Antarès Saddles: Worth the investment

[vxf111]

[QUOTE=MHM;7191409]
Wow. Really??

Now I’m wondering what sort of riding would constitute a tendency to break trees. Other than maybe a tendency to make the horse fall down and roll over on the saddle…[/QUOTE]

Or someone who treated saddles carelessly… dropping them and laying them flat on the ground regularly.

Who wants a saddle that can break from the impact of landing from a jump? All the other manufacturers seem to have figured out technology that can withstand such and impact. Why not Antares?

If it was me, I’d spend less money and get something with some flexibility (like a Bates or Collegiate with the interchangeable gullets) and wait to spend $4000+ until I had a specific horse to get the saddle fitted to. But that’s me.

[wishfulthinking711]

Personally since you are waiting to get said lease horse I would get a used Antares. Plus they are already broken in! You said you have never even sat in one yet anyway. There are plenty of barely rode in saddles for way less than brand new out there. Used used used!!!

[drs]

[QUOTE=anyanicholson;7191490]
Well that’s the thing, I can’t ride in the owner of whichever horse I’m riding’s tack because they don’t want anybody using it but them since it’s expensive gear.
So then I’m left with the extremely hard, old and what feels like stuff and unbroken in schooling saddles and they’re so uncomfortable I rubbed myself raw from lessoning and hacking in. So I’ve just about had it.
I just got off the phone with the Antares rep for Massachusetts and she said she’d come down to the barn I ride at since they’re sponsored and have me try out the non custom since they’re all over 4,500 and I’m looking to spend nowhere over $2-3,000.00[/QUOTE]

I can’t believe owners of the horses would have someone riding their horses with saddles that may or may not fit. I would want the saddle to fit the horse and request no jeans ever be worn when riding in my saddle. Just my opinion though.

[mvp]

OP, I too, bought my own saddle before I had any prospect of owning my own horse. I was/am crazy that way and it worked.

Yes, I’ll bet your trainer is getting some kind of financial benefit to having everyone in the barn buy Antares. It was that way at a barn I rode at for a minute in CT.

I think your choices are:

Buy a used Antares that has no extreme modifications and then hope it works for the horses you ride. It won’t work all of the time.

Buy a used saddle of another brand that is known for fitting a lot of horses and riders. Think of something like a Pessoa. Nicely made saddle for the (less) money. Pretty horse-friendly.

Or, my favorite: Figure out what you like in a saddle and then find used ones in various tree sizes. Yes, you read right, assemble your own Saddle Library. I have one and it is awesome. Whatever horse I ride, I have a saddle that I like.

[anyanicholson]

[QUOTE=drs;7191560]
I can’t believe owners of the horses would have someone riding their horses with saddles that may or may not fit. I would want the saddle to fit the horse and request no jeans ever be worn when riding in my saddle. Just my opinion though.[/QUOTE]

I completely agree with that, it’s CRAZY. But I bet they do get some kind of financial benefit. I never ride in jeans since they’re completely inappropriate for riding attire with the barn I’m riding at. I clean tack every single time I ride, so I honestly don’t see what the problem is… Other than they just don’t want me using them.

[jetsmom]

I’ve had an Antares for about 8 yrs, and it still looks almost new. It was ridden in daily for about 5 of those yrs then about 4 times a week. I always ride in jeans and chaps. No wear issues due to it.

I LOVE my saddle. I went thru 3 new saddles before buying it, and they all made me pinch with my knees or rubbed my crotch raw. I tried an HDR, a Beval Natural and a County Stabilizer XTR. The Antares puts me in a perfect position, I don’t pinch with my knees and my leg stays in place. I have a Med deep seat, regular flap.

[anyanicholson]

[QUOTE=jetsmom;7191665]
I’ve had an Antares for about 8 yrs, and it still looks almost new. It was ridden in daily for about 5 of those yrs then about 4 times a week. I always ride in jeans and chaps. No wear issues due to it.

I LOVE my saddle. I went thru 3 new saddles before buying it, and they all made me pinch with my knees or rubbed my crotch raw. I tried an HDR, a Beval Natural and a County Stabilizer XTR. The Antares puts me in a perfect position, I don’t pinch with my knees and my leg stays in place. I have a Med deep seat, regular flap.[/QUOTE]

Oh wow! So that’s awesome- I have the same problem with pinching with my knee.
What is the difference between a Medium/Deep seat and just any other seat?

