Thoughts on re-treeing saddle to fit another horse

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

This is a question hopefully a saddler or saddle expert may be able to help with:

(1) I have a lovely jump saddle I've been unable to sell.
(2) I have another horse who I need a lovely jump saddle for..

I'm wondering if the cheapest way to get a jump saddle (of this quality) for my new horse would be to send it back to Albion, to be re-treed?

The original saddle is a K2 Ultima Jump saddle, it was made to measure a 17.2 ex NH racehorse, who has v. high withers, a prominent spine all the way along his back, his back is A frame, he has hollows under the withers, then he becomes wide at the shoulder with a broad rib cage. The saddle was also made with wider panels than usual for a larger weight bearing area which would have suited my TB's A frame shaped back. (saddle no longer required as horse retired)

My other horse who I need a jump saddle for, is the opposite shape; standard withers, flat back, very rotund body, huge shoulder. He usually takes a wide fit, and I've had balancing straps added to his GP because he's so round.

I've not yet asked my saddler for her thoughts as she's away atm. Do you think my plan could work? Or do you think that the panels might not be right for the other horse, even if it was re-treed & re-flocked? The two horses are opposites in shape

 

[*hic*]

You're right that you need to ask a saddler but I would say that I bought a beautiful saddle for my big wide mare and have almost never used it. My new boy is far higher in the wither and much narrower and my saddler suggested sending the almost new saddle away to have a new tree put in and the saddle refitted to the new boy. The cost of the new tree is far less than the difference between what I'd get second hand for the saddle and buying a new one the same in a narrower tree - and the turnaround time is rumoured to be far shorter too

It could well be a good plan for you too - fingers crossed.

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

I am intending to do this tomorrow!! Have fantastic Symonds gp saddle bought for old horse and I love it. Saddler coming tomorrow and am hoping she will take it away and send back to Symonds to get done. So yes you can def. have it done. Not sure how many times you can get tree changed but def. worth doing.

 

[sbloom]

You should only retree a saddle with exactly the same tree though of course you can go up or down in width, but I suspect there is a limit to how far you can go even with that. It doesn't sound like the same shape of tree would suit the new horse, sorry. IF, and it's a huge if, the tree fits, then you will probably need new panels, not just reflocking. New panels can be the same cost as re-treeing.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Agree with sbloom and from a saddler's point of view when we make saddles we have to block the leather on the seat to the shape of the tree and it sets in this shape so as sbloom has said you really have to use the same tree if you replace it, as in a broken tree for instance.
The panels probably wouldn't fit either, even if they did you would need to get it flocked up to fit the new horse as it would have the profile of the old horse. I have seen attempts by Master Saddlers at putting different trees in saddles, the points just didn't fit the panel's point pockets and kept popping out and the saddle fell apart, it just doesn't work.
It is in my opinion false economy to even try, I would suggest you purchase another saddle to fit your current horse and keep trying to sell the old one or part exchange it, Oz

 

[*hic*]

Well I hope mine will be fine, it's gone back to the manufacturer for one size down of tree and will then be flocked for the horse.

 

[Goldenstar]

My saddler took my jumping saddle up a width fitting because my boy had built up . I have one of the new Albion dressage saddles with the adjustable head and had to get a bigger head fitted for that too.
Both adjustments have worked well but the trees on both saddles suited him he had just radically changed shape.

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

Thank you for your advice. I think you're probably right in that it's probably not going to work. Shame. I need the saddler to come out anyway, so I'll double check with her, but I suspect I've got to spend a lot more money now