Where to buy saddles from in the UK?

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Shumba

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Hi, I need to buy a saddle for my 3yo and have been looking at getting a 2nd hand synthetic dressage saddle, ideally the Isabell or Wintec so I can adjust it. Problem is I've been looking on ebay and a lot of sellers are not interested in having it returned again if it doesn't fit. So where do you go to be able to try the saddle and return if it's not a good fit, are there any other good websites/companies for 2nd hand gear? Or do you just have to buy and if it doesn't fit sell it again? I would never have considered buying a saddle without trying it first before as being able to change the gullet doesn't mean it's guaranteed to fit. Advice much appreciated
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You go to a regular Tack shop. They will sell new and second hand saddles. Generally speaking they let you try the saddle on the horse before you decide to buy it.
 
I found this website yesterday and thought I might go and have a look as it is ot too far away - Sounds like you have had a good experience if you are recommending
 
With any horse I would get a good saddler out with a range of saddles for you to try. They can also reflock the saddle to fit your horse if that is what is required. With such a young horse, I would be wary of starting it with an ill fitting saddle - I would hate to have its first experience under saddle being ridden in something that didnt fit.

Wintecs rarely fit anything, except a true TB type and even then there is a good deal of rocking because of the shape of the panels. The IW is built on a different tree though, and does have flatter panels but you need someone to fit the saddle for you.

If your horse is broader, I would look at thorowgoods as they have a better tree for broader backs.

Then of course you could go for an adjustable saddle such as a saddle company (I fit these so a bit biased!) or a kieffer - this means that you invest in a good saddle from the start and the tree can be adjusted to fit your horse as it develops. I got a SC for my youngster and have adjusted it so many times. He was off work a couple of times during that time as well so he has gone down as well as up.
 
i had 3 saddles on trial, had a fitter out to check them, but didnt like them, they also bought my albion off me, i had put it on ebay but it didnt go, they gave me more than had put it on for.
 
You really should get a sadle fitter out who will bring a range of saddles to try. It is important that a 'breaking' saddle fits well as this will be the horses first impression of saddles and being ridden. If it does not fit you could be lining the horse up for years of remembered problems.
 
Thanks for advice, appreciate it. Will try saddledirect as they do the trial which is what I was looking for so I can get the fit checked. I found it really unusual that the local tack shop wasn't keen to let them out on trial and nor were some of the ebay sellers and wasn't sure if this was the standard over here. Thank you!
 
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