Crosby saddles - model comparisons

I am sort-of shopping for a used saddle, I tried a couple that I liked at the local tack shop, and today I rode in an old Crosby Sovereign. I’m in love - it’s my coach’s old saddle, not for sale, but since my back injury this was the first time I was comfortable/stable enough to almost sit the trot and canter normally.

I’m browsing on ebay (crosby is not sold at my local tack shops, very few used ones in the local ads and not much to go about so resorting to the web), no luck finding Sovereigns but there are a few seemingly good deals on decent condition Corinthians, Mark VII and Torino… Anyone know how these models compare to the Sovereign? I sent a few ads to my coach but COTH is a wealth of knowledge so I figured maybe I’d get some extra info!

And yes, I know saddles have to fit horses first, but the school horses I ride share saddles, and students bring their saddles in, and it does not appear to be an issue. I will not get a horse anytime soon (unless I win the lotto) and my coach told me that her Sovereign, medium tree, fits well on all the schoolies.

Here’s one. Brand new!

http://www.horseclicks.com/crosby-sovereign-17-5-medium-new-demo/saddles/522059

Thanks! Sadly I’m looking for a 16,5-17 , and it’s over my wee tiny budget. I don’t mind a beat up looking saddle as long as it’s safe and comfortable!

I had a Crosby Prix des Nations once and don’t know the difference between that model and the Sovereign. Pictures don’t make it clear. Here’s an old thread that may be of interest, but I still can’t tell what the difference is as there’s some disagreement among the posters.

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?240769-Crosby-Sovereign-fit-of-tree-compared-to-other-pancake-saddles-And-other-Crosbys

There is a PDN advertised locally, for $350, with stirrups. 17 inch. I’ve been toying with buying it, even though I don’t really need it, just because I like them so much. I bought a Crosby “Olympic” two years ago, for $400, overly complete. These are old saddles, the Olympic has tiny knee rolls (which I didn’t really want, but I still liked the saddle). I think practically any of the older styles you will find equally comfortable, if the minimal type of flat hunter saddle is what you are looking for. PM me if you want the info for the PDN advertised. Shipping is usually not too bad.

NancyM, I’ll take the ad… No duty (since you’re in Canada) sounds good to me!

I guess there are so many (ebay and horseclicks) Crosbys that sell for barely anything because they’re all a zillion years old?

It’s not just that they are old. It’s that they are out of fashion. People in the HJ world today don’t want a flat, hard, plain-flap saddle with no knee rolls. An additional problem is that they were popular when the horse of choice was the thoroughbred. These old Crosbys tend to be too narrow in the channel for the warmbloods most are riding these days.

They are wonderful, well-made saddles that promote correct position and good riding. But they aren’t popular anymore–hence the bargain-basement prices. Look on ebay–you can find many Prix des Nations saddles in good condition for much less than $350.

Sent you a PM :slight_smile:

FWIW, although they are not in fashion anymore - you can likely get a really good quality saddle for next to nothing. The English saddles, compared to the French ones, I find seem to last a lot longer. You can likely find a huge variety of good quality older Crosby saddles for under $350.

Yup, I’m trying to sell my old Crosby, early to mid nineties model. It’s got really quality leather and is in great shape but is sadly out of fashion. I go back and forth on keeping it as a first saddle for my stepdaughter… But I fear she may be hooked on western! :wink: there are a bunch out there and I’m sure you will find what you’re looking for!

Good news: I don’t do fashion.

Seriously I’m 29, nursing a back injury, this will be my first saddle ever and I just want something that I feel confident and solid in.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CROSBY-English-Jump-Show-Saddle-CORINTHIAN-17-GREAT-/390739193526?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5af9deeeb6

here is a Corinthian in New York

That is the Corinthian ad I was looking at and mentioned in my first post…

Too bad the differences between the Sovereign, PDN, Mark VII and Corinthian are sort of vague… It would help a lot!

I used to own a Sovereign. It is a PDN in prettier leather…that’s all. The cut is the same. The model changed a little bit over all the years the PDNs were made but if you love a Sovereign, you should be happy in a PDN, and they should be able to be found cheap. They are very comfortable saddles for people who can ride in a flat saddle…we all had to back in the day. They are out of fashion right now, so you should be able to find a used one for 2-400.

