Saddle frustrations!

Pippity

Pippity

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 February 2013
Messages
3,450
Location
Warrington
Visit site
I've been looking for a saddle for my share horse for three months and getting absolutely nowhere! I'm so frustrated I'm torn between screaming and crying!

I know he's an awkward shape, and I've got a limited budget - £500 - but you'd think I could find SOMETHING.

Instead, I'm paying for visit after visit from my saddle fitter, I've got money tied up in saddles that I bought to try and I'm now looking to sell on, and my saddle fitter really doesn't seem to understand the concept of 'working within my budget'. (She brought a saddle for me to try. It was perfect for me and the horse. "It's £1,400!" she says.) I'd try a different fitter, but this is the one my share horse's owner uses, so I'm kind of stuck.

Argh!!!!!
 
First of all I am a bit surprised that you as the sharer are trying to buy a saddle for the horse you share rather than the owner buying it.

However, if there is a valid reason then I have the following to suggest:-

1. Could the saddle fitter not suggest a different saddle to the £1,400 one that had the same tree shape and was very similar in fit but cheaper (e.g. a synthetic one)?

2. Have you asked if you could possibly pay for the saddle in installments?

3, What about getting a 12/24 month interest free on purchases credit card to purchase the £1,400 saddle for?
 
Like another poster I'm surprised that you're buying a saddle for a share horse. One that presumably at some point you may no longer share.

Why isn't the owner trying to sort this?
 
Cowpony said:
If you know what fits can you not find it second hand and then get the fitter to reflock/tweak as necessary?
Click to expand...

The one that fits is an Albion Kontrol GP. They're new enough that they rarely come up second-hand and the few that I have seen have been the wrong width - and still out of my budget!

Potter84 said:
Like another poster I'm surprised that you're buying a saddle for a share horse. One that presumably at some point you may no longer share.

Why isn't the owner trying to sort this?
Click to expand...

I've been sharing B. for over a year now, using his owner's saddle. Unfortunately, it's absolutely HORRIBLE for me - dressage saddle with enormous thigh blocks that are fitted for his very tall owner who rides with very long stirrups. It's so bad for me that, if I ride for more than 45 minutes or so, I get back pain.

Others may think differently, but I wouldn't expect his owner to buy a second saddle for just me.
 
Fair enough. Not sure what to suggest other than to say there's only so many different shaped horses in the world so there must be something out there to fit eventually
 
SallyBatty said:
1. Could the saddle fitter not suggest a different saddle to the £1,400 one that had the same tree shape and was very similar in fit but cheaper (e.g. a synthetic one)?
Click to expand...

This is what I was hoping but she seems to feel there's no such thing.

2. Have you asked if you could possibly pay for the saddle in installments?

3, What about getting a 12/24 month interest free on purchases credit card to purchase the £1,400 saddle for?
Click to expand...

Even if I could afford it, I'd balk at buying a brand new saddle for a horse that I don't own. At least if it's second-hand it'll hold some of its value when I come to sell it on.
 
Albions are a good brand and hold their value when sold on, as you've discovered. I'd be looking at how I could raise the money to buy it. Eg. Do you have anything non-horsey you could sell, in addition to the surplus saddles? Could you work some overtime for a month or two?

ETA: I assume you've tried a GP or jumping version of whatever make/model the horse currently wears in dressage style? Or if dressage saddles fit him better for some reason, have you considered trying a different make/model dressage saddle with small knee rolls to see if that's enough to make you comfortable?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top