Wow, that is good! I was £800 for a new Kent & Masters! So even if you did get a discount I would imagine that they would be around the same/slightly more than my off-the-rack K&M!!!
Saddles (treed and treeless) - which do you rate most highly?
- Thread starter squidsin
- Start date
Wow, that is good! I was £800 for a new Kent & Masters! So even if you did get a discount I would imagine that they would be around the same/slightly more than my off-the-rack K&M!!!
Wow! I thought a made to measure saddle would cost way more than that!!
I have the same saddle as Rubic, I wanted leather and I wanted something adjustable since Kev had been out of work for so long when I bought him I knew he would change shape. He also has chunky shoulders (even though he's not a cob!) so needed a more straight cut saddle. I was lucky that they had a barely used one in their van when they came to fit him.
It is quite straight cut & I have quite long legs, so my knees end up over the knee roll when I'm jumping. If we get into our jumping I think I may invest in a jump/eventing saddle. I've ridden in an Ideal and liked them.
If money was no object I would have a m2m dressage, GP & jump saddle :wink:
I have the same saddle as Rubic, I wanted leather and I wanted something adjustable since Kev had been out of work for so long when I bought him I knew he would change shape. He also has chunky shoulders (even though he's not a cob!) so needed a more straight cut saddle. I was lucky that they had a barely used one in their van when they came to fit him.
It is quite straight cut & I have quite long legs, so my knees end up over the knee roll when I'm jumping. If we get into our jumping I think I may invest in a jump/eventing saddle. I've ridden in an Ideal and liked them.
If money was no object I would have a m2m dressage, GP & jump saddle :wink:
I've got a Kent and Masters Cob Saddle, same as Rubic. Although I'd bet mine is on a greater width gullet than hers lol!
I love it because its so comfy, has a relatively flat cantle, is adjustable for flipo's expanding and contracting waistline and is posh leather.
Its the leather version of a thorowgood apparently, so maybe worth trying a thorowgood at some point first before going for a leather one.
I love it because its so comfy, has a relatively flat cantle, is adjustable for flipo's expanding and contracting waistline and is posh leather.
Its the leather version of a thorowgood apparently, so maybe worth trying a thorowgood at some point first before going for a leather one.
They are and Thorowgoods come up second hand on ebay quite frequently!
Rubic is a burgundy gullet. Think that is wide?!
Thorowgoods are synthetic. Mine was ok, it was definitely easy to care for and to be honest if it had been a good fit (and it was except the forward cut panel) then I probably wouldn't have bothered with a new saddle. Although after getting the K&M leather one I wouldn't go back
Thanks! If you look you can see the difference in cut at the shoulder. The first one was used on a slightly cobby pony originally and I just borrowed it. I have a feeling it might well be a pony-type saddle but Rubic had no bother with that at all. The second was just a standard GP cut and was so forward cut it interfered with her shoulders. The third shows the cob GP cut. If, like Laura you have long legs I could see an issue if you were thinking of doing a lot of jumping (especially higher jumps) but I jumped around 80/90cm with now issues and could have gone higher, I'm only 5ft2 though lol!!!
Strada folks, here you are
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Horse-Sad...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item2ecd6ab7d1
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Horse-Sad...t=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&hash=item2ecd6ab7d1
You do get what you pay for in many cases with leather quality, how the saddle is made etc. Personal recommendation is a great way to go but I will say that if you read around, and in my experience, M2M is no more successful than buying wholly off the peg or bench made with tweaks (the saddles I fit come under the last two categories). A lot of it is down to the fitter but some brands do work better for some shapes of horses than others of course. Even most M2M companies can't fit every single shape and size if they don't have a tree suitable.
M2M also has higher financial risks, luckily many M2M companies have great customer service so you can get a refund, but if you buy from stock and the fitter came to you for the fitting, you have a legal 7 day trial under Distance Trading Regulations, whether they tell you this or not!
M2M also has higher financial risks, luckily many M2M companies have great customer service so you can get a refund, but if you buy from stock and the fitter came to you for the fitting, you have a legal 7 day trial under Distance Trading Regulations, whether they tell you this or not!
Personally, I would be ever so careful of 'made to measure' I know several people who have had made to measure, and perhaps they are, but not made to measure the horse they have been paid to made to measure. So much so, that sore backs have been caused.
I would personally rather buy a good make of saddle, even second hand, rather than an unknown made to measure, and have a proper saddle fitter out to measure it, rather than a mediocre fitter who doesn't really understand that saddles are not fitted right over the withers, or way past the last rib.
Very scarey when you consider that at least four people I know have had made to measure saddles and had massive problems with them. And the price tag is not cheap - you are looking at at least £1500/2k.
I would personally rather buy a good make of saddle, even second hand, rather than an unknown made to measure, and have a proper saddle fitter out to measure it, rather than a mediocre fitter who doesn't really understand that saddles are not fitted right over the withers, or way past the last rib.
Very scarey when you consider that at least four people I know have had made to measure saddles and had massive problems with them. And the price tag is not cheap - you are looking at at least £1500/2k.
Just looked at the Strada on ebay. I didn't get very much less for my Vogue, and I have to say, of all the treeless that I had - Freeform, Barefoot and Vogue, the Vogue was my least favourite.
It caused pressure points, which meant I had to use a suber pad, which was fine, but meant I was unbelievably perched.
For even half the price, I would not rate the Vogue. Everyone said it pushed my leg far too far back, and with having to be perched as well it was a nightmare.
I think Heather Moffetts seatsavers are wonderful, but not sure what she was thinking about with the Vogue. Even in her book there are pictures where she says her leg is far too back, but she blames it on her age. Oddly, once I had a Black Country working hunter saddle, which was £280 and second hand, everyone says what a wonderful seat and leg position I have.
Will be interesting to see if the Strada goes for that or more.
It caused pressure points, which meant I had to use a suber pad, which was fine, but meant I was unbelievably perched.
For even half the price, I would not rate the Vogue. Everyone said it pushed my leg far too far back, and with having to be perched as well it was a nightmare.
I think Heather Moffetts seatsavers are wonderful, but not sure what she was thinking about with the Vogue. Even in her book there are pictures where she says her leg is far too back, but she blames it on her age. Oddly, once I had a Black Country working hunter saddle, which was £280 and second hand, everyone says what a wonderful seat and leg position I have.
Will be interesting to see if the Strada goes for that or more.
Another reason I am treeless is because of my location. The nearest Master Saddler I wouldn't trust to fit anything to. I know of friends who have had issues and after I was there at a fitting he did NOT want to see the person ride in it.
I would not buy a saddle I hadn't ridden in!
I would not buy a saddle I hadn't ridden in!
I know who is nearest you, and I would agree. Having said that, he has not caused half the damage to horses that the very young 'saddle fitter' who does 'made to measure saddles' has caused. Also, not that many miles from the one who doesn't expect you to sit in the saddle. Worrying isn't it, especially as her father takes in horses for schooling and events!!! Am sure you will work it out by the process of elimination!!!
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