[Rocky092]

I just bought a used Antares while I was up at HITS. I ride a different horse in most of my lessons. I went with used because I wanted something already broken in and ready to go. The particular model I went with also had the area around the pommel cut back so it could fit a wider array of horses. Because the saddle was 5 yrs old it didn’t come with any warrantees, on the tree or the leather, but the rep was extremely helpful (she was from the Boston area). The saddle and many more like it were listed for $2800 which I thought was fair since they were in pretty good condition.

I also had her explain the leather options to me when I was first looking at them which really helped clear things up. Pretty much if you’re buying a new saddle, buffalo and calfskin come with the broken in feel, pretty much ready to go. Grain leather will take time to break in. In terms of durability she explianed, buffalo and grain were tougher than calfskin. The new calfskin models are made with a reinforced bottom flap since the leather is softer. If you opt to leave off the reinforcement on the flap for cosmetic reasons, the saddle does not carry a leather warrantee. If your’re going used, all the saddles feel wonderful. I decided to go with the grain leather because I wanted a more durable leather and since it was used, break in time was obviously not an issue for me Grain also costs less than buffalo.

I bought a new saddle even without a horse because I wanted to feel more secure while riding. My old saddle no longer fit my leg and the leather was pretty slick. For me it was a small price to pay for comfort and security. Going used put a nice saddle in my price range and it is SUPER grippy. The leather is of high quality and I havent had any complaints. You should also mention that you’re worried that the saddle you want now might not fit the horse you’ll eventually lease.

Who knows, maybe they have some sort of trade in that could take place in event the saddle doesnt fit a horse you lease. I know when I bought mine the rep said they would send someone out when I bought a horse to make sure the saddle fit (nothing was said about a trade in or another plan though). Talk to your rep and see what she says. Happy shopping!

[jetsmom]

[QUOTE=anyanicholson;7191698]
Oh wow! So that’s awesome- I have the same problem with pinching with my knee.
What is the difference between a Medium/Deep seat and just any other seat?[/QUOTE]

The med deep is just that…they make a flatter seat that might be better for Eq riders, and a deep seat, that would probably be better for jumper riders. The med deep feels just right. I felt “stuck” in the deeper seat.

[TullyMars]

FineReady, the tree breaks in mine were at pommel L side and L waist. I was told the same thing about some of the older trees not being able to handle the torque from larger fences. Saddle was not treated in a poor manner either as I cannot afford to a use them!

[sp56]

My horses and I really love our Stubben Portos. I spent 20 minutes at the sitting trot/canter without stirrups in another saddle and my back was destroyed. 30 minutes sitting trot in the Stubben and by back felt great (my legs were quite sore though).

I’ve had an Antares and CWD tree twist BADLY.

[Bogie]

I would not buy a high end $$$ saddle in your situation because there is no way to know whether the saddle will fit the horse you end up leasing.

A more versatile saddle would be one that is wool flocked (reflocking can help make a saddle fit a variety of backs) and/or adjustable tree.

[QUOTE=anyanicholson;7191433]
I’m not leasing during the winter but when it comes time in the spring and summer I will definitely be leasing and horse showing. My trainers said then is the time to buy a saddle but I’m more concerned about now since I know a saddle can entirely affect the way you ride. So, I thought I might start looking now even though my parents too, want me to wait until I’m locked in with a lease for the summer but then again, that’s not the same horse I’m going to be on for more than 5 months since I only do summer lease and it depends if I make it to any big Regionals or Finals in the fall for when I end my lease.

So that’s why I’m looking to have it be a more versatile saddle if that’s even possible…

Hearing about the broken trees makes me really nervous because in no mind would I have the $$ to buy a $3,000 saddle, have the tree break or something like that and send it back to the company to have it fixed.
I definitely DONT want that to happen! So maybe that might steer me away from Antares.
Haven’t heard anything bad about CWD, I’ve ridden in one and its pretty comfy but I haven’t ridden in an Antares so I can only expect the best comfort…[/QUOTE]

[KateKat]

I am another one who bought a saddle prior to owning a horse. It was a very basic, medium tree Ashland Northrun saddle (only spent $400). I bought it, after discussing with my trainers, if it would be ok. At the time I was riding lesson horses only, who were all similarly shaped TB’s so the saddle worked well. However, when I did buy my own horse the saddle most definitely did NOT fit her so that is when I made the investment in an Antares.

The expensive French brands usually offer a “pro” panel on their saddles too, which is essentially a basic set up on the panels, nothing extra padded here or there like their “custom” options. If you go this route and know your specs, you can buy a brand new Antares on Smartpak for somewhere around $3500 I believe?

