

 

[Abacus]

The only one I know locally is Sean at Jods Galore in Henley, who has a good selection in the shop and will lend you a few to try, and then come out to fit the ones you think might work. He's very good. They are more expensive than the sames saddles on Ebay, but getting them fitted makes them a better bet. I've had a couple from him and been happy.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

TBh i think thats cheap!

I have saddler coming out in 2 weeks to fit a new saddle to NMT's Fig and potentially to CS too......................if there is anything worth sitting in for under £1800 ill be very very suprised indeed. He is bringing one of the more *value* ranges which is £850 but i think whilst the leather quality etc isnt going to be so dramatically bad, its more the design detail that will be lacking and im not sure you really get good value for money in the leather saddles if you look under £1k. Even a GP saddle has to be secure and comfy and adaptable.

anything that costs under £1500 has me gasping in shock at how little it costs,saddles are very expensive these days

 

[*hic*]

There is a middle way! I have had my horses over to the saddler, he's found saddles that were going to be fine once flocked etc. I have then on two occasions found the same saddle on ebay, bought them and taken horse and saddle back to the saddler to be fitted properly. First time I bought an Ideal Impala for IIRC £500, can't have been used above half a dozen times, paid about £35 to have it properly fitted rather than £1300 for the same thing new from the saddler. Second one I bought was brand new, never been on a horse Ideal Impala Pro dressage saddle for about £600 instead of a new price of £1450. Every one very happy.

 

[wench]

Good quality second hand gp should be around £300 - £500.

 

[Clippy]

£1350? I think that's extortionate

 

[MrsMozart]

I think all my saddles, apart from the second-hand ones, cost that or more.

The second-hand ones have been around the £300-£500 range.

Not sure if they go that way, but you could try Bridlepath International. They carry a good range of new and second-hand, plus they're very patient and will spend time and explain what they're doing . They don't pressure one into spending a lot or buying new either

 

[mandwhy]

They sure are expensive! I am having a fitter out on Friday and looking around the 750 mark - that is a lot for me to spend! I reeeeally hope one of these ones fits. I would be gutted if I had to spend 1350 but would if there was no other option to fit the horse. You can have made to measure for that price though!

Would defo be worth trying to source one second hand, a lot of saddle fitters will travel quite a long way if you find one in stock

 

[FfionWinnie]

Mine cost 1400 and I've sat in it about twice before it had to go back as it wasn't made right . Tried some second hand ones but nothing I found comfortable fitted the horse and vice versa. Thought I'd get the saddle in a month, it initially came in 3 weeks but didn't fit and went back, then in another 6 weeks it appeared again then had to send back sob sob. It is lovely just hope it's right when it comes back!

 

[mandwhy]

Is it this one?

http://www.saddlesdirect.co.uk/GP-VSD-Saddles/63756237856328568/product_details.html

Should give you hope that you might find one second hand anyway and they send them out for you to try - you could do that and book a saddle fitter to try them with you? Cheaper than new anyway!

 

[LeannePip]

i've also had the saddler come out measure horse and suggest various ones to be looking for then have him back out to checl/adjust saved loads! i found a bargain Albion Dressage saddle - beautiful condition, haggled down £250 becuase its brown! then payed £40 for a re flock and then bought a bargain HDR jump saddle for £300 barley even used no marks scratches and just had the girth straps changed (short ones to long ones) and reflocked for £40! are you looking at 2nd hand aswell you can get some great bargains and they hold their price well too? might even make some money on them - bought one cheap for £70 sold it for £130

 

[Mrs_Wishkabibble]

The Farrington International event is £995 new where we are (TC Robinsons saddlers in Lincs)

I have 2 of my horses in this saddle but only paid £450 for one and £500 for the other off Ebay, both in excellent condition and them paid the saddle fitter to come out and fit them.

Lovely saddle, very comfortable, lovely wide weight bearing panel and I find them very supportive in the knee and thigh blocks.

£1350 seems very expensive for a Farrington, most of these are made to measure for around £1000 from a template. I would be shopping around for this.

 

[SKW]

Is it this one?

http://www.saddlesdirect.co.uk/GP-VSD-Saddles/63756237856328568/product_details.html

Should give you hope that you might find one second hand anyway and they send them out for you to try - you could do that and book a saddle fitter to try them with you? Cheaper than new anyway!

Yes that does look the same!! Unfortunately he is a MW 17.5" but it does show that you can get them 2nd hand. I think maybe this is the way to go. I'm sure I could get it fitted/reflocked if I found one in decent condition. Interesting that the new ones are so much cheaper elsewhere. Sounds like I'm paying too much from this saddler. The trouble is saddle fitting just seems like such a minefield so I've tried to go off reputation, and it seems their prices reflect this!

I've emailed Bridlepath international to find out what area they cover and what selection they have second hand, and I've also emailed saddles direct to find out how often they get this saddle in and whether they can recommend others to try based on that one fitting.

