Saddles ...

[Araby]

Does anyone have any experiences of http://www.reactorpanelsaddles.com/product-category/saddles/ , my gelding is swayed backed and is ridden in a FnE saddle, which works for him (has to be worked regularly to keep his back up), but I find the FnE really heavy and at just over 5' myself lifting it on to him is not very elegant (he's 15hh)! These seem to be lighter, but same design (FnE no longer made), just looking for any opinions, experiences? TIA

 

[Rosiejazzandpia]

My friend has one for her hard to fit sensitive gelding. She seems to like it and the horse moves nicely in it. I rode in it and didn't find it particularly comfortable and found the stirrup bars at a strange angle that put me in a very weird seat

 

[sbloom]

Have pmed you, I used to fit them. Look up their other brands on here and on Google etc to know more about the company, not just about the saddle, as you can't buy them anywhere else or use anyone else to maintain them. I would expect the RP is only slightly lighter than a FnE.

 

[GingerBeasties]

Does anyone have any experiences of http://www.reactorpanelsaddles.com/product-category/saddles/ , my gelding is swayed backed and is ridden in a FnE saddle, which works for him (has to be worked regularly to keep his back up), but I find the FnE really heavy and at just over 5' myself lifting it on to him is not very elegant (he's 15hh)! These seem to be lighter, but same design (FnE no longer made), just looking for any opinions, experiences? TIA

Hi, I have used RP on my two arabians - very comfy (Christine yeoman version) but they are defo heavy. My boy is short backed and slightly croup high and the panels do scuff at the cantle especially when coat changing. Booking for fitting/checks is governed by them being in your area so can be a delay. I agree with other reply advising you read up online plus if you can find a user near you to go to see theirs if possible (i'm in north east if any good). Good luck!

 

[Araby]

Thank you for your replies, I've been away and only just got back to this thread. My current FnE saddle is extremely heavy, are the newer RP saddles as heavy, googled their weight and at 8lb seems a lot lighter, guessing the FnE is about a stone ... it is an old version.

 

[Gloi]

I've used one for 20 years and liked it, ridden 1000s of miles in it. It was a very early model Roe Richardson. Sad that it is too narrow for my youngster.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Have pmed you, I used to fit them. Look up their other brands on here and on Google etc to know more about the company, not just about the saddle, as you can't buy them anywhere else or use anyone else to maintain them. I would expect the RP is only slightly lighter than a FnE.

Re. the Reactor Panel saddles and the company which makes them.

I did sit on one, once, found it very heavy and cumbersome - and to me it felt very hard too! - and it very obviously wasn't the right saddle for either me or the horse I had at the time, but that was just my experience of one "sit" in it, on one occasion. Like the Heather Moffatt saddles, you either love them or hate them I guess (I've also tried Heather Moffatt, deffo not for me!!).

The company which manufacture(d) and sold these saddles was a company which I had a very negative customer experience with; I bought a couple of their other saddles, as did my livery client, and unfortunately the customer after-care didn't live up to expectations! I.e. they turned up late for fittings, and I don't mean just say half-an-hour, I mean hours late (like 3 - 4 hrs) and the whole thing felt very rushed when they did arrive, which it shouldn't do. There were also issues with the saddle I personally bought which I didn't really feel were addressed sufficiently. Also I think they tended to "name drop" re. their celebrity clients who use their saddles, when the actual reality might not be quite the same - i.e. those people yes might admittedly have ridden in their saddles in the past, but currently now ride in different saddles since that time! I know this from an endurance friend who rubs shoulders with some of the top-level endurance riders who are quoted as being their "celebrity clients" who ride in their saddles ..... but I will be fair and say that perhaps they are not aware of this fact.....

All I will say is that a saddle is an expensive item and you need to get things right, and for me, part of that involves supportive after-care for fittings etc and being made to feel that if you have a problem then you can ask for support and help. We are all busy people with busy schedules and having to wait 4 hrs for a scheduled fitting because the saddle-fitter is with their "celebrity client" rather than you, doesn't exactly make you feel you are valued! Not really....

I would urge anyone to do their research on the company which is mentioned, and canvass opinion. There is material on here in the archives as well as other horsey forums......... read the feedback, make your choice, and only then pay your money and take your chance, is what I would recommend.