'fraid so:(
I say get a different saddle fitter…preferably a BC rep and have THEM call Black Country. BC can maybe be a little more detailed with them than they can with a customer? (NOTE: this is speculation.)
Yeah, that looks sucky.
Granted, some of it can be blamed on the really bad fit, not on construction. The tree is obviously way too curvy for the horse, and it looks like the saddle may be too narrow on the horse to boot. If it were on a horse that it fit, the billets might actually lie correctly. Maybe. I’m just guessing based on pictures but that’s my guess.
The workmanship on the knee block is unforgivably sloppy. And I sure hope you ordered a custom short flap, otherwise the whole flap is botched.
For others on the thread, here’s what the Vinici Tex Eventer is SUPPOSED to look like (admittedly with different leather options–looks like BadEventer ordered buffalo leather, hence the grayish color and the wrinkles):
http://media.photobucket.com/image/black%20country%20vinici%20tex%20eventer/Lonely_Equine2/bc1.jpg
I hope this turns out well for you. I would be mega-pissed. At the very least I would expect an exchange for saddle that fit my horse. In your position, I would be hoping for a full refund.
BadEventer, PM me if you want my B. Cooper horror story, from when he was with County Saddlery.
Sorry you’re going thru this. 
[QUOTE=CookiePony;5374567]
Yes, the panels are supposed to be like that-- it’s called serge.
This is really terrible, BE! I have never seen that kind of bad workmanship on a BC saddle. And how could the fit be so terribly wrong after supplying tracings? Try emailing Nikki directly-- she is the sales director.[/QUOTE]
Yes, e-mail Nikki. I don’t think Trumbull Mountain is in a position to help you resolve this problem. They are, after all, another rep for BC.
I think your biggest problem is your rep-- the saddle doesn’t fit and from your report, he seems a little too sure it would. If your mare is built a little down hill (did I read right?) it will be harder to get a saddle to fit her than a more level horse.
FWIW, I think many companies have a hard time choosing, keeping and training good reps. BC isn’t alone here. Read threads in H/J about “situations” with all of em-- Antares, Devoucoux, even CWD and I think you’ll see what I mean.
I can’t explain the poor workmanship. The unfinished knee pad is sloppy. I think the billets are at an angle that’s a little extreme. But it looks like they can’t hang straight down from the place they are attached to the tree. The stirrup jockey joining to the “flap” doesn’t look worse than what I have seen on old Niederseuss saddles. Not my cup of tea in terms of finishing, but others don’t seem to complain.
I’m sorry this happened to you! As someone who has seen and ridden in some nice BC demos and had confidence in the company, I’ll hope for a good update on the resolution of this situation.
What a nightmare. I have a very nice bc dressage saddle, so I would not have seen that disaster coming.
Recommend you keep a detailed journal, dates, times, locations of every transaction with this product. It will come in handy when you find the entity that is willing to resolve this.
Thank you for letting the rest of us know. I would go absolutely ape sh*t on this rep. What a rippoff. Best of Luck
Good grief, the saddle looks like something that Frankenstein stitched together. You are justifiably horrified.
You definitely need to go above the dude that sold you this saddle and isn’t responding. Try to get the name and contact info for whoever oversees US sales, as well as customer service for the company in the UK.
Did you put any of the purchase price on a credit card? If so, get in touch with your credit card company immediately, they may be able to help advocate for you.
Involving the Master Saddlers is a good idea.
The company needs to be aware that they have a rep who is providing abysmal customer service, completely unacceptable fitting and follow-through, and they also have a serious problem with quality control somewhere in their shop to have shipped out such a sub-par product with their name on it.
I suggest you also post a similar thread on the Horse and Hound Bulletin Board in the UK. Someone there may have better contact info than you are finding through google.
The company also has a facebook page and since they are being unresponsive, you may want to try contacting them there, or even sharing your story there as well:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Black-Country-Saddles/164306080262365
I’m sorry you are going through this. I went through custom saddle hell with another company, and though they did eventually make it right, it’s seriously stressful and unpleasant to have put that sort of money on the line and get a totally unacceptable product and then have to sweat it out to find out if you have any recourse whatsoever.
Please keep us posted with how things develop.
That customer service is a bit of an eye-opener ! I don’t think a saddle should necessarily fit straight out of the box. I don’t think the client should necessarily be asked to check the fit on her own ! Heck, I tend to show up to fit saddles out of the box that I’m not a rep for, and didn’t order, if that’s what the client wants ! Ugh on the construction of that knee block if that’s what it’s supposed to be - I had a quick look in the back room at other saddles, and yes, it’s neater if there is no exposed leather on the block itself, but every other saddle with that construction that I have, is neat, tidy, wrinkle free and looks like it should be there. Even the 10 year old crappy Collegiate !
