what has happened to the saddle market?!

Tinsel Trouble

Tinsel Trouble

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Oh my goodness!!

I am getting very exhasperated trying to sell my Isabell Werth. There's not been so much as a nibble of interest! I have listed it on preloved (on the advise of my saddler) and there's been nothing. I have even thrown in all it's accessories too!!

Is anyone else struggling? Any tips on getting it to shuffle along? I can't buy another saddle, until this one has gone!
 
It took me 3 agonizing months to sell my last saddle, and like you, I couldn't buy a new one until it had sold. I had it on eBay but it never reached the reserve, I had it on Preloved but people kept offering me stupid amounts of money for it. In the end I gave it to a saddler to sell and sold it for what it was worth. Yes he took some commission, but it was well worth it. :)
 
People are skint so not buying unless they need to. If you look at ebay there isn't much selling on there either. I have seen a few decent saddles either not sell or go for next to nothing on there.
 
Unfortunately, due to the current financial situation, many people expect to get something for nothing & offer stupid prices for almost everything. They actually expect you to be pleased with the ridiculous offer they've made & also expect you to accept it. They even get quite aggressive when you tell them no.
 
A lot of people wouldn't buy a saddle that they hadn't seen. I buy second hand saddles from the saddler, because I can see them and feel the tree etc, or swop them if they don't fit etc. Thats probably why Cobsgalore sold hers through the saddler but not ebay etc.
 
Honey08 said:
A lot of people wouldn't buy a saddle that they hadn't seen. I buy second hand saddles from the saddler, because I can see them and feel the tree etc, or swop them if they don't fit etc. Thats probably why Cobsgalore sold hers through the saddler but not ebay etc.
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I haven't put it on ebay for that very reason! If it's on preloved I think people will be much more likely to come and have a look at it. It's just very frustrating!
 
I bought a new Black Country Ricochet for £1,400. Had to sell it 9 months later. Ended up getting £500! If I hadn't of needed the money towards saddle for new horse I would have kept it.
 
The laws of saddle selling havent changed as far as I can see

1) All new saddles will be extortionately priced
2) All saddles will immediately depreciate and become worthless the minute you buy them, UNLESS
3) it is the particular make that you are desperately looking for second-hand - in which case it will miraculously hold its value
 
CobsGalore said:
If I was you I would start phoning around saddlers. Martin Wilkinson sold my saddle for me and sold it for more than what I think it was worth! Even after commission I got about double what anyone had offered me through ebay/preloved/facebook groups.
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My saddler knows it's for sale and guided me towards its price. She is keeping an ear out, unfortunately I need the saddle to ride in for the interim period, so I can't give it to someone to sell on for me! It's a synthetic saddle, and I know that saddlers don't really like to sell on synthetics- despite the fact this Isabell Werth is a flocked version and capable of being adjusted by a Master Saddler!

I am heading to Belton this weekend so will stick my head round the door of a couple of saddlers and speak to them about it.

Ha! Cobden- that is too true! (unfortunately!!)
 
Also think the weather is a factor, are people worried as the shows might be cancelled? We are still feeding a lot of hay and that's expensive... Think its a bit like the weather, when it warms up!
 
I have to say, I've noticed a lot more new, cheap, nasty saddles flooding the market recently (brand new for around the £100 mark!!) and people are flocking to them! I dread to think what damage they'll cause, but it seems some people would rather buy a new bad quality saddle than a lovely quality second hand one...which is a shame.
 
I searched high & low for a saddle to fit my tb last year, paid £400 for an Albion Selecta on ebay, now theres loads on there & prices are lucky to reach 250 :( I no longer need it but am not taking that much of a drop so it will have to stay in the tackroom gathering dust!!
 
I've sold two recently. One on eBay, which was a Stubben jump saddle, and a Saddle Company one on a local Facebook group. I got reasonable money for them; would have liked more, but any cash was helpful. The first sale paid for new front tyres on the lorry, and the second sale paid the farrier.
I think people don't have much disposable income and are sticking with what they have, and are only spending when needed. I suspect there's a bit of luck involved sometimes; right place, right time.
 
