Help needed with my saddle asap-please!

[k8_doran]

Hello

I am having troubles with my thorowgood saddle fitter, well he supplies them. He is saying I can have my saddle fitted for £420 and they retail at £450. However I have found my saddle on three different websites for around £300

http://www.dorchestersaddlery.co.uk/saddlery/thorowgood/t6/gp/saddle/p-145.html
http://www.4dobbin.com/productDetail.aspx?product_id=3453
http://www.rideaway.co.uk/index2.php3?sessionid=45ede537eaf0cc2125b1a0f1764b098e&page=showprod&uact=shop&catcode1=SYGP&catcode2=T6V

What do I do? Do I order the saddle myself (I know he was getting a 17" and going to use the xxw or xw gullet. ) and save money or risk getting ripped off but let him look at it?

I would prefer someone to fit the saddle to her. If I ordered it myself then even got another saddler to see if it fitted it may be wrong then id have to send it back myself (hassle!) what do i do?

I have e mailed my saddler and said I have seen them on the net cheaper. he is not even a master saddler.

My friend at work is telling me to go treeless, If i did id have to have a 'proper' looking english saddle, but then we jump and do xc often so can these types of saddles be used for this? I'm not sure what to do

see thread about my saddle probs http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=140743

[eventerbabe]

Have you actually tried a T6? i'm asking because if you have, i'd simply template horses back to determine the width fitting (using guide on thorowgood website) and order it myself. I've done that with both the thorowgoods i've bought for my boys.

[Roofio]

i personally think that for the level of work you're wanting to do you are better sticking with treed - you're also looking for a much greater sum of money to get a quality treeless suitable for that much work - this is based on what i've read though, not personal experience so i could well be wrong.

That's tricky with the saddle - he's going to be making some profit on the saddle itself as well as the fitting. I would be inclined to get the saddle wherever its cheapest and get it fitted, either by him or another saddler.

Is there another fitter in your area that people have recommended? saddles are so tricky, its difficult to find someone to trust 110% and it seems that being a 'master saddler' still doesn't guarantee a thing :o.

[emmathechief]

Hi there!!
This is all my opinion so please take or leave as you wish!!!!
I love the synethics with changing gullets... bought a wintec close contact from ebay -£175 (used). RRP is about £300 ish
So that's my advice.... Get one from ebay, as much cheaper. There are shops on ebay if you want more security. I would then buy a couple of gullets and get an independant, qualifed saddle fitter out.
xx

[Soot]

Emmathechief, if the saddler recommended a T6 then buying a Wintec would surely be a bit silly?

You can change the gullet but not the rest of the saddle. Wintecs fit very few horses well ... although I'm one of the "lucky" (because cheap so I can have two identical but different coloured saddles *lol*) people who rides a horse that seems to be made for a Wintec.

[k8_doran]

Hi All

I have had a reply from the saddler:

"There are 2 versions of the T6 the old one is not fitted with the changable gullet plate 3d system, I cant afford to reduce below £415 as I may as well give it away as there is very little mark up on these saddles, and I fit them as well, which the mail order ones are not."

Does this sound true? To me I think it does the man sounds very genuine but what do you think...I am about to say yes to this very nice T6 cob saddle....I would prefer him to fit too, I think the ones I have found on the internet links above are the old style saddle?

No wintecs for me either thanks, Ive got one and dont like them :D

We dont really have any great saddlers down here. I am thinking the ones i found on the net are the old style saddles. he said my t6 retails at 450. I just want a saddle sorted for my girl

[monique]

Well I can only comment on the dealings I have had with this saddler and I have to say he was very honest, I had him out to fit one of mine, before the new model came out and he actually advised me to stay treeless for a bit longer as pony was still growing and although he could have fitted him he was honset enough to say he didn't think it would last long, the new model does seem alot more adjustable. I actually had cheque book in hand so was fully prepared to buy one there and then so he did himself out of a sale, but as I said I can only tell you of my personal experience. Treeless is great and if you want to try mine you can, I will happily bring them over for you to have a play but for jumping and xc you really would need one of the more expensive treeless and even then there can be issues with stability.

[emmathechief]

Emmathechief, if the saddler recommended a T6 then buying a Wintec would surely be a bit silly?

You can change the gullet but not the rest of the saddle. Wintecs fit very few horses well ... although I'm one of the "lucky" (because cheap so I can have two identical but different coloured saddles *lol*) people who rides a horse that seems to be made for a Wintec.

Sorry guys. I didn't mean buy a wintec I just meant have a look on ebay for what has been reccomended by the pros!! I've seen T6's on there I'm sure.
Buying a wintec is what I did but they defo don't suit all horses!!!

Soz! It all makes sense in my head..... and then I type.... What happens in between is anyones guess!!!!!!!!!!!!
xx

[eventerbabe]

i dunno, alarm bells are ringing for me. These online shops have a markup aswell. So if they can afford to sell the same saddle for £300, this guy must be adding on a heck of a mark up, plus, what are his fitting charges? £20-30 is about average for fitting, especially as you say he isn't a master saddler. Is it an old T6 or the newer model he is trying to sell you?

