People buying saddles unseen (on ebay, online ads, etc)...

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lula

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Im in the market for a good quality second hand saddle and ive seen some good ones on ebay but im stuck wondering, saddles aren't cheap, ..how can you be sure your new expensive purchase is actually going to fit your horse once it arrives?

and if it doesn't, and you bought it privately (no returns etc) you're pretty stuck with it.

How many of you, or have ANY of you, have bought saddles unseen in this way and was it a worry?

How many of you would never buy a saddle through the post for these reasons?

There may be SOME private buyers that wont quibble about having a saddle returned b/c it doesn't fit your horse but you still have the trouble and expense of trying to post it back to sender.

It seems to me a very stressful process!
 
I have bought two like this

One fitted and one i am not sure about so will get checked

I bought on the assumption that i would sell on if they werent suitable - to me its a risk you take so i didnt pay over the odds for them just in case

As a seller i wouldnt entertain a return if i sold in this way. Private sales to a local person i would treat differently
 
I bought a John Whittaker pony saddle on eBay. I took a chance and then had saddle fitter check it when she was at the yard for other horses. It fit, but pony had an injury she never recovered to be ridden again. So I sold the saddle on preloved for pretty much the same price. Not something I'd make a habit of though. Took a risk really, just loved the saddle!
 
Well it works both ways really doesn't it? If I am buying unseen then I would only be prepared to pay a price that I knew I could get back if it didnt fit.

I recently listed an almost new English leather Walsall saddle on ebay, nobody bid above £200 - as I paid £700 I wasn't letting it go for that, nor would I have accepted a return IF it had sold. It could come back to me with a broken tree or any damage and the buyers could say it was like that when it arrived?

The whole distance selling and buying is a bit iffy on saddles I think.
 
i had my saddler try out loads of new saddles and then tell me which ones will definitely fit, in what size etc and then i look on the internet... if im not sure, i wont buy and if i see something i like then i will give my saddler a ring to see if he thinks it will be suitable (more often then not its a no as my horses are strange shapes :() but generally i try not to buy anything i cant look at, i cant ride in it to see if i like it or see if it will fit my horse or even see if they tree is sound so i dont like doing it! i have however been to horsey carboots with a cardboard template gone ahh that will do its only like £60 and it has ended up being the best fit for the horse :o but im not willing to pay more than £400 for a saddle online and i certainly wont pay more then its worth or buy knowing i wont get the same back if it doesnt fit!
 
Yes I've brought 3 this way, two no problems but the third had a broken tree - seller did take it back though (as they should!).

I personally won't buy an expensive saddle this way but for second hand known brand saddles up to around £200 I'll consider it. It's not hard to sell on at that sort of price if it doesn't fit although happily the two I brought both proved a good fit when I had a fitter out to check them.
 
I've bought a wintec 2000 from Ebay but knowing it will fit as I already have one and its adjustable so could adjust it when it arrived! but wouldnt buy anything non adjustable! if it arrived and didn't fit id just resell it on ebay! I bought mine for £99 and sold for £150 when I no longer needed it!
 
You can't possibly expect to be able to return it. Ideally, find a friend who will let you try one the same and if not, only buy something you are sure is a bargain you can easily sell on for the same or more (research what they are making before you bid).
 
Yes, we do buy unseen. But have pretty stringent rules on what the horse needs, know what types fit it well and have a friendly retired saddler who re-flocks and checks fit for us. So we're after a dressage saddle atm, and will be looking for MW Albion/ Albion types with cutaway wither bits on eBay and other similar sites...

If it doesn't fit we just readvertise it, and if it's broken it goes back with a refund.
 
FfionWinnie said:
You can't possibly expect to be able to return it.
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i dont expect to!.

i simply mentioned that saddles are mostly non returnable if purchased online and unseen to make my point about risks in buying an expensive item you're not sure will fit and asked if others have and their experiences.
 
lula said:
i dont expect to!.

i simply mentioned that saddles are mostly non returnable if purchased online and unseen to make my point about risks in buying an expensive item you're not sure will fit and asked if others have and their experiences.
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I don't think I said you expected to, that was just one part of my reply. You did say there maybe some sellers who would let you return it, but i don't believe there are any who will! You could get lucky and find one online that is close enough to take your horse over to try before you buy, I've done that once before. Buying them online means you save money, so you have to balance up if the discount makes it worthwhile when you take postage/reselling into account.

I bought a 1500 pound saddle for 500 on eBay, it fitted, but I don't think I could lose on that one, so I took the risk
 
I've just bought a saddle for £300 on eBay. However I am 99% sure it will fit as I have the same make/style/model in MW 17.5 and this is a W 17.5 inch which is what both my saddler and very competing instructor think he needs! Plus it was very popular - over 30 bids - so I don't think I would struggle to resell if I needed too. Would only ever buy if was confident of exactly what I needed.
 
Plenty of times but they were quality saddles that I wouldn't make a lose on if sold on. I also have a fair idea of what suits and what doesn't and as long as the photos are sufficient, it's less of a gamble.
 
FfionWinnie said:
You did say there maybe some sellers who would let you return it, but i don't believe there are any who will!
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Maybe i should have phrased myself clearer;
i was talking rhetorically... for the sake of argument, what i meant was there may be SOME sellers that will take a return,-however unlikely - but even then you have the problem and expense of postage.

I too, doubt very much they do exist and neither would i expect them to, as i wouldnt either.
 
I buy good quality English second tack tack on ebay. Re saddles - bought a super one [old style Antill] that I knew would fit me and horse, as I had a similar but needed extra width. perfect fit for me and horse, for £300. I m very wary of new stuff, as I feel its rarely English leather.
 
I used to take returns on saddles, till I had someone try to get me to refund her postage and purchase price after she'd damaged the saddle, ended up with a saddle worth half what she'd bought it for and had to sell it for a lot less than it had cost me....
Not anymore I'm afraid.
 
I've bought unseen, some fit some didn't. I ask for specific measurements though to check against a wither template and try to get as many photos as possible. Ones that didn't fit got sold on, I knew it was a risk when I bought them and didn't pay over the odds for anything, and didn't lose any money when I sold on (actually made a good bit on one :biggrin3: )
I had one really lovely lady say she would accept a saddle back if it didn't fit provided I paid postage, luckily I didn't have to take her up on it though as it is a perfect fit, but some people do take returns :smile3:
 
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