I’m trying to narrow down my search on which used Butet saddles to take on trial.
Which tree size and panel type have you found to be the best fit for an OTTB with a big shoulder?
Thanks so much!
You need to get a wither tracing and/or speak to a saddle fitter… No one shoulder is built the same… my TB has a MASSIVE shoulder, but it’s the wither that really changes the game – in that vein I had a TB that was built similarly that was a COMPLETELY different fit.
I do have a fitter, but I’m trying to determine which ones I should take on trial instead of shipping 10 saddles back and forth.
Stay away from Beval saddles, their quality had gone downhill. I’ve spent nothing but time and money having repairs done on my saddle. The leather wears through with moderate use and they charge a fortune to repair it.
I’ve been told by several fitters than most French brands, including Butets, have long tree points that are not good for large shoulders. My County has done well with big shoulders and Stubbens are known for being a good TB fit.
Really? Wow. I’ve heard so many rave reviews from Butet owners. Maybe they have older ones.
[QUOTE=Zenyatta;8232174]
Stay away from Beval saddles, their quality had gone downhill. I’ve spent nothing but time and money having repairs done on my saddle. The leather wears through with moderate use and they charge a fortune to repair it.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=diceuf;8232340]
Really? Wow. I’ve heard so many rave reviews from Butet owners. Maybe they have older ones.[/QUOTE]
I don’t know about other Beval saddles, but when they came out with the Butet FB2 tree they changed the leather to a still beautiful but more substantial type which holds up very well, at least in the ones I know of. The older Butets were known for their paper thin seats and knee rolls, and there was a problem with them tearing with use and needing expensive repairs.
The quality of Beval strapgoods has definitely gone downhill so perhaps that is true of their other saddles. Beval does not manufacture the Butet, I believe they are the sole distributor in the US though.
CWD has shorter points I think, mine fit the large shouldered horses very well.
[QUOTE=BostonHJ;8232237]
I’ve been told by several fitters than most French brands, including Butets, have long tree points that are not good for large shoulders. My County has done well with big shoulders and Stubbens are known for being a good TB fit.[/QUOTE]
This is really interesting. I’m sure I’ve been told the opposite - that the longer tree points are better for a big shouldered horse. I think the reasoning is that the shorter tree points sit behind the shoulder and dig in when the shoulder comes back. (I heard this a while ago so I may have it completely wrong)
I’d love to know more about this
if you’re not set on butet, county is great for TBs.
Just to set some things straight- Beval and Butet are NOT the same brand. At all. To say that a Butet is a “Beval” saddle is all wrong. Beval is just the official US distributor for Butet.
That being said, I have a '99 Butet with their regular tree. Fits essentially every single animal I have put it on…of course with some minor variations in padding to accommodate the comfort of the horse.
A Butet can be a great saddle for your TB. My WB is built like a brick house with the shoulder of a small draft horse but a big set of TB withers and the regular tree works quite well for him. I suggest going with a regular tree first and seeing what direction you might need to go in after that.
I’d like to know who thought a saddle with the narrowest possible twist, the smallest possible panel surface area, zero gussets, no K panel or trpezoid panel options that I am aware of, a pretty narrow gullet for minimal spine clearance side to side and an A-shaped design (the better for your weight to be distributed only on the EDGES of the already minimalist panels) was a horse friendly piece of equipment, but maybe I’m weird.
Imo the Butet was made for the comfort of the rider, pretty much exclusively.
You could also get a saddle custom made and fitted to your horse for about the price of a used Butet, btw, if you are willing to consider working with accredited fitters who will actually have a saddle built specifically for you and your horse.
I got my older TB because of a Butet. He was a “dangerous bucker.” Actually, his poor back was being tortured with a Butet and he was very sore… I got him, put him in a saddle that fits and while he might play every now and then after a jump or if he is fresh, I haven’t fallen off but once in seven years. Knock on wood. And that once, I had given birth a week before and just didn’t have any core or balance and just rolled off the side. He was mortified. He is not a bucker, more an occasional rolling “large strided canterer.”
Every TB is different but mine is a pretty typical TB shape and the Butet was a nightmare for his back. He is a lovely horse and I am happy to have him, I will always have a fondness for Butets, even if I won’t ever own one!
