If you’re only trail riding him you could consider looking for used mono flap saddles by a maker like devoucoux. They tend to be a whole lot less expensive but still just as comfortable. I actually prefer a mono, used one in my jumper days and had to sell it when I switched to hunters. I’ve seen really decent looking used monos for $1000-1500 before. Same quality French saddle just less. They’re super light too which is nice.
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IMHO the cost of reflocking a wool flocked saddle periodically is just the cost of upkeep. It isn’t a sign that the saddle is so old it is worn out. I’ve had all my second hand saddles reflocked to fit my horse: buy them as a good fit and flock them to make a perfect fit. I also haven’t found that saddles in the 20 to 25 year old range necessarily have dried out or worn out leather. Some older saddles might have been stored in a house for a big part of their lives. Leather also revives nicely when oiled up.
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The Thorowgoods are shockingly comfortable for a synthetic saddle. I prefer the ones that are leather seat with synthetic flaps, but even the synthetic suede seat ones are comfy too (just too much “stick” for my comfort). Lots of tree/panel shapes for different backs, and the interchangable gullet plates seem more anatomically friendly than the Wintec/Bates plates. They’re fairly inexpensive new, and pop up used on occasion. Kent & Masters is their all leather version and they pop up used occasionally for around the price of a new Thorowgood (from what I’ve seen)
I really really liked my old Santa Cruz “Justin”. It felt like a higher end saddle than it was, and was one of SC’s wool flocked models so rode really nicely. I sadly. Had to sell it this spring when my pony bulked out of it and I miss it. I’ve tried other models but didn’t like them nearly as much as the Justin. It felt similar to the Childeric that an old lease horse went in, but with not quite as nice leather. Nicer leather than newer Collegiate or Bates though.
LOL I am also a Courbette owner. I have two, actually. The first one I bought new in 1978, for $750, a fairly expensive saddle for the era, and I have used it on many horses (TBs). It’s my favourate and primary saddle. The second one I bought two years ago, for $50. “Because nobody wants those old saddles, because they don’t have padding in them to hold you on the horse”. It was in sad shape, looked like it had been left out in the rain, leather like cardboard. I did not know if I could save it. The seller was affiliated with a “rescue” of horrid history, accepting donations of crap to sell to raise funds which I hated to support, but when they mentioned that this saddle was among the crap they had on offer, I had to go and liberate it. The saddle had had very little use, practically new condition other than it’s lack of care. I didn’t use it for the first year I owned it, the horse it fit was not in work that year. So the saddle was soaked with neatsfoot oil, and a selection of other leather care products, and warmed up to let it all soak in. Then I soaped it, and started using it this year. It’s perfect, and lovely, and fits my narrow mare perfectly. Because apparently, it’s a “narrow”, and my old one is a “medium”. I didn’t even look at that when I rescued it. It’s a 17 inch instead of my usual 16 1/2, but it feels fine to ride in.
Since I have been afflicted with my collecting of old saddles, I have also purchased a Passier Century for $200, (at a tack sale) and a Crosby Olympic from a local family (had been in storage for years) for $350 (it fits a bit wider than the others I have). I had been wanting a PDN, to replace the one I sold 18 years ago. The Olympic model has a little bit of a knee roll, a tiny one, but small enough to not offend me. All the rest are pancakes, the Passier with a bit of a deeper seat, but again, I can live with it. This spring, I was given a Crosby PDN, a newer model, again because nobody wanted it, and the owner didn’t want to store it any more. It fits weird, not like the older PDN models. It doesn’t fit any of my horses I have tried it on. Again, in “new” condition. I will find someone to sell it to eventually, with a horse it fits. Then, this summer, that same horrid “rescue” outlet had a 16 1/2 inch PDN, again hardly even used, which I got for $50 complete. How could I not also acquire this one? It’s not like they eat and cost money to keep.
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I will always go for a good quality used saddle over a new one any day! Much better quality, last longer, and I find them more comfortable for both horse and rider.
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Go for a used French saddle, they retain resale and if that’s what you’re used to nothing else will compare. You can almost certainly get an older Butet in the under $1000 price range if you know what you want and aren’t afraid to shop online. As someone suggested, look at the monoflaps if you’re more in the $1500 budget area, they’re just as comfortable and ride the same, they’re always much cheaper, and look doesn’t matter if you have no intentions to return to the show ring.
Sorry to those suggesting the Thorowgoods but I disagree - they might be comfy but it depends on expectations, and they’re a totally different type of saddle that sits you very differently. I know they come in lots of configurations, but I’ve never been able to sit in one and felt like I could do any sort of riding. If you can sit in one just to try, sure, go for it, but I wouldn’t expect to find your solution there.
There are nice saddles out there that you can buy for short money because they are not in fashion. I’ve had really good luck with the Kieffer Norbert Koof FL and a few other of their jumping models. Very nice quality but not fashionable. I love my Jeffries JMX monoflap. Rides like a much more expensive saddle but you can pick them up used for about 1K.
