Saddle - what would you do....

D

derricks

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 January 2006
Messages
156
Visit site
3 months ago my new horse was fited with an Albion ulimate kontact saddle, this cost me £1500 !! The only reason i had this saddle as everything else I tried slipped up his neck (he is quite round). As he is only 5 and not done that much I have only just started to jump him only to find that the saddle is slipping up his neck, I took him xc and I ended up sitting on his withers. So I have a xc saddle that really does not fit my horse.
The saddler is coming out this sfternoon and I know he is going to say he'll take it away and flock it but in my opinion no amount of flocking is going to stop this saddle doing this.
It is really unnerving and not good for a really tallented young horse to have a saddle on that is moving this much.
It slips forward about 1 cm when doing flat work but when we jump it really is horrible and I feel really perched when sat on him
So where do I stand, can i get a full refund as there is no way my horse has changed shape that much in 3 months and I have only just started to jump him so have only just found out that the saddle is no good...

I have been advised to either get a made to measure saddle or to try a WOW saddle...but can only do this if I can get my money back

Suggestions please ......
 
I would get rid of the Albion to be honest. Your horse may have changed shape in that time - regardless, I dont rate the Albion at all. In any event, it is designed for my TB types - definitely not something round.

If your horse is 5 and done growing, then look at an ideal. If he has some growing left (mine has grown 2 inches since he was 5) then get something adjustable, like a Kieffer or a Saddle Company.

Have a look to see if your horse has a forward girth groove - this might be contributing to the slipping and therefore you can have the girth straps adjusted to take this into account. My CBxTB is a little portly when he is going through a growth phase, which I have taken ito account with his girth strap arrangement and because he has a SC which I can adjust myself, I can adjust the saddle to accommodate him. He does change shape really rapidly, and then goes through a long patch of being the same size and then suddenly (like now) he looks alarmingly bum high again.

But if your saddle is slipping that much with flat work then it quite frankly doesnt fit.

Unlikely that your saddler will take the saddle back, so you might have to swallow a loss and sell it privately. Just dont replace it with a Stubben!
 
I can't see the saddler taking it back unless you can prove the horse hasn't changed shape, though like CBAnglo I was under the impression that Albions aren't the right shape for round horses so it may be worth trying that argument with him.

If you still have loads of money to spend on a saddle it may be worth looking at a Wow as they're infinitely adjustable & effectively made to measure (spot the Wow convert
tongue.gif
).
 
I agree that your horse could well have changed shape in 3 months.

Def get them out and they can redraw templates and you will see! I think you might have to flog it privately and accept it isnt right. How about looking for a 2nd hand saddle to replace it? then you wont have to spend too much more to sort it out.
 
You'd be amazed at how much a horse can change shape in just three months. I don't really think you can blame the saddler and demand a refund as it sounds as if it fitted when new.
frown.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top