Custom saddle frustration

[Golden_boy]

So frustrated and not sure what to do?!?
Anyways I ordered a custom saddlery saddle 9 weeks ago today been trying to contact the rep for the last week with no response. Just wanted to know the status of the saddle and roughly how many more weeks it was going to be…didn’t think that was to much to ask and when I’m paying that kind of money deserve a response?!?

So now I find out some ppl have been having issues with their saddles and starting to collapse over the pommel. Supposedly Custom is looking into it and could also be the rep not fitting them properly?

Just on the fence now on what to do… I loved how my horse went and the position it put me in. But with the rep not taking a few minutes to get back to me I think is very unprofessional and now also with this saddle/fitting issue that has seemed to come up…

I did hear Custom will fix the problem if it happens to your saddle. But really after waiting this long to receive it and have the same issue happen to my saddle and have to send it back to get repaired. I again would be out a saddle for weeks as last week I just sold my saddle.

I guess I would just like some advice on what to do and also if you think I should go with something else what are you thinking?!? I rode in a Childeric a couple weeks ago and seemed to like it and it was gorgeous?!?

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my novel of a post.

[Melissa.Van_Doren]

Nine weeks is not an unusual amount of time to wait for a saddle to be built, but since your rep is unresponsive and you are concerned, call Custom Saddlery directly.

[TABLE=“class: ts intrlu, width: 100%”]
[TR]
[TD]127 Hedge Rd, Aiken, SC 29801
(803) 649-2766[/TD]
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[/TABLE]

[Golden_boy]

Not concerned about the wait I know and understand that it usually roughly around 10 weeks…I am annoyed with the rep not getting back to me though.

But I’m way more concerned about the issues that I have been hearing about from others…The front of the saddle is not retaining structure and pressing down on withers as it breaks in.

[Jo]

[QUOTE=Golden boy;7848685]
Not concerned about the wait I know and understand that it usually roughly around 10 weeks…I am annoyed with the rep not getting back to me though.

But I’m way more concerned about the issues that I have been hearing about from others…The front of the saddle is not retaining structure and pressing down on withers as it breaks in.[/QUOTE]

Mine was not ordered new but knock on wood, I have not had any structural problems with it.

[NJRider]

Which rep is it?

[SnicklefritzG]

If anyone gets a custom saddle from anyone in under 10 weeks, that is considered amazing. I don’t know of many saddler makers other than possibly Butet who claim to be able to do anything in under 8 weeks.

I think the quality of a custom saddle purchase has a lot to do with the local rep. Everything from taking measurements, to putting in the order correctly, and communicating with the buyer. I don’t think a week is that long for saddle reps to return a call because I think, quite frankly, that most of them are overworked. The Custom Saddlery rep in my area often drives from NJ to MD and back in one day. That’s not an insignificant amount of driving.

The County rep has daily drives that are even worse than that. I don’t think this is an easy job. I don’t know how people do it. Very few of them in my area get back to people quickly, at least based on my own experience. I can see why because they are on the road alot, the hours are probably horrible, some have regular day jobs on top of this, and the list goes on.

Some people have to wait 12-16 for their saddles.

[QUOTE=Golden boy;7848655]

So frustrated and not sure what to do?!?
Anyways I ordered a custom saddlery saddle 9 weeks ago today been trying to contact the rep for the last week with no response. Just wanted to know the status of the saddle and roughly how many more weeks it was going to be…didn’t think that was to much to ask and when I’m paying that kind of money deserve a response?!?

So now I find out some ppl have been having issues with their saddles and starting to collapse over the pommel. Supposedly Custom is looking into it and could also be the rep not fitting them properly?

Just on the fence now on what to do… I loved how my horse went and the position it put me in. But with the rep not taking a few minutes to get back to me I think is very unprofessional and now also with this saddle/fitting issue that has seemed to come up…

I did hear Custom will fix the problem if it happens to your saddle. But really after waiting this long to receive it and have the same issue happen to my saddle and have to send it back to get repaired. I again would be out a saddle for weeks as last week I just sold my saddle.

I guess I would just like some advice on what to do and also if you think I should go with something else what are you thinking?!? I rode in a Childeric a couple weeks ago and seemed to like it and it was gorgeous?!?

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my novel of a post.[/QUOTE]

[honeylips]

We have about 10 saddles in our barn from Custom. None have that problem.
If you want to check on the delivery date - you are better off calling Aiken - 'cause that is what your rep is going to do anyway. So you can save yourself 2 phone calls of waiting time.