County saddles in a medium gullet tend to fit my horse perfectly, but the Innovation I owned previously did not fit me. It was the correct size, but the balance point was off and I found myself trying too hard to get into and stay in two point. I sold that saddle and have been riding in a County Connection dressage saddle since then that seemed to fit me well.
Now I’m looking to go back to a jump saddle and am trying to find a County with a more forward balance point. Since the Innovation is out, I’m looking at (used) Sensations, Solutions and Stabilizers and only finding Stabilizers! Can anyone compare the balance points of these saddles for me? (I’m told the Sensation does have a more forward balance point, but they are very hard to find in 17 M)
If you’re on FB, the County buy/sell group is pretty active. I know I’ve seen a few Solutions on there lately, but I’m not sure of the sizing.
Was the Innovation an M tree? Those run wider than the others–I have a N Innovation jump saddle and my Connection is a MN, so be aware of that when changing between saddles.
My chair seat Innovation was an N to allow for the larger sizing in that model, as my horse is a true size M. The Connection M fits him perfectly, as did the N Innovation.
I’ve been checking the County Facebook page regularly, as well as the various sale sites, and no luck at all finding a used Sensation or Solution in 17 M. It must be a popular size that gets snapped up before reaching the sales pages.
At this point I’m considering venturing into French saddle territory, where there seems to be a higher turnover than with Counties. Unless I can find a Sensation or Solution within the next few weeks.
solution HJ model
Could you expand your search to MN? I have a couple of stabilizers, an innovation, an innovation on a sensation tree, and a sensation. I mostly ride in a CWD now, because there’s something about the leg flap configuration that I like a lot more than my Counties (even though I have moveable blocks in most of my Counties), but all of my Counties are N and all fit the same range of horses. The Innovation is only a tiny bit wider than the others. (On a side note - Counties are still my favorite saddles for the horse).
I really love my stabilizers. In fact, when I had to send my CWD back in to have the tree repaired, I rode in one of my stabilizers the whole time it was gone. The balance point is definitely more forward than the Innovations.
My 14yo daughter has recently been cycling through the Counties on her horses too. She very distinctly prefers the Sensation, with the Stabilizer coming in second place. She likes the Innovation periodically, but always comes to the conclusion that it puts her in a bit of a chair seat over jumps.
The primary difference between my stabilizer and my Sensation (I don’t have a Solution, so can’t compare to that) is that I feel closer to the horse in the Sensation because the twist is really narrow and I just feel seated more “in” the saddle. I feel a bit more perched on top in the Stabilizer. But I don’t think it’s something I would notice if I didn’t ride in one after the other…and wasn’t something I noticed in the 2 months I rode all of mine in my old Stabilizer.
Quick addition - OP, I see you “liked” one of my old posts about my Counties. If there are any discrepancies between what I said there and here, I’m definitely more correct there about details around each saddle as I was much closer to having bought all of the saddles back then!!
Thanks very much for your response, PNWjumper. I recognize you from past posts as an authority on Counties and stoked to get your input.
I’ve seen a couple of narrow Sensations and I’ve almost pulled the trigger to have one shipped for a trial. I think I’d try out a MN if I found one (you wouldn’t have one lying around you’d want to sell, would you, ha, ha)
I’ve been studying up French saddles, and they’re a whole different arena. I think I’m going to keep being patient and keep searching for the elusive Sensation.
Yours and your daughter’s experience very helpful!
Interesting that you ride all your horses in a County narrow, very interesting! Are any of your horses TBs with average TB withers and backs? I have my eye on a narrow sensation…
I’m not PNW, but I do have a TB who is a pretty solidly built girl for a TB too–most people assume she’s a WB or Appendix. We started off in my propanel/standard tree Devoucoux and are now in the N Innovation, and MN Connection. We actually did try one of the dressage saddles in a M tree to see if I liked it, but it was clearly way too wide for her.
On most average TBs, I think a MN or N is probably the more likely fit than an M.
Thank you! I’m ordering a N Sensation today! Appreciate all the input
Yep, my big GP guy is an OTTB with a very stereotypical TB build. Though he is big - 17h at the withers, 17.1h at the butt and pretty wide. But with the typical sharkfin withers. He was actually the one that really cemented Counties as my go to saddle to fit him through the years. He was definitely much skinnier and narrower through the shoulders when he came off the track. Now you wouldn’t guess a N tree would fit him by looking at him. And I guess it probably wouldn’t in other brands. My CWD is a M tree.
N Sensation has shipped already, a 5 day trial. Fingers crossed! So great to get this input, thanks!
Just saw this advertised on FB Thermal classifieds and thought of this thread.
I adore my 17M Stabilizer had it on my 17h TB and 17.3 Dutchie.
Bought it off the rack and never modified.
The wider twist actually stabilized me when jumping.
For anyone following this, the County Sensation in narrow DID end fitting my horse, hooray. It fit a little closer, obviously, than the M Connection or N Innovation, but it did fit and my horse seemed to like it. Special thanks to PNWjumper and others who shared their County experiences!
As far as comparing balance points with the Innovation, the Sensation for me as the rider is a real win. The balance point for me is way more forward, so getting into two point and staying there is effortless. I knew I was fighting the Innovation but didn’t realize just how much.
As a side note, both the Innovation I formerly owned and the Sensation I now own had/ have the upgraded bull leather, but the quality of the leather is very different between the two. The Innovation bull leather was harder and somehow shinier and bumpier, while the Sensation bull leather is very soft, with “flatter” little texture bumps, and is much grippier.
All in all a dream saddle for me! Hope this helps others with similar questions
Is there any chance you still have any of those? I am also in the PNW and have been trying to get my hands on a MN County for a while. Not much in consignment around here right now. Message me if you have anything!!
OP here. If you are interested in a dressage saddle I have a brown County Connection on consignment at High Line Tack. 17 M for $1,100. Best of luck finding the perfect saddle!
Y’all this is a year later, but I am looking for a saddle and need one fairly quickly. I have a 16h TB who is somewhat solid and a 16.2 tb with big withers who is just a larger horse. The second horse has no real muscle on his back, but of course I’m hoping to fix this. I found an Innovation on EBay that’s MW the seller said it’s too narrow for her current horses but fit her old TBs and warmbloods well. From what I read on this group-does that seem unlikely for my current horses? I can return the saddle so I may have to just try it on with the fitter.
Thanks!
Regards,
Huntin’Fool
They are wool flocked, so you can adjust the saddle fit that way. I didn’t find the County Innovation to be a good fit for a high withered horse. Does this saddle have skid row panels? Those help lift the pommel off the withers or fill in the dip below sharp withered horses. Worth a try, as they are lovely saddles. I wish I still had mine.
They do run wide, so a MW would fit more like a wide.
I love County saddles for me, but could never find one that fit my high-withered TB. I regret never owning one, actually.
