A basic saddle

[Maz:)]

How much would an ordinary basic saddle cost if i considered buying/purchasing one?

[Wally]

Get a horse and fit the saddle to the horse, you don't know how much one will cost until you find one that fits.

[Daffy Dilly]

Agree with Wally.

As a rough estimate, my first one cost £300, 2nd £595, 3rd 650 and most recent £800.

Saddle Company saddles are about £500, and they can have the widths adjusted, as can my most recent saddle. There are issues with saddles such as Wintecs etc, so you can't just buy one of those and assume it'll fit because the width can be altered.

[Maz:)]

I dont own a horse just yet though

[Pink's lady]

Saddles are not something that it is EVER worth skimping on. It's something that our not-inconsiderable-weigth is pressing into the horses sensitive back musces and it's our responsiblity to ensure it's as good a design and fit as possible.

You tend to get what you pay for and cheap saddles (ie under £200 brand new) are generally pretty rubbish, with poor tree design, crap and lumpy flocking (sometimes even carpet shavings) and terrible workmanship (squint panels, bits digging into back etc). They can do so much damage to the horses back and they often don't even complain - they're stoic creatures.

It so ESSENTIAL that a saddle fits a horse well and sometimes the cheaper makes don't suit.

I would expect to spend £500 on a decent saddle that fits and it's going to damage my horses backs. One of my saddles cost £1500, the other £600, the other £400. I however got some of them second-hand and they cost considerably less.

If you haven't a horse you can't buy a saddle as you don't know if it will fit the horse you do eventually buy. Even 'adjustable' saddles like Wintec don't fit all (or even most) horses. If you are determinded to buy a saddle now you would need to look at either a WOW saddle (infinitely adjustable, unlike the Wintecs, but £1500:eek: ) or a decent treeless (£300 for a cheaper version, £600 for a more expensive version, £1000 for a 'traditional' looking version).

If you are considering buying because you find RS saddles uncomfortable, have a look at Heather Moffett Seatbone Saver's instead - they make any saddle confortable and can plonked onto any saddle you ride in.

[mayoguinness]

Why do you want a saddle if you haven't got a horse?? :confused:

[Gimp]

I wouldnt have the money to purchase a £500+ saddle, however my local tack shop fits/brings out 2nd hand saddles which are a big saving!

I have bought a western saddle for a resonable price of the internet..which fits my horse lovely.

I also have a sythetic for hacking in if the weathers naff I have always had a synthetic for hacking/spare and not come across any problems to date. I have had cobs, apart from one who had a leather saddle made ..due to his very odd shape.

In an ideal world we would all have a made to measure Leather saddle... however even over a short time it can become ill fitting like any saddle...with shape changes to horses. the most important thing is to keep an eye on things everytime you ride