Voltaire saddles

[Red-1]

I loved Butet and was going to buy a new one (shock at the price, but I loved my previous one) but had a problem with their fitter, after which my horse was off work with a sore lump on his back! I still wanted one, asked for the main fitter to visit to rectify, they declined so I cancelled the order.

I had Voltaire out, the saddles were OK, the horse went well, I was going to order... but... she wanted me to do something with the tax that meant telling a lie, so I wouldn't. It was out of my price range without telling a lie, so that was out too!

I would still prefer Butet, TBH, but got fitted up with a FAB 2nd hand Childeric, at £1,800, that still had the new nap on the leather.

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

It’s great to get a range of experiences and feedback, thanks for your input everyone!

 

[COldNag]

Thank.you.its super dossappointing to see the response that I got from my post especially as a new member as I was only starting to look through the forum. Personally it doesn't encourage me one little bit. I used to have Prestige saddles bur switched to Voltaire and jave never had any issues with them even when one of my horses changed shape due to her condition.
It seems possible that people have had different experience and rather than damning a company or a post maybe look at all sides of a story before going off on a rant like what has happened here.
It wasn't encouraging for me at all only disappointed that people have nothing better to do than to slam someone else's opinions and comments. Let's hope that this isn't a case with all other topics on this forum

To be fair, people have been posting their own experiences, as have you.

Aa I said, it does always look suspicious when someone's first post defends a company that others have not had good experience with. It has happened several times before, and has become obvious that that poster(s) has connections with the company or were prompted by the company to make said post(s). It is really, really irritating when that happens!

 

[Hopelessly horsey]

I ride in them quite regularly (for work) and the comfort varies quite substantially depending on which type of saddle you use... I do enjoy the monoflap however I wouldn't buy a Voltaire for my own horse.
As has been said previously the fit is again questionable and any adjustments cost more than what I could pick up a nice second hand saddle (say ideal ) for from my local saddler.

I have seen the same saddle said to fit anything from a tb x to something that resembles a good MW hunter!

 

[SibeliusMB]

I have a 2020 Voltaire and an older (pre-2010) CWD. I prefer the feel, balance, and super close contact of the CWD - I call that one "my" saddle, and the Voltaire is Sig's (my horse's). We tried several saddles on him, and the Voltaire was a measurable improvement in his way of going. What horsey wants, horsey gets. He's been very happy in it now for a year and a half, and it still looks brand new (as it should, because I take meticulous care of it).

That said, I wasn't super thrilled with the customer service I got from the Voltaire reps I worked with in the States. Seemed very focused on the sale and not at all on the follow up service. I do like what they're doing with dynamic/semi-flexible trees and pushing that technology forward (they originally started by using Tad Coffin trees...not sure if they still are or not). Voltaire is on the higher end of the French saddle market and wouldn't be at the top of my list to go to though. I wouldn't be interested in new CWDs either as I've heard not excellent feedback on new models/construction/reps.

Regarding second hand Voltaires - yes, some of those will be for sale because they're no longer working for the horse and/or rider, but I am guessing a lot of those are also because many people do trade in/up every couple of years. Pros often do this as do serious amateurs who work with or are contracted by Voltaire. Most high end French companies do the same.

I also feel like most people fall in the foam or wool flocking camp. Both have pros and cons. I've seen horses go beautifully in a generic foam paneled saddle and horribly in a wool flocked saddle fitted and adjusted by a master fitter. Only the horses know what feels good to them when they're moving. Likewise, foam panels won't work for some horses and be harmful. And the "this fits all/most horses!" line is complete garbage. By any company.

 

[sbloom]

And there are foam panels and foam panels (see the Truth Tack Review on Youtube for some impact tests that include foam panels from French saddles). And French tree shapes and other tree shapes (French trees tend to have very similar shapes). And of course different riders will have more or less comfort in different models....there is talk of new tech but I'm not sure how much difference that makes personally, I find the old tech works pretty well when you get it right, with perhaps a high tech pad thrown in the mix.

 

[DQ1]

I currently ride in a Palm Beach (one of the double flap models) on my dressage bred horse. I had no intention of buying a jump saddle but the horse was fitted in a Voltaire Design Lexington when based with a sponsored rider of the brand. He convinced me to go into a jump saddle initially as would give me more stickability on a sharp youngster. Also for a while we would both be riding & I thought it would be easier to share a jump saddle with a taller pro with a much smaller arse than me than find a dressage saddle that would suit us both.

I bought one of their preloved saddles as was expecting to not keep it for long or relegate it to hacking only once I got a dressage saddle. I was prepared to go for what suited the horse best (she is a diva) but I absolutely love the saddle - several times I've expected to have hit the deck from some ninja moves & when we are back at a stand still, am pleasantly surprised to not only still be on top but also not clinging around the neck either.

I feel the comments on leather quality are definitely wrong - every time I clean my saddle i am amazed at how good it looks (& I bought it second hand & don't clean after every ride either). The french panel style vs english is a constant debate. I've owned both. Traditional english saddlers / SMS fitters will champion wool flock because it's what they are trained it. The french panel crew will champion theirs. I have had one of the most experienced SMS fitters in the UK out to fit a dressage saddle to my mare (someone with 40+ years experience with an eye wateringly expensive wool flocked saddle). The mare far prefers the Voltaire Design saddle. That doesn’t mean the English fitter was crap or the dressage saddle doesn’t fit. It’s just that the horse and I feel better in voltaire. My next horse might not.


When the Voltaire Design fit is spot on, it's very obvious with my mare, which in some ways makes the fitting process a lot easier. After 10 months of work she'd changed shape enormously & so the original fit was no longer good. This isn't because the fitter did a bad job in the first place but because the horse had bulked up in both condition & muscle. I had a new panel fitted to my existing saddle - this was done in the UK workshop so a quick turnaround & cost was c.£400 but I paid no fitting appointment charges for the checkup before & after the panel change. Overall a much cheaper option than going on the hunt for a totally new saddle, especially as I loved this one.


No one brand is going to suit everyone or all horses. Some will hate a French panel. Some will hate flock. Voltaire will come out and fit for free so you can have a good trial ride so you have nothing to lose from giving them a whirl.

 

[Season’s Bleatings]

Thanks for that really detailed feedback, definitely food for thought!

 

[jenni999]

A friend has one, it's very comfortable. Used on a wide cob. My physio said never to put a foam panel one on my ISH. So, like anything, it's horses for courses

 

[YorkshireLady]

Interesting on foam v flock as I agree horses will have a preference. I dont mind old tech or tech as someone else called lt. I have a personal preference not to be sat back in balance nor to have huge knee rolls...

My last horse very much chose the saddle we were having! he wanted foam and felt...he liked that it didnt alter as much ride to ride. Luckily I also love it from jump and hacking point of view. I also have a dressage....which i dont find as much as a difference from all sorts of other saddles etc but it does fulfil the not too deep weight not too far back etc.

as well as Gullet width - the tree and where the points of the tree are can make a huge diff to some horses and its always interesting to see what saddles share a similar tree - not just the French ones that are so similar.....then its the stirrup bars.,

however back to the OP I think gullet it worth looking at here

 

[LouisCat]

I have only ridden in one and found the seat very hard on it. Also thought it had aged badly, was less than a year old and looked 7 or 8 years old. Beautiful, soft looking saddles but I wouldn't buy one