This blog has a post listing several names at the Black Country office in the UK. It does sound like Nikki Newcombe is the company’s sales manager and the person you should contact:
http://saddlefitter.blogspot.com/2010/08/black-country-rocks-customer-service.html
I had a bad experience with a County saddle rep, but one thing I will say for them is that I called the HQ and County was extremely responsive and made it right within days.
Just the fact that BC has not been helpful to you would make me, as a potential future BC saddle buyer, really wary and VERY disappointed. Sorry you have to go through this.
Agreeing with everyone here, what a ripoff.
We have been thrilled with our black country saddle as well as the saddle fitter that worked with us. I am so sorry you are going through this.
I am in your area and have seen that particular BC rep and wouldn’t let him touch my synthetic ovation. I have several BC saddles and all are top notch but were built years ago, the newest being a '06 model. These were made when Mike Corcoran was still designing the saddles. I would definitely email Nikki, she is excellent and should work your problems out. If you end up getting a refund look up Mike Corcoran saddlery, he designed most of the BC models and has his own saddle line now and is out of Texas. He is also one of the best to refit your used BC, you just will have to travel to him, because he doesn’t travel as much as he used to. If I have the funding, my next saddle will be built by him. Look at the J1 saddle, in his own words he took the Tex Eventer and made it better… very cool saddle.
Matt
Wow! I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. I have a Black Country Vinici dressage saddle and it’s probably the prettiest thing I’ve ever looked at. Two years later, and it still looks new. I know a bunch of people that have bought saddles from them, and everyone has been nothing but 110% satisfied with their product and service. Where are you located? I’m hoping that you’re somewhere close to my BC rep/saddle fitter, as I know she would be able to help you.
WOW. That thing looks like someone was drunk when they put it together.
I hope you are able to return it and either get a completely new one or a refund. I wouldn’t mess around having someone try to fix that. For $3500 bucks, it should come “fixed.”
I also don’t think this issue is limited to the Rep- sounds like he has a crappy rep., but I’m pretty sure he didn’t stitch the damn thing together. Sounds like BC has a problem in their construction dept as well.
Please update us!
I have an older BC I love (from the Mike Corcoran era) so I ordered a new one a year ago, being told I could get essentially the same saddle re-made. Turns out it’s not at all the same saddle, but I like it quite a bit, and it’s certainly well made. I also had a bad experience with the BC rep (a woman) who was an incompetent Fitter, but later hooked up with another fitter (a master saddler) who made some flocking adjustments that did the trick. I’ll be interested to hear if you get satisfaction from the company. Keep in mind that they probably farm out parts of the process, but it doesn’t say much for their quality control if they shipped such a bad saddle.
I agree that is sounds like you’ve been taken for a ride by this fitter. I have a BC dressage saddle that I had made for us this past October – it looks NOTHING like what you posted. It is beautifully made and sits on my horse like eye candy. I smell some SERIOUSLY bad mojo here.
OMG!!
I also bought a BC from B.Cooper! Once he had my money he wanted nothing more to do with me…
I contacted BC directly, started a thread on COTH and sent them the link…
All they have is their reputation… Geeze.
Let me know if you want to hear my story, I love my saddle now, but I was having some fit issues in the begining…honestly I’m not even sure if it fits all that well now…
I would post something on the facebook page with a photo of the terrible stitching. And the caption - “My BC saddle provided by saddle fitter Bob Cooper.”
There is no excuse for that craftmanship or fit. If I didn’t get a promt respsonse, id be sending a certified letter requesting my money back. How about small claims court? Being out 3500 & a saddle is not an option before the show season!
[QUOTE=kgro632;5376452]
I also bought a BC from B.Cooper! Once he had my money he wanted nothing more to do with me…
I contacted BC directly, started a thread on COTH and sent them the link…
All they have is their reputation… Geeze.
Let me know if you want to hear my story, I love my saddle now, but I was having some fit issues in the begining…honestly I’m not even sure if it fits all that well now…[/QUOTE]
Bob has not returned my calls or emails for the past 4 days. Neither has Black Country. I’ve emailed Black Country and The Society for Master Saddlers. So far, I haven’t gotten a response from anyone. What happened in your case?
A quote from Bob’s website:
"I bring demo saddles to the client so they can see, touch and ride in a saddle before making a purchasing obligation. This ensures that the saddle will be correct for the horse and, just as importantly, for the rider.
Following delivery of the saddle, I insure that the saddle is exactly as ordered and the saddle fits the horse. I provide all necessary follow-up fitting and maintenance for the life of the saddle."