 

[emma.is]

If he's very likely to be changing shape no way would I be forking out that much!

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Erm.....there is no way I could afford that! All my saddles, brand new, cost max £600 that was the Isabella wintec. The others are around the £400 mark.

 

[Irishbabygirl]

I've always bought good quality 2nd hand leather saddles which my saddler comes to fit. I've always paid around £400.

 

[Snozzo]

I feel your pain! I had fitted and bought a new Ideal saddle late last year, that was approx £1200. I was shocked as the last saddle I had bought new was around £250!. I had a wintec saddle on my cob with the interchangeable gullets until my cob stopped changing shape, then finally bought the leather one ... typically there were not any 2nd hand ones that fitted him.

 

[alext]

I think if you trust the saddler it may be worth it!!
Crazy but with my mare I went through three sadddlers and many more saddles and obviously lost a fair bit of money along the way!
I ended up with a farrington Henley made to measure for £950 about five years ago!! Needless to say the saddle did cost more than my horse!!

 

[I See Clover]

£1350? I think that's extortionate

Ditto!

 

[SKW]

Thanks everyone. Does anyone know of any saddlers near Oxford that have a really good selection of 2nd hand saddles as well as being a decent fitter??

 

[showpony]

Personally I think if you get the " right saddle it will do wonders" I went through 3 in 2.5mths with my Mare & finally got frustrated as one would suit her & not me, visa versa etc... got a saddler to come out he had a stack of saddles in the back, off the peg... tried 6 & of course I like the most expensive one! In the end went for a custom Albion which cost me €1650!!
BUT I am a different rider in the saddle, much more centered & according to my instructor my position is 100% better - I also have much more security in the saddle as big knee rolls plus as she grows saddler can adjust. I know its a crazy amount of money but Its the best investment I've made!

 

[ecrozier]

I've got a Farrington event 17.5 M, I paid £550 for it second hand in excellent condition. They are out there just keep looking! I think I know who you used and whilst they are good, they are certainly not cheap!

 

[mandwhy]

Ah well I know it is still far away but the saddler I am having out on Friday actually has a farrington in a 17.5 M although it is just under jump saddles so not sure it's the same...


http://www.martinwilkinson.com/webshaper/store/viewProd.asp?pkProductItem=2322

They are highly recommended!

 

[nikicb]

Alice Nuttgens is your way - she's very good, although not sure she'll fit much cheaper than you already have.

http://www.saddlefitters.co.uk/

My saddle was £2,600 - yes twice that amount - the problems of having a tricky to fit horse.

 

[dressagelove]

Mine cost £2300.... made me feel ill forking out for it, but my god is it worth it. Should be too!

 

[criso]

I always try and go for leather second of an established make as I know I would be able to sell on for close to what I paid should I need to.

Any new saddle from the economy range synthetics to the more expensive will lose almost half their value once used. I paid £450 and £650 for my Black Country and Kieffer respectively, the latter had only been used very briefly and was more or less new.

I would explain that you don't want to buy a new saddle as you think your horse may change shape. If you find something you like go online and and source it secondhand and pay your saddle fitter to check and fit it.

 

[Bikerchickone]

I recently spent £1400 on a new made to measure Lavinia Mitchell saddle, well to be honest I'm stunned at how much of a difference it's made to my boy. He moves beautifully, feels much more free and is working so well balanced these days that it's actually a pleasure to school him. The best thing with these is that you have a saddle cloth with pockets for shims and you take out or put in shims as your horse muscles up or doesn't if that's the case.

My boy is a totally mature 13 year old very hard to fit cob who's had lots of problems with saddles in the past, but for the difference this one has made it's been worth every penny.

 

[sbloom]

You can have made to measure for that price though!

I'd stick to standard saddles if they fit, M2M shouldn't have this premium price - no legal protection for the buyer, a rather exacting fit which often seems to be less adjustable/flexible over time, an unknown quantity to sell and just as many sob stories as regular saddles!

I think if you trust the saddler it may be worth it!!
Crazy but with my mare I went through three sadddlers and many more saddles and obviously lost a fair bit of money along the way!
I ended up with a farrington Henley made to measure for £950 about five years ago!! Needless to say the saddle did cost more than my horse!!

The saddles I fit are cheaper than the price you have been quoted but for many people it's still a lot of money - most people come to me after losing a lot of money on saddles that dont' fit. If you can be sure of a good fit and service, it's invaluable.

Any new saddle from the economy range synthetics to the more expensive will lose almost half their value once used. I paid £450 and £650 for my Black Country and Kieffer respectively, the latter had only been used very briefly and was more or less new.

Just like cars sadly. The good brands will lose slightly less up front, and will then keep their value relatively, no matter how old.

I think £1350 sounds like a lot of money for that brand - I currently am stocking Memel leather (very expensive tanning process) saddles for a chunk less than that!

 

[navaho]

I must live in my own little world, im gob smacked that so many of you have paid so much for your saddles.