Quite shocked.

Wally

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2000
35,280
4,381
113
Just got back from BETA.

All I will say is, if you are about to buy a saddle, from an English saddle manufacturer, whose address and credentials say "Walsall" all over them, ask them, and look them in the eye and make them tell you the truth, ask them where their saddles are made.

You may be as horrified as I was. :poop:
 
British Equestrian Trade Association, Karin. They've just had a trade show to drum up business and show off all their new or existing products. I tried to go but it's not open to Joe Public, unfortunately.... Near me too... *sulks*

Wally..... care to expand on your comments.... any clues????
 
Oh please don't say the ones you find questionable are the one I have sitting here right now. I am starting to get desperate...

(Thanks domane for the explanation :) )
 
I used to love going to BETA when I was still working in the trade, really opens your eyes!

Some of the products just looked downright awful, it made me wonder if they ever got any sales!
 
Will be there next year, planned on this year, but other things got in the way. I had 'spies on the ground' for me, and am intrigued at Wally's comment too.

I REALLY REALLY WISH that Joe-Public were made aware of where stuff is made.

I have no problem with people buying tack 'made in Craptackistan' as long as they are FULLY AWARE of what they are buying and the consequences - both from potential safety points of view, and a major environmental point of view!
 
At a guess i`d say 'The Saddle Company' ... after a bit of sleuthing ... The first page tells me all i needed to know :wink: :

http://www.thesaddlecompany.co.uk/

tells you what exactly? I can assure you they are made in Walsall - when I was there a few weeks ago getting my saddle reflocked there was lots of cutting out, stitching and flocking going on in the workshop :smile:
 
I did have a link to th manufacturers abroad. It shows you very familiar looking saddles. The bulk could be made abroad but finishing touches here, so can them put uk on it.
It probably still is English leather that is shipped over as cheaper than actually making it here.
I am not shocked, i know it happens with treeless models.
 
Oh a well fitting saddle would make me happy too!
But as a non-expert I really can't easily tell what's good quality and where the problems are (other than the basic oh this seems like nice soft leather and to my eye everything seems even). Plus with saddles there are a lot of inside things that probably even an expert could not see from looking at it on the outside (you know those blog posts about reflocking a used saddle and pulling out carpet fibers or yarn instead of flocking. Or crappy trees, etc.)
So being able to trust the maker is part of the deal (including price)
 
So then who was it???

I hate threads like this why not just say who it was in the first place.
 
newrider.com