Do any of you use Abetta endurance or western saddles? I’ve been thinking of getting one but the only way I know to do so is to order one–none of the local dealers carry them.
Please, if you have any experience with them, will you let me know what you think of them?
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v197/dreamswept/Jet/jet_saddle4.jpg)
I did make changes to make it really comfy. The sheepskin seat saver was wonderful, and I have English leathers in place of fenders, which saved my knee a lot. Even with those stirrup turner things, the fenders really weren’t comfortable. I also changed my rigging around because I’m incompetent at tying a Western cinch.
Today I rode a pretty fair amount of miles in it; four hour ride up and down hills. It was a great ride in that saddle.
Well this is interesting, dreamswept. I just got an Abetta endurance saddle and much to my surprise it came with NO rings for a breastcollar. :eek: I see yours has them. Did they come with the saddle or did you have to add them. I just can’t imagine anyone making a saddle without breast collar rings. The saddle arrived the day before I went out of town for two weeks. I haven’t had a chance to do more than sit in it, so I can’t comment (yet) on whether or not I like it.
I like mine, cheap, light and comfy.
I’m not using it much right now as it doesn’t fit my Paso very well, but it looks like it’s going to fit Tucker, our coming three year old paint , so it will likely be his come spring.
I plan to convert it to English rigging though, I hate tying that darn western knot.
I have (had) two of them. I just sold one through endurance.net. I’m replacing them with treeless, but I do love the Abettas. Like someone else said - cheap, light, comfy. Pretty much sums it up. Tons of rings to hang stuff till your little heart’s content. I love the cool-grip neoprene bottom - no fleece or fluffy stuff to get wet, crushed, and dirty.
I have one too. I have the western round skirt with flex tree.
It was a Christmas gift from hubby two years ago. I love it. Very light weight, and I’ve been some 4 hour trail ride in it and I never felt sore. I also added a sheepskin seatsaver and stirrup turners with endurance stirrups.
I’m actualy going to sell my treeless saddle and buy a second Abetta to keep as a back up saddle. I liked my Abetta so much I never use my treeless saddle anymore.
Michelle
[QUOTE=rideapaso;2839981]
Well this is interesting, dreamswept. I just got an Abetta endurance saddle and much to my surprise it came with NO rings for a breastcollar. :eek: I see yours has them. Did they come with the saddle or did you have to add them.[/QUOTE]
The saddle came with the breastcollar dees.
I have the cool-grip neoprene bottom too. It’s great. But, I do have to caution anyone using a coolback pad with it. I was using one earlier this year, and the combination of neoprene skirting and coolback fleece top just made the saddle slip and slide every which way, even with a breastcollar. Definitely get a good pad with a solid top.
(And do ignore the fact that my saddle pad is on backwards. ;))
I have a Western Abetta and an endurance Abetta. I love them both. I’ve tried switching to other saddles and keep coming back to the Abetta for comfort.
I just bought my first one a couple of weeks ago on Ebay- It’s a extra wide endurance flex tree with the grippy bottom. So far I love it- I did a 4 hour ride last weekend and was very happy with. And… it fits 3 of my 7 horses:)
[QUOTE=drea
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v197/dreamswept/Jet/jet_saddle4.jpg)
I did make changes to make it really comfy. The sheepskin seat saver was wonderful, and I have English leathers in place of fenders, which saved my knee a lot. Even with those stirrup turner things, the fenders really weren’t comfortable. I also changed my rigging around because I’m incompetent at tying a Western cinch.
Today I rode a pretty fair amount of miles in it; four hour ride up and down hills. It was a great ride in that saddle.[/QUOTE]
I love your set up! 
Do you know what brand that saddle saver is? I’ve been looking for one for mine, but cannot find one that’ll be able to attach to my abetta. Looks like yours does fine being attached, how is it attached?
