Saddle woe's

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MissMincePie&Brandy

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Saddle fitter came out today. My 10 month old Abion K2 GP, needs to have its tree made narrower. This will cost £300 and take 3 weeks to do. This is very annoying as the saddle was £1200 to start with and, originally, saddler decided to fit a medium, and use a half pad, as she suspected the horse would fill out, but he has remained the same: hence I now need to have the tree narrowed.

I have never been 100% happy with the albion ,as I always felt a bit 'perched' and could do with something a bit more secure for hacking, as he's a very sharp TB. Having looked on ebay, it doesnt look like I could get more than £500 for it realistically
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Having mentioned the security issue today, saddler suggested I might like the Prestige GP, and they would part ex my albion and then I'd ''only'' have to pay approx £1500 (gulp) for the Prestige. I've just been onto the Prestige website, and can't see anything they call a GP, would this be one of their endurance saddles???

Anyway. saddler has taken my saddle with her, and I have to tell them what i want to do on monday: ie either alter the tree, or part ex for a prestige.
I'm having trouble justifying the mounting cost of this for one saddle.
The other alternative is to get my albion back, and see if there are any second hand saddle fitters out there who'll come and fit, and sell me a decent brand, second hand GP for about £450 or £500. Do they exist? Then, I'll keep my albion as it is, in case he ever does fill out.
 
We had a John Whitaker altered last year, that only cost £80. That was by David at Throstle nest saddlery. Why don't you ring them for a quote.
 
I have decided to pick it up on Monday, and keep it as it is, because I think he has lost top line over the particulary harsh winter, as our turnout has been restricted and the school is more often too frozen to use, and I think he will again fill out over the spring and summer.
I've been recommended an impartial second hand saddle fitter, so I'm going to ring him on Monday and ask him to come out to do a fitting.
 
It's a Harry Dabbs (the people who make Jaguar branded saddles). My point is that I also sent my saddle back to the manufacturer and it cost a fraction of the price to have the same thing done as Albion are charging you.
 
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