Saddle update & question re: brown tack

[jesterfaerie]

I apologize this post is mainly me rambling on trying to make a decision as to what to buy as I am a little

right now. I had my fitter come over today

, I am now left with a few choices.
a) GFS event style saddle (tempted to say it is the pro event), brown, very comfy and kept me on when he was naughty - £460 private sale
b) GFS GP (tempted to say the pro VSD) less forward cut still felt safe but not as brilliant as the brown closer to £500 - 250 part ex
c) wait until more saddles come in or find another fitter to try more saddles

However my fitter thinks that I may get at least £300 for my saddle if I sell privately. So if I sold it privatly and bought saddle A I would spend less money which is always a good thing!

I was wanting a saddle with the biggest knee roll ever as he can be very naughty and his front end is non existent so need something which will help me stay on him! Saddle A is the best one for this, but I am put off that it is brown and more money upfront. I am holding back as I have been sold a saddle before which I HATED and paid a lot of money so I am taking any little doubt into consideration this time.
I hate buying saddles

and to make matters worst he was being a beast and she was running late so I chucked him in the wed muddy field naked. The state of his has made me want to sell him rather than treat him to a new saddle

How easy/difficult is it to find similar shade of Havana if you are buying from different companies?

 

[vam]

If you like the saddle go for it. You will know pretty much straight off of you dont like one, can you ride in it again to see if it really is the right saddle for you?
You could hold off and wait for another but i would rather go with what fits now just in case nothing comes up for a while.
As for brown i wouldnt be put off, a lot of havana tack is quite dark and you cant always tell the difference between that and black once your butt is on the saddle.

I think GFS do bridles as well so it should all match, if not just look for them in tack shops so you know if they will match before you get home.

 

[jesterfaerie]

I did like it and felt more secure in that compared to the first saddle I tried. I felt more secure in the black saddle to my own saddle but I felt more secure in the brown saddle to both the black one and my own. My mum has told me that although I am acting like 'once bitten twice shy' I should just buy the brown one if I felt more secure and safer in it and no matter what the saddle or how much it costs or what it looks like that should be the only priority (other than it fitting the horse). I will try have a second fitting to see if it feels the same as it did today.

I would probably buy a GFS bridle later one as hopefully the colours are close to matching, I just haven't come across a drop nose band from them, so that may have to come from somewhere else.
But what you said about not being able to tell the colour once sat in it, very true

 

[vam]

I would agree with your mum (annoying when their right

). If it feels good, fits you and your horse then that is the important thing. Money is always a factor but you would be kicking yourself if you pass on this one and wait ages for another to come along.
If you cant find a drop, i would recommend Sabre bridles. I have one and it is lovely, quite dark once oiled up and soft leather. I only really used it for shows and its not got any real ware on it.

 

[Donkeymad]

If this saddle is an ideal fit for both the horse, and yourself, I would buy it. I know it means finding the money up-front, but just look at it as having a spare cash when you sell the other.

 

[jesterfaerie]

Thank you both of you, just had the saddle fitter ring up and she has a few others to bring over. Also as she saw how much of a pig my lad can be she is now on the hunt for a saddle that she used to own that has massive knee rolls and a thigh roll for me to try as it was apparently the next best thing to a seatbelt!

So may open up a few extra options, pfft typical just as I had started looking around for brown bridles too.