As for Antares as a brand, I’m a little lukewarm about them at this point. Don’t get me wrong I love my saddle but add me to the club of someone who had their tree break after only a couple years. Their customer service to fix it though was great, and they used a very well known saddle repair/manufacturer on the west coast to get it done so turnaround time was only a week and cost me nothing (as it should be). However, the fact that the original tree on a $5K was not sturdy enough to withstand regular riding with jumps under 3’ is a bit disheartening. I think I would have been more pissed about the whole thing if they had been crappy about getting it fixed. Oh, and the customs have a 5 year warranty on the tree, I believe the used warranties are not as good.

My trainer is sponsored by them as well, which depending on your trainer’s relationship with the rep can get you some perks. Like mine knocked off quite a bit of money so I could do the calf skin upgrade, plus I got a free pair of leathers (which alone are around $200) and some free conditioner.

[sp56]

BTW, from what I’ve read/heard the french saddles use the same trees…CWD, Antares, Devoucoux, Voltaire…

They cost as much as they do because they spend a lot of money on advertising and giving discounts to trainers who sell their saddles. You get a lot of “extras” when you buy one of their saddles, but you can save a lot if you go with a different brand (and don’t market freely for the company by wearing their jacket, bridle, etc).

I’ve watched trainers blow through their CWD saddle flaps in a year or two. I’ve seen the trees twist. Not overly impressed for something that costs more than my truck.

[Dewey]

OP, it really sounds as if a new saddle that costs thousands is not a wise choice under your present circumstances. There are lots of mid-range, good quality, comfortable, sturdy saddles on the market, some with wool flocking and adjustable trees that could fit several horses: Collegiate and Ovation spring to mind.

Wait till you have your own horse to make the splurge on a high-end model–if you must have one. (Frankly, I have heard enough horror stories like the ones in this thread to put me off. To me, no soft, grippy calfskin or cushy seat is worth having to repair the seat, flaps, or tree within a few years of normal use. I can’t see spending thousands on a product that is not going to hold up.)

With that said, a lot of people just love their French saddles and feel they are totally worth the money. If you really want one, wait till you have your own horse and try out a lot of saddles first. You don’t want to experience buyer’s remorse.

[ako]

I love my Antares and hope it holds up for as many rides as my trainer’s old one (maybe 8-13 thousand and still ticking!!). I just felt more secure and immediately became a more confident/competent rider in a saddle that really, really worked for me.

I got extra padding. The horses I’ve ridden have gone very nicely in it, even the ones who didn’t go well in other saddles I tried. My mare actually only gets ridden in mine or one of my trainers. Someone rode her in a Butet and that did not work for her.

I would suggest caution when buying a custom saddle used. Try it before committing!! They do vary quite a bit.

I’ve tried plenty of others and I didn’t like them or the horse didn’t, or both. So for me, the $4000 was a worthwhile splurge. But here’s hoping it lasts a long while…

[TheBrownHorse]

Buying a saddle is like showing up with a candy bar -

“It doesn’t have caramel in it?!”
“I like dark chocolate”
“No almonds?!”
“Peanut butter is better”
“Candy bars give you cavities”

No but seriously.

And I love my Antares. Never had a problem with it.

[vxf111]

Crappy customer service and defective trees are issues serious enough to discuss in the context of a major purchase. It’s more like “that chocolate has made people really ill” than “where’s the caramel?”

[TheBrownHorse]

All I’m saying is you’re going to find good and bad opinions on everything. Just trying to keep things light - some people have crap experiences , I get it. I have gotten food poisoning a couple times myself

[vxf111]

[QUOTE=TheBrownHorse;7195010]
All I’m saying is you’re going to find good and bad opinions on everything. Just trying to keep things light - some people have crap experiences , I get it. I have gotten food poisoning a couple times myself ;-)[/QUOTE]

I agree with you that a lot of what makes a saddle “good” is kind of personal (do you like soft or more durable leather, do you prefer wool or foam, do you like the color of a specific saddle, etc.) but some things really ought to be non-negotiable for most anyone. A tree that breaks and a company that doesn’t stand behind it… that’s a consideration most buyers would take seriously.

I had food poisioning too. Ugh! I never want to relive that! Sickest I’ve ever been. At a lovely B&B, my god I felt SO BAD (not from their food, from Dole bagged salad, of all things!) If someone warned me about the potential to get it again… I’d take that information pretty seriously.