OP, try pm’ing PROTACKGUY. He can share a wealth of information on Crosby saddles.:slight_smile:

[QUOTE=Dewey;7354237]
I had a Crosby Prix des Nations once and don’t know the difference between that model and the Sovereign. [/QUOTE]

The Sovereign was the “bridle leather” version of the PdN. Both are British cow hide on all but the seat. “Bridle leather” means smooth grained. A PdN has embossed leather on the flaps and a pig skin seat…. or at least they used to until the 1990s or so. Since then, the seats have become that (gnarly) color-corrected schrump leather.

Otherwise, the fit for horse and rider in a Sovereign and PdN will be the same.

[QUOTE=HorseKrazy;7355494]
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CROSBY-English-Jump-Show-Saddle-CORINTHIAN-17-GREAT-/390739193526?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5af9deeeb6

here is a Corinthian in New York[/QUOTE]

That won’t feel like a Sovereign/PdN.

IIRC, Corinthians were a step down in quality from the PdNs. But there weren’t many around in the H/J World during the PdN era.

Others to consider. Disrespecting budget, an old, flat Hermes would be a candidate. IMO, the balance in one of those will be even better than in a Crosby. But the seat and fit for the horse will be even more unforgiving than is a Crosby.

I really like the balance in my old AGA Grand Prix. Most have a bit of a knee roll in front but it doesn’t get in the way because the balance in that saddle is very nice.

Try, too, a Crosby TC or Equilibrium. Those are the saddles Crosby made with Tad Coffin before he went out on his own. Those have a really great tree and I like the balance in them, though I think it will be a tad more “vertical” than a PdN.

A Hunterdon will have a much deeper, curvier seat. If you already ride well “PdN style”** you might not mind that. Otherwise, the Hunterdon has no knee rolls and I think the balance is about the same as in a PdN.

Other companies made their own answer to the PdN (really, the original flat Hermes) saddle. Good ones I have ridden in are Moritz, Jeffries (the Huntsman?), and some Anthill Saddlery saddles. If you find any of these off-brand saddles and shoot me a picture, I can tell you if it is one I have ridden in and compare to a PdN.

Sounds as if a Crosby Prix des Nations is just what you want. You can get one in excellent condition for a few hundred dollars. There are always lots of them on ebay.

I loved my AGA - it is the closest Crosby to the newer saddles that riders are using now - soft and buttery. I sold it because I felt it w too nice to take the hurly burly and rain and abuse in the hunt. Switched to a Passier. My girls said my leg was better in the Crosby.

My daughter had a Hampton all her Pony Club life and she found it put her in the right position and was an equitation rider. My other daughter had a Hunterdon, same - both went on to further heights.

Any of them would serve well because of their price range.

A few its from COTH, these are PROTACKGUY quotes

The Crosby AGA was really a cool saddle. It was developed at the time Gene Misch started Stadium Show Jumping and Jumpers rather than Hunters were starting to become popular in the US. The tree is the classic tri-bond Crosby tree made of hand layered beachwood stripes with the plybond panels. The panels were of three layers , two of foam of different densitieand one in the middle of wool. The tree is wood and is of excellent quality and should last a long long time I do not believe it was made of bridle leather. The only bridle leather saddle was the Olympia. But you can be assured that the leather quality was first rate. The geometry was a bit of a new departure for Crosby because up until then they were making very flat seats with a flatter tree like the PDN, modeled after the Herme’s Steinkraus. The AGA borrowed from the Olympia tree which was a bit of an all purpose model to achieve the deeper seat… The same tree was later used in the first Tad Coffin saddle called the Lexington TC. Yes, Crosby built it for Tad from a fiberglass model of the back of Tad’s horse

In case you find some local Hartley’s

HARTLEY saddles were made by Harry Dabbs in England before he started to sell saddles in the the early 90’s under his own name.

The saddles were essentially copies of Crosby’s. Quality was good…

About the Equilibrium

Fantastic saddle desgined by Tad Coffin.
It was the first Crosby to have wider panels and a deeper more euro jumper seat…

Have you spoken with Alan at Foxhunter - he knows his Crosby’s (& is a great resource if he’s feeling chatty :wink: )

I have an Equilibrium that I can part with. It needs some leather TLC. I’ll get it out and check it over and try to clean it up some once I can get down my driveway again. Stupid ice.