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Post by Lynne on Feb 17, 2003 9:53:24 GMT -5
Thinking about buying a saddle....never done it before...not a new one anyway. Just curious what types of saddles you guys use and what you do with them.... Any saddles you've used but hated? What seems to fit your TB's best? If I were dumbe enough to need a saddle for Cobie my high withered skinny TB and Crazy my short FAT self destructive, witherless arab would you tell me to get real?  |
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Post by HokieLee on Feb 17, 2003 10:55:00 GMT -5
I have a Wintec Pro that I think is very comfortable. I school dressage and trail ride with it. I've even jumped in it (only about 2-2.5'). I tried the Wintec Isabelle and the seat was way to deep for me but I love the equisuede material the Pro and Isabelle are made out of. I know people have had trouble getting even the extra wide gullet wide enough for arabs, though.
I used an old wintec pro for several years (without the changeable gullet) and it's still going strong but too narrow for Madeline even though it's a wide so I got a new one last year.
Other saddles I've tried:
Had a Stubben Tristan for a while that Madeline really liked until she put weight back on and it started pinching. They are good for the high withers but I found the saddle extremely uncomfortable-the twist seemed too narrow and I constantly felt like I was all over the place.
I have ridden other horses in an Albion Original Comfort-I really liked this saddle-it's made with a wide twist. The next time I have a few thousand laying around maybe I'll get one!
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Post by adcooper on Feb 17, 2003 11:37:34 GMT -5
My saddle is old and strangely, it is brown. I loff it! It fits every horse and rider, apparently, because the woman who sold it to me is about 5' 0" and her horse is a very chunky Morgan. I am about 9" taller and my TB is not at ALL chunky! I haven't had to alter the saddle at all. Honestly, if fit all 4 of us quite nicely!
It works for everything I do--dressage, trail riding and easy jumps. I don't like jumping saddles, but I've never been in one that really fit me. What to do with all these legs!
This saddle is SOOOOO good because it really doesn't fight my position. I had an all purpose and I was always having to force my legs back when the saddle wanted to push them forward. I love leather, too. Synthetis is soft and comfy, but seems to muffle seat aids.
Splurge!
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Post by ClaireLV on Feb 17, 2003 11:41:33 GMT -5
I also have the Wintec Pro dressage and love it. Its very comfy and with the suedey stuff you really stick to it. I have a stubben wotan too that I bought for a bargain price at equine affairre 2 years ago, but I got the 31 to fit my QH and its too wide with not enough wither clearance for my TBs. It also was never wide enough for my QH but fit my arab to a tee. I like it because it is an all purpose but with a bias toward flatwork, it has nice panels with no knee pad. It's a wonderful saddle to show it. When I replace it I will get a (used) passier, I really like the cutback heads on them now I just have TBs. I will want something to jump in soon.
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Post by Linda on Feb 17, 2003 12:11:09 GMT -5
I have two saddles. I have a heavy, hand-made western roping saddle that has been my primary saddle for everything I have ever wanted to do since 1965. However, since I became involved with Paso Finos (pear-shaped rib cage and lots of back flexion) I have had troubles keeping that saddle back on long, steep downhills. I have used cruppers, breeching, and every other trick in the book. After buying hundreds of dollars of pads, different saddles, and not to mention so much frustration that I pretty much quit riding in some of my favorite places, I finally bought an Ansur. This saddle has a flexible tree. The two "bridges" are made of a material very similiar to a handball. It is rigid enough to hold a saddle shape, but flexible enough to fit any horse. It is probably best for those hard-to-fit wide horses without much for withers, but since it is flexible, it will conform to any shape. It comes with a variety of pads to help create a flatter base for the rider and to fill in any places where a horse is not level yet. This saddle fits farther back than many people put their saddles, staying away from the wither area on those horses with the extremely prominent withers. It weighs 8 pounds. I think my horse is going to appreciate that while climbing up and down Idaho mountains.
