What's your saddle?

YasandCrystal

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I have a HW leather Thorowgood (L6) for my IDx mare and a dresage saddle of unknown make. A Prestige GP for my WB and my daughter has a Barnsby for her cob mare. The falabella x has a cool mexican western saddle.

All very comfortable and pro fitted. Couldn't resist showing the western :)

Barney1.jpg
 

Rosie1989

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I have an Albion Style Ultra...I compete SJ, XC, Teamchasing, Eventing and have been hunting in it. I bought it from eBay, but had my saddle fitter out to check it over/fit it first. He re-flocked it and said it was a great fit :)
 

Littlelegs

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Mine has a jefferies gp, which I've had on her forever. She's 23 so just hacking & local stuff now. Used to have albion jump & dressage saddle for her too, but sold them when I divorced in a cash raising spree. Still, I kind of still have them as the cash furnished the lounge.
7yr old daughter still in a pony pad as 14/14.5" saddles to fit a table backed pony are like hens teeth!
 

ischa

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I have a Heather moffett Fhoenix saddle for my cob who was a dinner plate shape when I brought her , I swap it for a load of brand new rugs, coats and grooming kits etc that was left over from my online selling buisness , I have a griffin for my friesian what I bought brand new a few years back
 

forestfantasy

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I have a Solutions GP treeless saddle - best thing i've ever bought, fits virtually any horse with the right shims, very comfy & most importantly my horse goes like a dream in it :D
 

claribella

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I have a keifer gp but not because I paid for it! It just came with my mare when i got her. She was my first horse so I wasn't aware that I was getting a thousand pound saddle until the vet did her five star check and phoned me afterwards. It's a nice saddle but I find it heavy and would prefer a treeless. How ungreatful am i?
 

cornbrodolly

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Remember the hidden agenda- saddlers want to sell saddles, so dont be swayed into buying the dearest/one with the famous logo/new technology/ - its all a variation on the Loreal 'because you re worth it' line .
I have no time for synthetic [ dont last five minutes and dont sit well] or treeless [ why not a felt pony pad - or even go bareback] or these reinventing the wheel jobs which are a 19c cavalry saddle with knobs on.[ the endurance types]
Its many years since we bought a new saddle - secondhand much better for comfort, and good brands will last decades. having backed many horses a 40 yr old Barsnsby wide GP has fitted 90% of them!
We also have Podiaskji of that vintage for dressage- not as padded as newer saddles , but I hate bling!
Jeffries Working hunter for show/hacking/hunting. Various others come and go as needed.
The 2 Anthills [1 dressage 1 VND] are my favourites - for showing/hunting etc. One xwide ,1wide. The xwide was bought off ebay - fits horse and myself like a glove!
I would recommend you go to a good saddler with a large 2ndhand dept and ask to be fitted with a second hand saddle by them. Then if shape changes etc , you ll not lose too much money.
 

Jazzy B

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thank you everyone, treeless, I hadn't even considered :eek: hopefully we can find something for him without sending me bankrupt at the same time!!
 

oscarwild

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I have a GFS GP which I used on my last horse but it doent fit my Gucci so I'm having to sell it for my saddle which is coming in a couple weeks time. Its a thorowgood t8. Rode in one yesterday when the fitter was here and its lovely.
 
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have a Barnsby Schomole (spelling!) 17.5 N to M - fab for jumping/hacking and it was 2nd hand - would never buy new if i could get 2nd hand now. Also other horse has Ideal Monarch and Barnsby dressage - both 2nd hand. Am on look out for 2nd hand Barnsby or Albion dressage saddle now......
 

dizz4

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I'm in the process of getting my lad a new saddle, only problem is last time I bought a saddle was 13 years ago for my mare so a bit out of touch! So just out of interest what kind of saddle have you got, what kind of riding do you do and was in new or second hand and where did you get it from? Do people actually buy online because for me that's just plan scary! :eek:

I have recently bought a lovely second hand Bates dressage saddle for my horse as I do more showing and dressage now than jumping, although I also have a GP saddle as well (wintec wide) for my flat back cobs....

I had no problem buying a second hand saddle from ebay and the transaction went smoothly and I am very pleased with the saddle and the transaction as a whole.... there are many genuine sellers out there who want to pass on saddles they no longer have use for, you can also get quite a bargain, but if you are unsure as to type and fit, you could get a saddle fitter to assess your horse and listen to what they say, you don't have to buy anything from them but listen to their advice, you may be able to find a recommended saddle cheaper online...

good luck with your saddle hunt....
 

DifficultMare

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I have a Nick Dolman half serge panel WH/dressage saddle. My horse is very wide and has enormous shoulders, this saddle means that her shoulders now have room to move - and boy do they! Have only had it since last October but the difference in her is amazing, she's muscled up really quickly and seems very happy and comfortable in it. It wasn't cheap but then it was almost new (about 6 months old) and had only been used a couple of times. I was very lucky as I bought this from someone I know. Specialist Saddles website have used saddles for sale or you could contact Kay Humphries or Barrie Swain directly. Good luck in your quest!
 

Shutterbug

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After trying about half a dozen saddles on my boy, we settled for the Thorowgood T4 GP and Dressage saddles - I love them :D
 

VIX123

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I've got. A wide range of saddles and would choose Adam Ellis every time. He has made me some beautiful saddles and on horses which the other so called master saddles have failed to do, in particular one so called 'master. Saddler' made my grade B showjumper have real problems and resulted in her loosing one season. Personally I would rather someone who's honest, makes a high quality saddle, no hype, etc. But then I guess even with some of these so called well known saddle brands, they are only as good as the saddler fitting it.......
 

McW

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An ideal and an Albion k2 jump - love them both. Both have brought on our dressage and jumping no end.
 

Patterdale

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A Bates Caprilli GP which fits everything and is mega comfy (I highly recommend!) and a nearly new Jeffries Stamford Working Hunter which I've only just picked up at a bargain price so I'm going to try it today, hope it can be made to fit my sec D as its truly beautiful!
 

Misog2000

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I have a Manor event saddle that was made for my girly which I jump, hack etc in and a Bates Innova for dressage. Both are fab but in different ways, the Manor is like riding in a comfy armchair whereas the Bates makes a massive difference when schooling as it puts me in exactly the right position. Good luck :)
 

flump

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Prestige event, jaguar xsj and a jefferies wh saddle for tbs

Albion k2 and shires optimus dressage for big lad

And a made to measure Kent and masters for pony!
 

holeymoley

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I have an ideal Ramsay. I do flatwork and dressage, showing and hacking. And I pop the odd jump when I fancy ;) . It's so comfy. I need the straight cut as my boy has big shoulders but also for myself as I ride with a very straight leg .
 

Qru

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My boy has two - a wow saddle that his previous owner bought new about a year ago. It has fixed block jumping flaps and a medium seat. It's the comfiest thing I've ever sat on but they're not cheap! Unfortunately it doesn't fit properly so ive had to buy a new one until I can get it refitted.
So, I bought a second hand Ascot saddle with a spring tree, it's a GP but has a deep seat and is cut deep in the shoulder allowing more freedom to move so is ideal for dressage, unfortunately it's not the comfiest saddle in te world but he goes nicely in it so hey ho :)
 
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