Collegiate or ovation saddle

[Ready_To_Riot]

Well my horses are no longer in the same saddle. The horse that fits my current saddle isn’t rideable and I’m not sure when or if she will be again. So I’m selling my beloved county! I’m well versed in changeable gullet saddles and have had them work for both horses, so I figured I’d throw a little money into one and put the rest towards making my dressage saddle budget larger. I’ve searched the forums and there aren’t any new threads on either saddle so I thought I’d see what today’s opinion is. I’m looking at the collegiate diploma or the ovation San Diego. I found a 4 star event but it seems as though they have a very forward flap. I have a long leg, but I’m only 5’ tall, so I doubt that would work for me and I can’t take it on trial.

I’ve also looked at thorowgood as y’all have recommended them for me before. I’d get the T8 gp compact model, but I’d have to buy it new ($900) as I can’t find any used. I hate to spend that when I can get a basically brand new ovation or collegiate for the same price (ovation I can get cheaper actually. Haven’t looked too much into the collegiate).

The ovation Palermo is also an option, but I think the San Diego is prettier.

Both of my horses are built slightly downhill, so I’ll need something that doesn’t tip me forward as I’m really good at falling off!

Opinions?

[HuntinQuarters]

I can’t compare to Collegiate because I’ve never had one, but I LOVE my Ovation saddle (San Telmo). I think they are nice quality saddles for the price point. However, I will note that changing the gullet is quite a process. I personally wouldn’t want to change back and forth frequently for different horses.

[preppyeq]

I’ve heard that saddles that have changeable gullets are not meant to be changed frequently and could potentially break. I would do a lot of research on which brands are the sturdiest. You didn’t mention M. Toulouse but it was one of the brands that I’ve heard of breaking when changing the gullet frequently. Out of the two saddles you’ve mentioned I’ve heard better things about the Ovation but I haven’t ridden in either.

[Ready_To_Riot]

I won’t buy M. Toulouse. They are just junk all together. The RTF systems are the ones known for breaking if changed frequently. Or just at all from what I’ve read. Very few cases have been reported of the gullet plate type systems of breaking the tree. And I feel there is more to those stories. Wintecs were the first (as far as I know) to have the plates and they were marketed to people who rode multiple horses. They were allegedly designed to be changed often. At least from my understanding. If that is still true with the new ones, I don’t know, but the tree in the gullet plate saddles is designed to move. Not break. I have personally ran over a wintec in a half ton truck (obviously not on purpose!) and the tree was still sound as can be. I had it professionally checked because I couldn’t believe it!! But the new wintecs suck and put me in a stupid position, which is why I’m seeking alternative.

That being said, I won’t be changing it regularly. For the foreseeable future, 85 will stay fitted to my one rideable horse (the narrower of the two). When and if the other becomes rideable, they are close enough (assuming other mare doesn’t get ridiculously fat again) that I can set it to her and use a half pad on my other horse. The only reason I can’t do that now is because I had to fit basically a rhino before because she was so fat and out of shape. Technically the saddle is too wide for her also now that she has dropped weight.

[OTTBs]

[QUOTE=Ready To Riot;9032685]
I’ve also looked at thorowgood as y’all have recommended them for me before. I’d get the T8 gp compact model, but I’d have to buy it new ($900) as I can’t find any used.[/QUOTE]
Look on Preloved.com for used. I think it was $80 to ship my saddle from the UK to the Midwest. Most of the saddles seemed to be the compact model, which I definitely did NOT want.

[Stitch_In_Time]

I’ve owned both a Collegiate and an Ovation saddle without the changeable gullet. Out of the 2 the Ovation was by far the nicer saddle.

I ended up selling the Ovation because it didn’t fit the horse I had at the time and I bought a Bates with the changeable gullet. I loved the Bates for me, unfortunately the Cair panels didn’t agree with the horse and I ended up selling that saddle as well.

What I didn’t like about the Bates (which uses the same gullet system as Collegiate/Wintec) was the fact that the gullet was a pain in the #$*@ to change. :mad: It’s like a wrestling match with your saddle. If you don’t plan on changing it often its a nice feature to have, but “easy change gullet system” is a misnomer!

[AllAboutTheBay]

From what I heard, the designer of the Ovation saddles actually use to create the Collegiate saddles. Collegiate saddles have undergone a slight redesign since he left and, in the opinion of some people, it has trended towards a cheaper version. The Ovation saddles, are more designed like the older, better quality Collegiate saddles, and are suppose to be a very good saddle for their price.

I’m shopping for a saddle now to, and was told this by my trainer, so hopefully it’s correct.

[AllAboutTheBay]

From what I heard, the designer of the Ovation saddles actually use to create the Collegiate saddles. Collegiate saddles have undergone a slight redesign since he left and, in the opinion of some people, it has trended towards a cheaper version. The Ovation saddles, are more designed like the older, better quality Collegiate saddles, and are suppose to be a very good saddle for their price.

I’m shopping for a saddle now to, and was told this by my trainer, so hopefully it’s correct.

[Bogie]

Most interchangeable gullets require some wrestling to get them in and out.

I keep two older model Wintec Pro Jumps with two different gullets installed for my two horses. I find the saddle to be well balanced and comfortable and they are great for riding in inclement weather.

I paid about $400 for each of them. I also have an older Bates Caprilli Event saddle. It’s a nice saddle that I’ve used on horses when I’m waiting for them to muscle up/grow up and find a more consistent shape. I’ve not had a problem with horses objecting to the CAIR panels but every horse is different.

I’ve ridden in the Thorowgood T8 GP and found there was way too much saddle for my taste. i felt perched on my horse. I was glad I had the chance to try it before i bought it. I thought it was a well made saddle for someone who liked the way it fit it would’ve been great.

Pesoa makes a saddles with interchangeable gullets and a variety of flap options so that if you have a long femur you can find one with a more forward flap.

[Stitch_In_Time]

[QUOTE=Bogie;9033884]
Most interchangeable gullets require some wrestling to get them in and out.

I keep two older model Wintec Pro Jumps with two different gullets installed for my two horses. I find the saddle to be well balanced and comfortable and they are great for riding in inclement weather.

I paid about $400 for each of them. I also have an older Bates Caprilli Event saddle. It’s a nice saddle that I’ve used on horses when I’m waiting for them to muscle up/grow up and find a more consistent shape. I’ve not had a problem with horses objecting to the CAIR panels but every horse is different. [/QUOTE]

I’m sure most horses do fine with the Cair panels, mine was a sensitive snowflake about saddle fit! :lol:

Thankfully the new horse seems to be a pretty average fit with fewer opinions. I would consider a Bates again if I found a good deal, that was probably the most comfortable saddle I’ve owned.

[One_Two_Three]

I love love love love my collegiate. I sold my $1200 Toulouse for a Collegiate. My trainer sold her Amerigo for a collegiate. They’re awesome saddles for a great price IMO and I have had amazing luck with them fitting my hard to fit OTTB. I had an ovation for a short amount of time, and it was comparable to the collegiate. Some models of the collegiate are better than others, different years yielded different quality on the leather…but overall I still recommend them 100%. You can find a used one for a wonderful price. I wouldn’t trade my collegiate for a $4,000 saddle. I love it that much!