Posting over here because these seem to be more popular in the hunter ring than the Eventing.
Long story short, I’m saddle shopping and I found a Butet (the XC style) for a good price, and just wanted some general opinions on Butet and what type of horses they usually fit. Fortunately the said saddle is available for trial, also.
I have a TB gelding, medium withers, curvier back etc.
Butets are wonderful, and have wonderful costumer service. If you’re unsure, ask for the serial numbers on it and send it to butet and ask about the specifics of the saddle. They can tell you if it’s a forward flap, if it’s a narrow tree, etc. I have seen some butets that fit tbs wonderfully, the do generally have a narrower twist than other saddles, and a not so generous tree size.
I had one , very comfortable for me, not so much for my low backed horse…raised a welt…had to sell it and get a saddle with fuller padding in the cantle (back panels ).
I have a 1991 Butet - love it. I have had a couple of people try to buy the saddle because I am not riding now, but I will not sell it.
The saddle has fit my 17.3 TB, my 17 hand warmblood and all the other horses I have ridden in the last 20+ years.
My TB gelding adores the Butet saddle. He’s got champagne tastes on our beer budget!
I think people - and horses - love or hate them. I personally think they are a very hard, unforgiving fit for the horse. The ones I’ve seen have very, very flat panels. So if your horse has a very flat back and it fits, great. I have a part-lessor who has a Butet that she is not allowed to use on my mare (per our trainer). She’s been using our trainer’s Antares instead. I’ve just had better luck keeping a horse comfortable with fuller, cushier panels than the Butet offers.
For me, I find the seat hard, flat, and unsupportive. But I’m a chunky monkey and that’s just my personal preference.
They are very well made and the leather quality is fabulous. Take even reasonable care of it and it will last you many, many years. And they hold their value quite well.
My Butet is my favorite of all my saddles (I have an Antares, a Devoucoux, an Equipe, and a Verhan dressage saddle). Now, I will not ride in something without wool flocking, so all of those saddles have been converted or, in the case of the Verhan, came flocked in wool. So I think that makes a big difference fit-wise.
My Butet was custom fit to my flat-backed, big shouldered, regular withered Hano gelding, but it also fits my large pony beautifully. It doesn’t, however, fit my massive TB (he goes in my Antares) or my even more massive Dutch WB (he can go in either the Antares or the Equipe). With the exception of my TB who is really abnormal in size, it’s fit every other TB or TB-built horse that I’ve ridden. I personally think it’s the most comfortable and balanced saddle I own as well!
I LOVE my Butet. I have found it suitable for everything from a 14hh Welsh pony to a 17hh Dutch Warmblood. Super comfy, and extremely high quality.
[QUOTE=STA;6685497]
I have a 1991 Butet - love it. I have had a couple of people try to buy the saddle because I am not riding now, but I will not sell it.
The saddle has fit my 17.3 TB, my 17 hand warmblood and all the other horses I have ridden in the last 20+ years.[/QUOTE]
I have a mid 80’s model and a 2004. Love them both…they fit my TBS large and small as well as my Paint/QH who is rather stocky…
I just wish the seat on the newer one isn’t quite as fragile. I ride in jeans and full chaps which are not the gentlest on that leather…
I had a Butet for 11 years, and it held up amazingly. I recently had to sell it since it does not fit my current horse.
It fit most horses that had a straight, round back, but did not fit any horse that had any sort of “dip” what-so-ever. Also had issues with high-withered horses—needed to use padding of some kind.
ETA—this was a 2002 model.
[QUOTE=MintHillFarm;6687802]
I have a mid 80’s model and a 2004. Love them both…they fit my TBS large and small as well as my Paint/QH who is rather stocky…
I just wish the seat on the newer one isn’t quite as fragile. I ride in jeans and full chaps which are not the gentlest on that leather…[/QUOTE]
I had both the seat and knee patches replaced on mine by Beval’s.
STA
When the seat goes, I will do the same…thanks, I feel better now!
I personally hate them from a design for the horse perspective.
The panels are extremely small and narrow and thus concentrate the rider’s weight on the smallest possible area.
