Quietly fuming

Jessey

Jessey

Well-Known Member
Dec 20, 2004
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Suffolk, UK
Not at anyone in particular, but the whole situation. My saddle is a bit of a thing, not straightforward to get right, then my fabulous saddler shut shop early last year. Last summer I had it checked/tweaked by 3 different saddlers in 5 visits. Then I found a new lady late in the year and she came and did a bunch of work on it and made it so much better, but the original bunch had over flocked it, not regulated it and made a right blinking mess.

About 2 weeks ago all of a sudden the front dropped and I had to use a riser until she could come out this week. She came Wednesday and he's dropped half a size, she tweaked, I rode, she tweaked more and I rode again, and she tweaked more and I rode again. I wasn't entirely happy, neither was she to be fair but we'd spent 2.5 hours messing with it and it seemed to sit better than it had before. We discussed that it may just need a complete re-flock to start fresh if it didn't work.

I rode last night and the whole right side is collapsing - it feels like the saddle is slipping but it's still dead center, the flocking just flattens to not enough. It left my left hip hurting from being so much higher, and was poking him in the back of the shoulder, so it is now unusable 😫

I'm going to call the guy who made it in a minute, I know he will strip and re-work it for me (we spoke about it last time I called him), but it means I am without a saddle for about 10 days-2 weeks because of posting back and forth - so I am going to ask if I can book it in for a specific day and I will drive it up and back myself, 5-6 hour round trip. Or do I just call it blooming quits, save my money, start saving up and get a new saddle? there's no way I can afford it straight off, so I would have to give Monkey time off, and I am meant to go away with him for my friends 60th at the end of May and it wouldn't be before then 😢
 
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That sounds frustrating, i would be very cross too.

I dont know if its worth thinking about, but would a treeless work as an interim? Get a cheapish on off ebay or something. Least you could still ride whilst waiting to buy another or fix the one you have.
 
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Tir said:
That sounds frustrating, i would be very cross too.

I dont know if its worth thinking about, but would a treeless work as an interim? Get a cheapish on off ebay or something. Least you could still ride whilst waiting to buy another or fix the one you have.
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I have had a few treeless, and don't think they would work on him, he's got a dirty 180 in him! Very kindly 2 friends have offered to loan me adjustable saddles, so hopefully one of those will work in the interim! 🤞 🤞
 
If you can borrow something that works for you both then I'd be inclined to scrap that saddle and start again. It sounds like something is wrong for it to be collapsing like that and the last thing you want is a saddle doing damage to him. If it isn't going to cost a fortune maybe get the maker to strip it right down and see if something has broken that can be properly mended if you like the saddle, but I'd have lost confidence in it.
 
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Honestly, I do think it can be remedied with a strip and reflock but there’s so few people who really know how to maintain serge saddles now days I know I’ll end up in this boat again at some point, so am inclined to get something different long term. I love riding in this saddle and when it’s right it’s really great, but when it’s wrong it’s a blinking pain in the butt!

Just taken pics for the saddler, I don’t think anything is broken, but look how uneven the flocking is after 1x 50 minute ride 😖
IMG_9180.jpeg
 
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Jane&Ziggy said:
If you'd like to borrow my Christ Lammfelle pad @Jessey I'd be happy to lend it to you. It has knee rolls and a cantle so together with its grab strap it's more secure than a plain pad.
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Thank you that’s so kind, I’ll get back to you if I can’t find something local that will work.
 
Jane&Ziggy said:
If you'd like to borrow my Christ Lammfelle pad @Jessey I'd be happy to lend it to you. It has knee rolls and a cantle so together with its grab strap it's more secure than a plain pad.
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I would take you up on that except mine hated it 😂
I have my Best Friend and some strange thing I will get in with in the new few months.
 
Youngsters and saddles is a pain in the ass.

My Black Country fits for like 70% as it is the other 30% I need a pad under it which works for us, I’ve had 6 different adjustable saddles on him and none worked so I have to compromise with this. He’s happy and I’m happy but I had to do the big saddle purchase this time last year and I was glad I’d been saving since I bought him for a whole new set of grown up tack 😅

I’d borrow something that fits just now then get the money together for something else long term 😊
 
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So I have some positives happen the last few days, I asked my lovely friend (my farrier's wife) if I could borrow her wintec for a couple of weeks, which she very kindly obliged and set me up with a gullet gauge and various gullets too, right before she told me I could keep it all as a spare as she has too many and doesn't use it! So kind! I tried it, and it's ok, but the gullet between the panels is narrower than I like, so I will only use it for bear minimum to keep him ticking over.

And I just spoke with the saddler who actually made my saddle (20 something years ago), and he thinks with an overhaul (which is well over due as he last did it 10 years ago) he will be able to get it back to perfect. He also said he can upgrade it from synthetic flocking to Jacobs wool (which apparently will work where white wool doesn't) and will make it easier to maintain as more people are familiar with it.

So I think I am going to do this, then save up some pennies to get a permeant replacement later this year/next year when hopefully he will be done growing! Unfortunately they can't turn it around in a day, so I will have to mail it off, but he said if I get it to him on Monday he should send it back before the end of the week, to minimise down time 🤞
 
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That sounds like great news, I'm glad you've got a resolution. I'm sure the saddler was pleased that someone still values his saddle from so long ago!
 
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Nothing is wrong with the tree and it’s been reflocked and is ready to come home 👌 hopefully they’ll get it sent today and I’ll get it back for the weekend 🤞🤞

I’m impressed, when it’s gone to them before it’s taken longer (nearer 2 weeks), so I’ll be really chuffed if I do get it back this week.
 
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