All that colored trim on saddles: can it be changed?

[Saskatoonian]

Has anyone ever changed - or looked into changing - colored trim on a saddle after the fact, esp on a Stubben monoflap?

Not for me - thank god the hideous Devoucoux with teal trim didn’t work miracles on my horse, so never needed to find out - but someone at my barn wasn’t so lucky, and the saddle her horse likes has hideous trim and a colored thigh block. Looking at it, seems to me that the blocks wouldn’t be that complex to swap out for something that - prepare to be shocked! - matches the saddle, and the Dev rep very clearly told me the welting and piping could be changed.* (I’m dubious about that piping…). Seems like so many of the demos I see recently have crazy trim and I just can’t see wanting that in 5 years.

Just curious to know if anyone has looked into this.

Signed, a boring saddle owner.

• Please do not believe anything out of said rep’s mouth…

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

Don’t know the answer, but as a constant looker, I am increasingly seeing pics of all kinds of what I consider hideous trim and bling. Brightly colored or patent cantles?!? I can see a little tasteful piping, but as for the rest of it, a classic look with be just fine, thank you very much.

Signed, a boring saddle shopper.

[Scribbler]

One would hope so. Candy colors on brown leather really irrirltate me, just like I don’t love sweet n salty candy/nut mixes. If that makes sense.

I would think you could dye them but that would probably be messy and not something you would do with a premium almost new used saddle.

Is this a very tricky move by the saddle reps to make the resale value plummet?

[Saskatoonian]

Agreed. Saw a dressage saddle with a super high cantle with red croco-embossed patent. Now, maybe that’d blind the judge long enough to ignore my poor dressage, but really!

As for dying, the color is so pale that i can’t imagine it working even if anyone could stomach trying it on an expensive saddle.

Can’t decide if the reps are just trying to showcase what’s possible, or trying to increase orders of new saddles vs buying demos, or encouraging planned obsolescence…

[sheltona01]

It could be, but not an easy fix at all. You basically would have to take apart that part of the saddle and replace the undesired pieces of leather. It probably would cost a pretty penny depending on what part of the saddle.

[Saskatoonian]

Thanks, Sheltona01. Now I’m doubly relieved I found a “boring” saddle that works. (In quotes because Antares makes very pretty saddles.)

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

@Saskatoonian

Can’t decide if the reps are just trying to showcase what’s possible, or trying to increase orders of new saddles vs buying demos, or encouraging planned obsolescence…

I tend to think it’s catering to the high end of the market for whom dropping 5k or so on a saddle is no big deal. That segment is where the money is when it comes to the saddle makers’ bottom lines.

[Scribbler]

@Groom&Taxi

I tend to think it’s catering to the high end of the market for whom dropping 5k or so on a saddle is no big deal. That segment is where the money is when it comes to the saddle makers’ bottom lines.

Ah, but the rest of us survive by buying their trade ins and cast offs! I somehow don’t think a baby blue trimmed saddle is going to look that cute after ten years of hard usage! I predict a niche market in dyeing saddles.

I think the Krazy Kolor Stubbens must exist to give brand recognition in big competitions now that they are running well back in second, third, fourth, place in both jump saddle and dressage saddle trends.

[jonem004]

@Saskatoonian

Agreed. Saw a dressage saddle with a super high cantle with red croco-embossed patent. Now, maybe that’d blind the judge long enough to ignore my poor dressage, but really!

As for dying, the color is so pale that i can’t imagine it working even if anyone could stomach trying it on an expensive saddle.

Can’t decide if the reps are just trying to showcase what’s possible, or trying to increase orders of new saddles vs buying demos, or encouraging planned obsolescence…

Now I would love that! But by and large I agree that those saddles won’t age well. And I imagine that any solution other than cutting the piping piece out (no way) would be major surgery. I’m not going to buy a saddle I like do you can take it apart and maybe I don’t like it anymore. Hard pass.

[Can_tFindMyWhip]

I’ve seen some people obscure color piping/welting in the seat with nail polish, and some wild cantles are actually fairly easy to remove, or at least glue something plain over top. So not all color and bling are permanent.

The colored welting that the OP’s rep was talking about must be painted over with something, because it is only there in the first place to protects the seam between the seat leather and the jockey skirt. Totally re doing the piping would require dismantling the whole saddle down to the tree. And I do not believe any saddle company would go through all of that trouble, because it would be cheaper and less labor intensive to just make a whole new saddle.

Color on the blocks and color on the binding on the edge of the flap is pretty much stuck there. I’ve seen lighter colors (lime green, yellow, white) be dyed. It still looks pretty bad, but you could not tell what the original color was. But if you buy a saddle covered in blue, and you don’t like blue, you are SOL.

[Belowthesalt]

Hmmm. Guess I was lucky that the used dressage saddle I bought (the only used one the dealer had that fit both me and the horse) only has tasteful, barely noticeable gold piping around the seat/cantle. it’s also supposed to be dark brown, but it looks black. Whatevs. OTOH - I have a friend who specifically ordered a Duett dressage saddle with a turquoise seat. Different strokes!! LOL

[GutsNGlory]

Add me to the boring, time tested group! When I ordered my saddles I got my jump in dark brown with black piping and welt. The fitter asked me if I was sure I didn’t want something that would stand out more - nope! It’s just enough to be different and personalized without being over the top. And for my dressage I just got grey stitching which is really beautiful. I was on the fence about white piping but in the end decided against that as most white piping I’ve seen 10+ years down the road doesn’t look so great.

[Saskatoonian]

Funny that the fitter thought you’d want something more dramatic. I used to consider white piping showy! (Ok, still not keen on it. But I could get on board for something subtle, like hunter or navy, or yeah, black.)

[Groom_amp_Taxi]

I bought a used dressage saddle that has hunter green piping. I hate everything about the saddle as far as fit for me, but I do like the piping!

[Scribbler]

Wasn’t colored or white padding a Thing on bridles at least ten plus years ago, and isnt it a bit passé by now?

I recall that it seemed to be on its way out when I was returning to riding.

Interesting that white padded bridles are out of style while colored piping on saddles is being pushed by reps.

Another level of “customization” to make up for the fact they can’t really customize saddle fit for the horse that much.

[Tigoli]

A friend of mine got a used saddle with a snakeskin cantle and had her fitter change it out. No idea how expensive that was (the saddle was already quite a bit more than I thought she’d be spending!). I imagine changing out piping is possible, but that sounds like a total pain. An expensive pain.

[Saskatoonian]

Oh, white padding is back - at least in dressage - but trimming black patent!

[sheltona01]

Actually most fitter I talk with really do not care what trim you have on your saddle and at least for me it is completely client driven. It would actually make my life easier if more people would like plain saddles. Less to think about and less to screw up with the orders. I also find people get overwhelmed with the decision and it slows everything down.

[no.stirrups]

@sheltona01

Actually most fitter I talk with really do not care what trim you have on your saddle and at least for me it is completely client driven. It would actually make my life easier if more people would like plain saddles. Less to think about and less to screw up with the orders. I also find people get overwhelmed with the decision and it slows everything down.

LOL! Yes! It’s so funny how people can usually decide immediately what they want in terms of fit, but then email me back and forth for days and even weeks after our appointment for images of color swatches and pictures of saddles with various color options so they can decide on the trim color! It’s fun to get the saddles in with the various combinations but my job would be easier if everything was plain brown or black.

[Scribbler]

Well I am following a Stubben fitter on FB, and they are doing a real hard sell on the Krazy Kolor, probably looking for market distinction. It all looks kind of ugly to me.