I've bought a few recently in order to try and find one that suits my mare. One was a very nice (farrington I think??) leather saddle that I paid £150 for including postage. Unfortunately that doesn't fit but my saddler has said she'll give me £200 for it so can't complain with that. (bought through preloved or free-ads)

The second was a saddle company dressage saddle which I think I paid £250 for (although it may have been a bit less). Was slightly disappointed with it as it isn't in as good a condition as it looked in the piccys. I will probably sell that on at some point as I'm not keen on the fit either. (Bought outside of ebay after contacting through ebay)

The third one hasn't arrived yet but looks a lovely saddle and I hope it will suit my table top mare well. It's an Ideal GP made with wide horses in mind. I paid £375 for that including delivery. (bought through FB group)

I think like someone said above, unless it's a well known brand that someone knows will fit their horse it's very difficult to fork out a lot of money on one. I've only bought the ideal as I hope that if it doesn't fit it will be fairly easy to sell on but with lesser known makes I would have been reluctant to fork out more then £200. Saying that, if I could guarantee that the saddle would fit the horse and me, I wouldn't be all that bothered by the make and I would feel much more confident about spending more.
 
Have sold most of my saddles through eBay and always got a reasonable price for them. However, I have been trying to sell my brnad new GFS saddle for alot less than I paid for it and have not a squeak of an offer.

Think that people aren't buying atm for all the reasons listed above. Personally I prefer second hand saddles as someone else has done the breaking in and its all nice and comfy for me :D
 
Im the opposite!
I sold mine stupidly easily (I think my asking price may have been out but that's my own fault I guess) In fact advertised it on Facebook and Preloved and could have sold it 5/6 times in the first day....annoying!
The saddle I want- A Thorowgood Cob 17" Black I cant find for love nor money- at an affordable price anyway!
 
I have just sold 3 saddles
A 5 year old jaguar showjumping saddle £451
A NEW wintec cc jump saddle £140 :'(
And a nearly new wintec dressage saddle with cair for £79

I wasn't using any so figured it was best to just bung them on eBay for 99p start bids and see what they made!
 
Also bear in mind that because of the financial situation people are selling saddles on much more, rather than keeping them in the tack room/attic "just in case" so the market is also over supplied. I think used synthetic is tricky though at least it's a premium one that is much more expensive new, I just think that if someone can find £200 ish for a bog standard used synthetic they can often find the £350 or so for new, whereas leather has a bigger difference between new and old.

Hope you get it sold!
 
I wouldn't look on preloved, partly because you have to pay a fiver and there are free websites that do the same job, but also because it does not immediately come to mind for saddles!

I would advertise on facebook groups first and also tack shops if allowed as then local people can come to view first, thus increasing chance of sale. Then probably eBay, then if no success a local saddle fitter.

ETA just read it sold, yay congrats!
 
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I am in the trade, Ebay has knocked the saddle market badly, and with the economy as it is, it is very difficult to sell saddles for anywhere near what they should be worth.

The amount of people who come into the shop and browse through the saddles, and then say there budget is less than £100!!!

OK I do have a few in that price bracket but they are very old or imported, the rest of the 120 odd saddles in stock are between £250 and £500
 
There are certain saddles that even in this market have held their value Flyde Rays, Samantha, Ideal ramsey in brown and a meduim to wide fit all seem to go for descent money.
I think jumping and dressage saddles are always going to be hard to sell as so much is not only fit but fashion and I don't think the manufacturers are helping either as with bling they are createing fads that date.
Certain brands are no longer made in the UK even if they are marked English leather and some saddle brands I would buy secondhand if they were ten years old but not if they had been made in the last five years.
 
It's actually really hard to buy a second hand saddle - the reason being that of course you want to try it.

And who wants to trust an item worth NZ$,000's to the courier, never mind to someone you don't know from Adam, to try on their horse and go for a ride in it.

I have sold a couple of saddles on line, but they were priced to sell, 'cos I needed them gone, but both were re listed really quickly because they didn't fit the horses they were bought for.

Equally frustrating either way I think. :confused:
 
I sold my GFS dressage saddle on eBay and ended up with less than £200 by the time fees went out. It was probably worth about £400 but OH wanted it out the house and I didn't get any buyers through local sites. Packing it and courier was a nightmare so never again but the lady was very pleased so at least it went to a good home rather than sat doing nothing...
 
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