[Roofio]

the online retailers do tend to get the old stock though, so if he's selling you the newer model than that's not too bad.

[k8_doran]

i sent him the sites and yes the online ones are the older ones, ideal :D

[nelle]

Don't forget you are also paying for his time and expertise and I would hope that you would beable to call him back out if there are problems. Whereas if you buy off the internet you don't have the benefit of it being fitted specifically to your horse.

TBH I think it's a bit of a cheek to buy off the internet and then expect your saddler to fit it for you.

[KT C]

TBH I think it's a bit of a cheek to buy off the internet and then expect your saddler to fit it for you.

But... isn't this similar to getting a saddle fitter out to check the fit of your horse's existing saddle and make any alterations if necessary??

[k8_doran]

saddlers coming tonight! he ordered a 17" but a 17.5" came :( he said its worth trying it to see how it fits. how will i know if its the right length? of course the saddler will be there too but just so i know as well. i should be able to ride in it too as its a lovely sunny day!

[Pink's lady]

The one you've linked are the old types - all they have are the fish inserts. The one you're getting from your saddler is the newer type, with the changable gullet bar and different panels. £415 is a very good price for them!

Wouldn't worry too much about the 17.5" - it will probably be ok on her. You may even find a little bit extra rioom to move in the saddle more comfortable.

[Joyscarer]

How on earth did I miss this thread :eek:

Anyway, the newer ones have a wider range of of ways to adapt the saddle to fit the horse because they do several different interchangable panel options.

The trouble with trying to source the newer style online is that you don't know what panels you need to fit your horse.

So you if you found a cheap one online then when you have the saddle fitter out you may well have to buy the pannels from the saddle fitter anyway and your bargain would have cost more time and effort than had you bought straight from the saddler.

As you might know I am a massive eBay fan but given the fact that unless you get a list of the fitting options you need from the saddler to make sure you are buying the right thing, this is one item I don't think is practical to buy online :(

£410 is a great price. I paid £425 for mine inc fitting.

I know it is hard to find the money but do it if you can :)

[laceyfreckle]

i dunno, alarm bells are ringing for me. These online shops have a markup aswell. So if they can afford to sell the same saddle for £300, this guy must be adding on a heck of a mark up, plus, what are his fitting charges? £20-30 is about average for fitting, especially as you say he isn't a master saddler. Is it an old T6 or the newer model he is trying to sell you?

saddle fitting/check round here is £45!:eek: and thats just to check the saddle and re-flock if neccesary. I have a saddler booked to ome check the fit of my currrent saddle and to see if it can be altered to fit my pony properly although i am hopefully wanting to buy a synthetic as well/instead at some point due to it being lighter for her.

I was however quite upfront with the saddler and said that if i was looking at replacing the saddle would they mind telling me what she needed (they're bringing some out to see for me....thorowgood's i think) so i could look for one second hand and then have them back out to fit.

you have to do what you thinks best, although i don't think you've got a bad price. (my fitting alone will be IRO £90 and they don't include the fitting free if you only buy a synthetic from them anyway (just the leather ones)

[eventerbabe]

we have one lady who charges £75!! but the only fitter i trust is £30 and that's including travelling about 50-60 miles out to my yard.

[k8_doran]

I've got my saddle! :D:D:D:D:D

I am at work at the mo so cant put pics up but I wll do as soon as I'm home! I have been explained the fish system and how WHEN! she loses weight, I also can change the gullet. she is currently in the x-wide gullet, I can fit 3 fingers under the pommel. so if it goes any lower from her getting fitter I put the fish system in, if it gets lower again i take the fish out and change the gullet!

i rode round on her as it took about 20 min for saddle to sit. As soon as i got on it was sooooooooooooo wide. but thats the difference my wintec didnt fit and this one does.this one is closer to her and fits so its much wider, it hurt my legs. but bless her the wintec was sat right on her shoulders and it was so much narrower. this one sits nicely behind them(which looks weird to me from the side because im not used to it. it is so wide it doesnt help because its new the saddle flaps stick out! the only bad thing is it was slightly slipping forward(i was cantering down hill and jumping!) so i am going to get a non slip thorowgood numnah! the sorry this is so long cant believe how much iv learnt about saddles! like i say, pics up after work! :D

[Joyscarer]

I've got my saddle! :D:D:D:D:D

As soon as i got on it was sooooooooooooo wide. but thats the difference my wintec didnt fit and this one does....

the only bad thing is it was slightly slipping forward(i was cantering down hill and jumping!) so i am going to get a non slip thorowgood numnah!


That's what I found. I liked how comfortable I felt in my Wintec Vsd but changing the gullet didn't make the chanel any wider and thats the big difference as well as the bigger weigh bearing panels on the thorowgood which is better for Joy too give the hefty weight she has to carry :o


I too have thenon-slip thorowgood numnah as recommended by my saddler and it is great and washes well too.

The other thing is to make sure you are girthing up using the girthing straps the saddler recommended. Mine took the others off mine so I couldn't use the wrong ones accidentally. :)

[k8_doran]

check out my new thread with my new saddle pics! http://www.newrider.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=142001