What are the most popular brands of saddles in the UK?

Cinnamontoast

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A friend of a friend is setting up a saddlery in France and wants to make sure she stocks popular items. Wintec has the reputation of being a pony club saddle over there, so I'm not sure she'd want to stock that.

What does everyone have?
 

Tern

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I don't personally have these but these are popular with friends:

Albion
Bates
GFS
Jefferies
Wintec
Kieffer
Frank Baines
Stubben
Pessoa
 
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Tash88

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If your friend wants to stock synthetic saddles as part of her range then Thorowgood ones do seem to be overtaking Wintecs now. I have had a Thorowgood GP saddle for nearly three years now and love it, bought it when my horse was 5 and changing shape and it has adapted well over the last few years.
 

Shooting Star

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I've been through quite a few over the years ... And most in the last 3 yrs with Mr. Difficult but of all the saddles that I've had my three favourite brands have been Ideal, Kieffer & Albion. Not really a fan of synthetic but if I had to choose and it fitted my preference would be Thorowgood.

Kieffers are a bit of a marmite brand but have worked well when the other makes that normally have their praises sung have failed to suit so they make my list :)
 

Cinnamontoast

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If your friend wants to stock synthetic saddles as part of her range then Thorowgood ones do seem to be overtaking Wintecs now. I have had a Thorowgood GP saddle for nearly three years now and love it, bought it when my horse was 5 and changing shape and it has adapted well over the last few years.

Same, mine was 5 when I got him and the Thorowgood has done a good job.

Keep the ideas coming. Anyone heard of Forestier? That seems popular over there.
 

Palindrome

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Popular saddles in France won't be the same as in the UK. Albion is an English brand so popular here but not really in France.
I believe Devoucoux, CWD and Luc Childeric are well thought off brands but there are tons of other brands (Eric Thomas, Henri de Rivel...). Personally I don't care the brand as long as it fits the horse well and that's what is needed in France, saddle fitters who will reflock a saddle and check the fit without bias (aren't employed by one brand or the other). I really dislike the foam filled panels and the "this saddle fits all horses" sale pitch. It's the horses who suffer from ill fitting saddles then.
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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Its gotta be Wintec and/or Thorowgood in the "cheap and cheerful" bargain basement.

Then for nice leather saddles....... Albion, Bates, Kent & Masters, Barnsby (I've got cobs so that's the sort of saddles I'd be looking for!!).

Then, if you want to include treeless??? There's Barefoot, Libra, Torsion, Freeform, then all the Heather Moffatt ones.............
 

blitznbobs

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In my tack room (I've just looked) I have 4 albions, 1 ideal, 1 locally made showing saddle, one wintec, and one 'cub' saddle and one shires

I have too many saddles (ebayathon alert!)
 

Cinnamontoast

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I imagine Devoucoux is quite big out there still?

Apparently, yes.

Popular saddles in France won't be the same as in the UK. Albion is an English brand so popular here but not really in France.
I believe Devoucoux, CWD and Luc Childeric are well thought off brands but there are tons of other brands (Eric Thomas, Henri de Rivel...). Personally I don't care the brand as long as it fits the horse well and that's what is needed in France, saddle fitters who will reflock a saddle and check the fit without bias (aren't employed by one brand or the other). I really dislike the foam filled panels and the "this saddle fits all horses" sale pitch. It's the horses who suffer from ill fitting saddles then.

She wants English and French brands, hence the question. :smile3:
 

WindyStacks

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As someone else said, unless she's catering only to the expat market she's barking completely up the wrong tree.

Kieffer, stubben, Henri de rivel etc.

In 15 years in EU I never saw anyone even glance in the direction of coloured trees or synthetics.
 

fliffkins

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I'm a Farrington girl, have a dressage and a jumping one - both converted to flair. Both comfy and could - and have - rode for hours in them.
 
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