[QUOTE=Jess!;2840695]
I love your set up! Do you know what brand that saddle saver is? I’ve been looking for one for mine, but cannot find one that’ll be able to attach to my abetta. Looks like yours does fine being attached, how is it attached?[/QUOTE]
I adore my set up. V-style enduro-ride rigging. 100% mohair girth with roller buckles. It’s great. Took a lot of time and effort into getting it right, but it’s a fantastic set up for me.
Got me seat saver there. $41. Same quality product as the stuff you can get at Long Riders Gear or other endurance sites. But not as expensive. It attaches to the saddle by way of an elastic strap over the cantle, and then string ties at the front and on the side flap parts.
I love how the Abetta fits so many different horse shapes. Only horse i put it on that it didn’t fit that well was a chunky Arab who probably would have been better off with the wide tree rather than the standard. Most important part is it fits the mare I’m leasing.
[QUOTE=dreamswept;2840882]
I adore my set up. V-style enduro-ride rigging. 100% mohair girth with roller buckles. It’s great. Took a lot of time and effort into getting it right, but it’s a fantastic set up for me.
Got me seat saver there. $41. Same quality product as the stuff you can get at Long Riders Gear or other endurance sites. But not as expensive. It attaches to the saddle by way of an elastic strap over the cantle, and then string ties at the front and on the side flap parts.
I love how the Abetta fits so many different horse shapes. Only horse i put it on that it didn’t fit that well was a chunky Arab who probably would have been better off with the wide tree rather than the standard. Most important part is it fits the mare I’m leasing.[/QUOTE]
Thanks, I have saved that link for later [just spent over $200 on a beta tack set, need to save!].
Do you think that the v-rigging is better than just using a western girth? [Sorry, I didn’t mean to hijack this thread]. Keep it from slipping more, etc?
[QUOTE=Jess!;2840888]
Thanks, I have saved that link for later [just spent over $200 on a beta tack set, need to save!].
Do you think that the v-rigging is better than just using a western girth? [Sorry, I didn’t mean to hijack this thread]. Keep it from slipping more, etc?[/QUOTE]
Oh I like it. You could probably use v-rigging single tie for a Western girth, just need two latigos on the side. I’m just really incompetent about western cinches, so I opted for the familiar double buckle style. In fact, I saw the single tie v-rigging style being used on an endurance rider’s blog with her Abetta saddle, which gave me the idea to try it on mine.
I like how it keeps the saddle a lot steadier. I had the billet converter things so I could use an English girth with it on the front rings, and the saddle still slipped quite a bit, even with the girth cranked pretty tight. Had a devil of a time on the trail. But with the v-rigging, it does keep the saddle much more steady and secure. I had to dismount a couple of times yesterday on the trail, but always had an easy time getting back in the saddle because the saddle stayed in place. And I was able to keep the girth slightly looser which made my horse happier.
I bought the Abetta Endurance saddle. It took a little getting used to. In other words, my arse hurt for the first couple of rides.
Besides that, I really like it. Light weight, nice material, well built for the reasonable price.
How do you tell what size for the horse? Looking for a ‘husband saddle’…but am clueless as to bar sizes.
14.3 QH that went in a MW Albion in his younger days…
I grew to despise my Abetta endurance saddle. It put me into a chair seat, so that I was constantly fighting the thing to try and pull my feet back under me. And the tree warped after very little use, even though I almost always use a mounting block.
I tried an endurance model on my gelding the other day, and sadly, it didn’t fit him at all. The tree angle was fine, but it bridged terribly, and he is not a very “withery” horse. I like the concept of the saddle, though.
I love my Abetta endurance saddle! I also have an Abetta western saddle, which isn’t as hardy. The endurance model has rings to hang things from. The only drawback is all the clanking of the rings–very noisy.
[QUOTE=matryoshka;2849432]
I love my Abetta endurance saddle! I also have an Abetta western saddle, which isn’t as hardy. The endurance model has rings to hang things from. The only drawback is all the clanking of the rings–very noisy.[/QUOTE]
See, the rings clinking keep me entertained. 
And good to warn hunters!
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