Pricey, yep, but, you know, when you start selling those $500-$700 saddles that you bought new and that didn't work and you add in all the pads you own that were suppose to make something work...... And, factor in that you still aren't happy and your horse is uncomfortable..... This will give you ONE saddle that is going to do a really good job of fitting ALL your horses. Sure, you are going to have to be able to ride bcause the saddle isn't going to hold you in place automatically, but I personally find the saddle very secure. People who love to ride bareback should find themselves right at home.
You can really adjust this saddle. The knee rolls are held in with velcro. They come in different sizes. You can move them wherever you want them--or take them out. With the padding, you can deepen the seat. The regular model can be used for everything--including jumps up to about 36". They have a new Konklusion model for riders who are serious about jumping and wanting to go higher.
Like they say in their advertising, "An old-style saddle is build around a rigid framework of wood. This can fit perfectly, providing that neither horse nor rider actually moves." This saddle flexes with the horse. My horse can tell the difference. She moves even more fluidly in the Ansur than in a bareback pad. And the difference on those steep downhills is remarkable.
I always suggest that people at least look at this saddle when they have saddle-fit problems. Their website is >www.ansursaddle.com<
Linda
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Post by spfwhisper on Feb 17, 2003 12:43:19 GMT -5
I have a Courbette Alpina close contact saddle, and I love it. I use it for all my riding...jumping, flatwork and trail rides. It fits me well, and I have put it on a variety of horses that it also fit...I think it has a flexible tree or something. It's nice....very, very soft seat.
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Post by Lynne on Feb 17, 2003 12:45:38 GMT -5
Old brown saddle? Is that a brand? Linda! I LOVE your suggestion and the description of the saddle. I even went to the page you linked. Once Joe revived me (thank GOD he didn't look at the page I was viewing) I was able to return here. Let me tell you that the saddles I already own are 75 dollar who knows whats. I rode in one of them for 12 years. Yet, I'm willing to spend more than 75 dollars. BUT!!!! You must stop drinking....I get your point...worth the money, and I really believe you ...but I have nine mouths to feed on a teachers salary!! UG! Maybe I'll just stya bareback. I never go anywhere to ride anyway. WIntecs....Looked at the allpurpose 2000 with CAIR and changeable gullet? Thought that was a really expensive saddle HAHAHAHAH....Okay...must revise question.... For podunk girl with yardnags of varying degrees and sizes, who rides nowhere (and dose that often) who would like a saddle that could flip from horse to horse but would be better for both horse and rider than the ol' state line tack special (yes, I have one) what would you suggest? Then, I also need a new vehicle. I desparately want something that would pull a horse trailer so that I could GO ride somewhere with other people BUT I can only spen a dollar. What suggestions? Honestly, throw the car out there too. I have a 1/2 mile drive in the md of nowhere, would love to GO somewhere, but my old truck that is dead cost WAY too much to drive or hang out with people/do anything....car? Truck? Give up?.... |
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Post by chrisnstar on Feb 17, 2003 13:00:57 GMT -5
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Post by Johnnie on Feb 17, 2003 13:46:47 GMT -5
I have ridden in a Collegiate Sr Eventer, and it's really not a bad saddle. I bought it barely used and paid less than half price for it. It's not a good saddle if you have extremely long legs (why I sold it), or if you jump over 2'11 or so. It has a more Dressagey influence and I think it gets in the way when jumping, and if I yank my stirrups up for it, my knee goes over the flap. It has also fit a variety of horses.
I have also ridden in Stubben Siegfried (sp), the VSS model for jumping and I really liked it. Everyone at our barn likes it really.
As for Dressage saddles, I used to ride in a Passier Katrin. It fits the TBs great because of the cutback head that alot of Passiers tend to have, but it fit me horribly. The twist is too wide for me.
I've also ridden in some Courbettes and some other Collegiates that were pretty comfy.
The cheapest saddle that I've ever ridden in that I loved riding in is an old Avente. It's made in Argentina, but the old ones are great. We have about 5 of them for the school horse saddles and they have held up really well.
I have never ridden in a Wintec, but I think for my next saddle, I might try the Wintec CC with CAIR and changeable gullets.
