Which Saddle? - Please help!

[Lizziek]

Hiya,

I've just joined so hope I've posted this in the right bit etc!

PLease can you help me regarding my saddle problem...

I had a great guy out the other day to check my saddle and he said its no good so need to get another one. (he was recommended and was really good) So now I've got to decide whether to get a Saddle company saddle from him or whether to get a different make from anyone else.
He only fits SAddle company saddles but I've never ridden in one so don't know what it would be like and he only buys them on request so I think if I ordered one I would have to stick with it even if I didn't like riding in it.

So my questions are:

Has anyone got a Saddle company saddle? If so what type have you got and is it nice and secure to ride in?
Are there any saddle makes I should avoid and are there any you would recommend?
I have a 16.1hh chunky tb and would like to event.

Sorry to go on...but I also wondered whether its best to get a decent GP or get two cheaper ones...either a GP and dressage combination or Dressage and jumping combination.

If you have got this far thanks for reading and please give your advise and opinions

thanks!!

 

[samp]

I personally would want to try a number of different saddles out. I would get a saddler that does a range of saddles - personally. ALso this guy may also have been trying it on a bit if he does just one saddle

 

[asbo]

hi & welcome

i want a saddle co saddle for my 2, they are great saddles which can be adjusted & hold there value very well.
i ride my friends bsja in his gp & feel very safe

 

[Lizziek]

Ok thanks for the reply

 

[Lizziek]

oops must have cross posted with you! Thanks for the reply!

How would a Saddle co saddle compare with a bates or gfs saddle?

thanks again

 

[Eceni]

HI

I'm in hte midst of saddle-fit nightmare-from-hell (see previous post on whether I have legal redress...)

From bitter experience, I would say not to buy ANY saddle unless you can ride in it for a week before you part with your cash. Any saddle feels good if it's different - for you and the horse - it's the long term test that counts. And find a saddler you trust implicitly, who's not trying to sell you a saddle, who'll come and give you an impartial view of the one you're trying out.

don't part with money until you're absolutely sure.

I'm trying a WOW soon, simply for their versatility. Have a Sue Carson on loan but not overly impressed.

good luck. It's a minefield

E

 

[ihatework]

my personal opinion is not to use a saddler that only deals with one make of saddle unless you are 100% that it is the make for you!
I bought a saddle company saddle to back my youngster in, the advantages are that it is cheap and lightweight ... but to be honest you get what you pay for. The gullet is narrower than my albions and the bearing surface area is less than my albions. Needless to say the SC saddle (its a jumping version) will soon be going back on ebay and I will be using my albion on the youngster instead.

 

[ss1]

Having come through a saddle saga myself you have my full sympathy. I was riding in a GFS pro event saddle and found it fairly comfortable but it caused my horse some serious back pain and now have a treeless from Total Saddle Solutions. They are not like conventional treeless saddles, they look just like a normal treed saddle but are 100 times more comfortable! I have bought the Jumper and am competing BE pre novice level this season, hoping to move up to novice next year. I can honestly say that I have never felt so secure in a saddle. If you are looking at parting with funds for a saddle Company saddle then why not have a test ride in a Solutions saddle, I was amazed at the difference it made to my horse. The website is www.totalsaddlesolutions.com I use my Jump saddle for all 3 phases and have never found it uncomfortable, even on a 3 hour galloping and jumping trek the other weekend!

Good luck!

 

[evsj]

As Ben and Jerrys says, try not to use someone who is an agent for one particular brand of saddlery.

I asked a saddler to bring out a selection of second-hand saddles to try on my horse (I know they stock literally hundreds second hand in their shop ) and suprise, suprise he only seemed to have room for Albions (mainly new ones)!! So I kind of got rail-roaded into buying a new Albion which I hadn't really budgeted for. It's a nice saddle and I still use it but it wasn't a perfect fit, just the best fit he had.

 

[frannieuk]

Hi Lizzie,
Are you who I think you are??

 

[air78]

I've got a WOW which I'm very pleased with, and would recomend them, especialy for TB types.

Saddle co saddles are quite well regarded though, alot of people on here seem to have them.
I would want to have a look at other companies too though before making a decision.

 

[Eceni]

The things to remember are:

different saddler have different opinions

probably more than one saddle will fit your horse OR will fit you, but very few will fit your horse AND fit you

you don't have to buy one yet - a month lost here is worth a lifetime of a fit horse

If you rush into something now, and it's not right, you're pouring money down the drain. You'll NEVER get as much for a second hand saddle as you paid for it new

take the time to get it right. Try as many as you possibly can. Explain to the saddlers that this is what you're doing and don't let them bully you into buying one. I had one woman say 'if you haven't bought the saddle after my 3 hours with you, I'm not doing my job right - she sells her own saddles - that kind of pushiness is unnecessary and I'm not interested - but it's a product of human nature. They get up to £50 go come out and see you. they get several hundred if they sell you a saddle...

good luck

E

 

[Lizziek]

Thanks very much everyone

some very helpful info has come out of this.

thanks again,

Lizzie

 

[K27]

My advice would be to get a qualified/respected and experienced saddle fitter out from a saddlery store who can bring a wide variety of saddles with them- you can tell them exactly what your looking for and your budget etc and they will also take your horse into consideration.
I may be wrong but im not so sure that you necessarily need to be a qualified sms saddle fitter/ msater saddler to sell saddle co saddles...... hope you find what you are looking for.