Additionally the twist is made as narrow as possible which at some point is just too narrow for the back of the horse and the stirrup bars dig in. If the rider wants their legs X inches apart max but horse is X+Y inches wide, just plopping a really narrow twist (and thus, tree) on top is just mathematically incompatible. Sure you can blow out the very front of the gullet and call it “wide” but if the stirrup bars five inches back can only be X inches apart or the rider will b*tch then you have yourself a problem. The Butet caters to exactly this narrow twist obssession with a total disregard to how that works out for the horse.
Basically it is a design that gives very little regard to the comfort of the horse and you can buy a completely custom built brandy spanky new saddle for less than the cost of a used Butet.
hmmmm…I’ve had too many friends who tried a Butet and ended up with a horse with a sore back. (Could be the brand, could be owners with no realy clue on proper saddle fit)
Many people just don’t take the time to learn about proper saddle fit, then they just slap a pad under it and make the fit even worse.
Thinking about Butet:
Pros:
[QUOTE=meupatdoes;6690228]
I personally hate them from a design for the horse perspective.
The panels are extremely small and narrow and thus concentrate the rider’s weight on the smallest possible area.
Additionally the twist is made as narrow as possible which at some point is just too narrow for the back of the horse and the stirrup bars dig in. If the rider wants their legs X inches apart max but horse is X+Y inches wide, just plopping a really narrow twist (and thus, tree) on top is just mathematically incompatible. Sure you can blow out the very front of the gullet and call it “wide” but if the stirrup bars five inches back can only be X inches apart or the rider will b*tch then you have yourself a problem. The Butet caters to exactly this narrow twist obssession with a total disregard to how that works out for the horse.
Basically it is a design that gives very little regard to the comfort of the horse and you can buy a completely custom built brandy spanky new saddle for less than the cost of a used Butet.[/QUOTE]
Your opinion is quite clear. I do take issue with your statement of…“with a total disregard to how that works out for the horse.” Your generalized statement is not true. Personally, I have always had my horses interest as the number one priority. In the time I have had my saddle I have owned eight horses. None had any issue with my saddle. One was the A/O hunter Champion of the country in the past and qualified for all the indoors and Devon while I rode him, another won the A/A Hunter Classic at Lake Placid, another won the majority of the equitation classes I entered. My point is if the saddle was as wretched as described above I do not believe the horses would have been able to perform well.
Please do not cast such a wide net implying because you ride in a Butet you have a total disregard to how it works out for the horse.
Meupatdoes has it right.
And if you haven’t cared for french calf-covered saddle yet, you need to ask yourself if you want to go there.
STA- No one is accusing you of squat. The design of that saddle brand is problematic for some (if not many) horses. It fits some horses, so maybe you’re one of the lucky few. Enjoy. 
They get an undeserved bad rap because of people blindly following the fad or a knothead trainer recommedation and not bothering to see that it fits the horse. It is no better or worse then any other saddle of any brand that does not fit.
They get a deserved bad rap because that glove soft leather is not that durable and they will need more repair sooner then most other brands-especially for those that ride in jeans.
If it fits you and your horse and you can plan on some repair work down the road? It is a fine saddle.
You know, as a short rider, I LIKE a narrow twist. To each his own as long as it fits. We and our horses are all built different so generalizations about what works best or is more correct just don’t fit all cases.
BTW, I have a Childeric now. Similar to the Butet with better weight distribution under the cantle (looks like an Antares from the back) and more durable leather. I resold my Butet after about 7 years of good service on 3 horses for about 60% of what I bought it for-and in need of 1200 worth of repair. But I would buy another assuming it fit and the price was right.
They are (to date) THE most comfortable saddles I’ve ever sat in. If only I could ever get one to fit my horse, lol. Maybe my next horse will be fit to a Butet, lol. I love riding in them, and have yet to find one that puts my leg in a better position.
But, you have to really make sure it fits your horse- they run very narrow, and are quite “A” shaped from front to back.
[QUOTE=STA;6690265]
Please do not cast such a wide net implying because you ride in a Butet you have a total disregard to how it works out for the horse.[/QUOTE]
Actually I was referring to the people who DESIGN the saddle.
A lot of very well-meaning customers (myself included, with a different brand) have been snowed by the claims of high end saddle makers.
There is another high end brand which has been heard to specifically state on its factory tour, “Oh, we make the saddles to fit the RIDERS.” This is apparently their idea of a selling point.
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