Seriously check Ebay for good deals on saddles. There is a guy from Germany that has alot of Stubbens and other Swiss and German saddles on their for cheap. They are nice saddles in good condition too (if he says so). My trainer and a friend have both bought from him.
Oh yeah, and I'm a tryingtobeEventer.
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Post by Linda on Feb 17, 2003 14:21:46 GMT -5
Lynne, Then I would definitely go to looking at used saddles. Some of the older ones fit a wide variety of horses better than newer models. Here is the phone number for my favorite saddle shop. They have a lot of used saddles. The owner (yes, he is a nephew) has been around a good many years and really knows his stuff. He is very reasonable. His prices on used English style saddles are exceptionally low because there is not much of a market here. He usually has several for under a hundred--and they aren't junk. I bought a nice old saddleseat saddle from him for $95--with leathers and stirrups. Best of all, the guy is unbelievably honest--something hard to find these days. It is a family business, run out of a building behind their house. Knowledgeable, good deals and honest. He ships all over the world.
Will Rogers Saddle Company
N. 13011 Freya
Mead, WA 99021 (Mead is part of Spokane)
509-466-0106
We pull our horse trailer with a 68 Chev 3/4 ton. It isn't pretty, but it is a pulling machine.
Linda
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Post by niaru on Feb 17, 2003 15:16:37 GMT -5
Definitely. Although some saddles are pricey even on e-bay, you might find something. And I think it WILL be tough to find one that fits both your tb AND your Arab!!!
I have a Henri de Rivel close contact saddle that I like a lot, before that I had a Crosby Mark VII, before that, a Forestier (nice saddles).
Hey, what about a bareback pad? Ther Horse Journal had an article comparing them, made me want to get one (their advice: NO stirrups - DUH!!!)
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Post by ZenRider on Feb 17, 2003 15:17:11 GMT -5
I've got a Claridge House (synthetic)saddle that fit's Flynn pretty well. And a Wintec 500 for Zen, though with Zen I had to augment a cushion pad, cut to fit around his withers. The narrower gullets gave clearance over his withers, but pinched the sides. Frankly, I think it would be better if they could figure out a way to make custom gullets affordably.
Someone suggested a Kieffer saddle for him, but talk about being out of one's budget. I have been watching eBay, but am reluctant to spend a lot for something that might fit. Did that once, didn't work. Oh, I also have an old ranch saddle I ride Flynn with that I got at an auction for $125. English saddles go cheap at most of these auctions, but hard to find a quality one and again, no guarantee of fit.
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Post by adcooper on Feb 17, 2003 17:28:26 GMT -5
I got my Keiffer for $600. It would have been a tad more had it been new, eh? Besides, if you get a new one you feel guilty when you get it wet or dirty or drop it in a pile of manure. Who needs guilt.
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Post by mrd on Feb 17, 2003 18:00:22 GMT -5
I have a smith-worthington mystic close contact that fit my TB mare better than any of the pricier saddles, it was 800.00 and semi-custom. Meaning they made the flaps shorter for my short legs. However, I bought that saddle before I bought my Ansur. The ansur is used mainly on the table withered TWH and he loffs it. Stopped tripping, strides out better and I feel very comfortable and secure in it. I have only used it on Filly a number of times but after this foal I'm sure I will need to use it on her more. It was expensive, but it is sturdy and comfortable and I don't ever want to buy another saddle. Plus I can use my own saddle riding either of my horses or my neighbors drafts.
Linda, if you read this - do you ever feel you are slipping off the front of the saddle when going down a steep hill? I think I need to fix my knee rolls.
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Post by chrisnstar on Feb 17, 2003 18:19:56 GMT -5
I've tried 4 different styles of wintecs on my wide backed Ayrabs.. none of them have fit just right, even with the extra wide interchangeable gullet! That x-wide is only 32 cm wide.. not wide enough for many tabletopped Arabs...and I've found that the curve of the panels just doesn't fit the horses quite right either... it's too bad, cause they are pretty nice saddles, but I just haven't found them to work on my horses..
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