I am going back and forth between these two saddles and I can’t decide which one to pick. I ride at an eventing barn and I already own a dressage saddle so this saddle will be used for jumping and not a lot of flat work.
The first saddle is the Kontact Lite and it is within my budget, marked as a medium but seems to measure as a medium wide, and has a little more wear that I was wanted. No trial. I would also need to buy a new girth for this saddle. I’m not totally sure that the saddle will fit my horse either. I was told by Albion that it would in a MW but I am concerned that because it measures wider than its marked that at some point it may have been widened and I know that can cause bridging and it may compromise the integrity of the tree. It’s a nice saddle though from what I can tell.
The second saddle is the Kontact. I don’t know which model exactly but it has a slightly straighter flap than the Kontact Lite. I am pretty short though at barely 5’3" so I don’t think the flap should be an issue. It is a beautiful saddle and in excellent condition. The tree which is a MW in this saddle is the same as the tree in the Kontrol which I know fits my horse because I occasionally borrow a Kontrol from someone and the fit has been checked. It is above my budget by $350 though. I wouldn’t have to buy a new girth for this saddle though so I could stretch my budget a bit. No trial for this saddle either.
I’ve pretty much made up my mind I just need reassurance I guess. It’s a big purchase and it’s giving me a bit of anxiety. I really hate my current jumping saddle though and I just need to get a new one as soon as possible. I’ve only ever ridden in Albion dressage saddles and an Albion Kontrol so any input on either of these saddles would also be appreciated!
