Custom Saddlery for wide short backed Lipizzans? Santa Cruz, Icon Echo or Constanze???

[artisticgold]

Has anyone had Custom Saddlery make a Dressage Saddle for very wide, round shortbacked pony? I have brother and sister Lipizzaners, gelding is 6, 14.3h, getting more bulky by the moment. Sister is a nine year old, extremely wide, mutton withered 14.1h. They are both Uber talented but Saddle fitting has been a nightmare. Most recent Saddle is a Black Country Minuet (Eloquence) wide tree with wither gussets, but they have pretty much outgrown it. Recently had it reflocked and now it doesn’t fit at all, is sitting low behind and causing them to be sore in the low back. For myself, the Saddle has always been difficult for me to ride in, twist is too wide, it puts me in a chair seat and I can’t just sit up and ride, can’t be effective…

so, out of desperation,I am having a fitter from Custom Saddlery out. I have a Wolfgang Solo that I always loved but the shape of the tree doesn’t work for my hoop shaped babies. I have multiple injuries and issues like fibro that make Saddle fit for me really difficult too.

All of the Custom saddles we’ve tried in the past have been too long in the panels and too narrow but it sounds like they are now getting a few models that might be more appropriate for my little kegsters. Anyone have success or failure stories for similarly built honies?

[soloudinhere]

I have a Custom Icon Eclipse that I got used from the rep for my former keg on legs. He wasn’t particularly short backed, but he was 14.3 and rotund with very little wither. He loved it and it fit him great, I also enjoyed riding in it. They now have 3 or 4 models meant more for the witherless and I was really happy with it.

I have new honies in stock, and I’ve kept it to use on them. One of mine has withers for the time being but I suspect they will disappear. The other is the opposite and I’m hoping she sprouts some.

[pluvinel]

A friend with a rather “wide of beam” horse has a Loxley by Bliss. Fits him great and very comfy to ride in.

I would recommend this saddle for wide, no-withers horses.

[artisticgold]

-soloudinhere, that’s good to know! I am hopeful one of their new models might work

[artisticgold]

pluvinel, I’ve been following the Bliss saddles for a while and looking for a small enough used one to try. My only fear in talking to the rep, and from what I’ve gathered, that they are similar to Black Country Saddles and have the same wide twist. I really don’t want to have a Saddle custom made after several disasterous episodes

[pluvinel]

@artisticgold

pluvinel, I’ve been following the Bliss saddles for a while and looking for a small enough used one to try. My only fear in talking to the rep, and from what I’ve gathered, that they are similar to Black Country Saddles and have the same wide twist. I really don’t want to have a Saddle custom made after several disasterous episodes

After 2 very expensive fiascoes with custom saddles, I would never buy a saddle that (a) I could not physically place on a horse and (b) could not ride in before writing out my check.

Did this once with a Saddle#1 and said never again…then obviously not having learned my lesson did it again with a Saddle#2. Although both are very well known brands and nice, well-made saddles, neither fit the horse they were measured for.

I was just passing on my experience with the Loxley as I rode this horse in his saddle and I really like the saddle. The horse is also a bit of a “princes and the pea” in that he will tell if the saddle does not fit.

[fatwhitepony]

Most of our NY Lipizzaners go in Albions of various builds from off the rack/recycled to fully custom. I have never dealt with ‘Custom Saddlery’ so I cannot comment on that particular point.

[MysticOakRanch]

Not a Lippizan, but I had a wider, very short coupled Friesian cross, and the Constanze worked very well with him. There was a Lippizan show that had all their Lippies in the Coronado (older Custom model, same tree as the Constanze). The flex tree saddles have short panels, and you can order them with an even SHORTER panel if needed.

Custom allows you to ride in the saddle for a while (don’t remember if it is a week, 10 days?) before you commit to buying it, which is a major benefit.

[HaltatG]

I think Custom Saddlery sponsors the Tempel Lipizzans - the folks there would be able to tell you which models they use.

[MysticOakRanch]

@HaltatG

I think Custom Saddlery sponsors the Tempel Lipizzans - the folks there would be able to tell you which models they use.

That’s the one I was thinking of! They are in Coronados…

[MojitoMare]

I just bought a saddle from my Custom Rep, she’s carrying a newer brand called NSC…their Rhomeo model fit my short backed PRE perfectly, she’s very happy in it.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

@MysticOakRanch

Not a Lippizan, but I had a wider, very short coupled Friesian cross, and the Constanze worked very well with him. There was a Lippizan show that had all their Lippies in the Coronado (older Custom model, same tree as the Constanze). The flex tree saddles have short panels, and you can order them with an even SHORTER panel if needed.

Custom allows you to ride in the saddle for a while (don’t remember if it is a week, 10 days?) before you commit to buying it, which is a major benefit.

I know we’ve talked about Custom before, and I loved my saddle, but it never fit my horse properly and I should have gone to court about it but didn’t have the energy.

What they told me was that you can ride in the saddle to make sure it’s a fit, but you are STILL OBLIGATED to purchase a saddle from them even if you do not like the one you ordered.

I was emailing with the rep and with Cary the owner, extensively, and was told I was still responsible for the purchase price.

Has their policy changed?

ETA: I just read the emails back-and-forth…Even though the saddle did not fit, they refused to return my deposit. So if their definition of 100% satisfaction guarantee it means that they keep half the cost of a very expensive saddle if someone doesn’t like it or in my case it doesn’t fit my horse, this is hardly a major benefit.

[2tempe]

I have a Wolfgang Constanze for my Lusitano. This model, and maybe others has shorter back panels, and if they aren’t short enough it can be ordered special w/ “pony” panels.

[MysticOakRanch]

@right horse at the right time , I have no idea if their policy has changed in recent years, but I know a lot of people who have bought from them, and all of them were under the same deal - if you aren’t happy with the saddle, you lose your fitting fee, and that is it. The fitting fee is paid to the rep to come out, allow you to try saddles, measure your horse, etc. Guessing that is what you had to give up, plus shipping costs. Compared to most of the other companies, where you own it once you order it. Sorry you had a bad experience - I think every single custom saddle company has instances where some of the owners aren’t happy - fit is wrong for horse and/or rider. I know people who have bought Schleeses, Trilogy, DK, all the big name customs, and had issues. None got a full refund. Many were stuck with the saddle, and had to attempt to re-sell it. That could be a whole 'nother thread, to be honest.

[soloudinhere]

I have ordered several saddles from Custom and the most I have been on the hook for was the (IMO, expensive) fitting fee.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

@MysticOakRanch

@right horse at the right time , I have no idea if their policy has changed in recent years, but I know a lot of people who have bought from them, and all of them were under the same deal - if you aren’t happy with the saddle, you lose your fitting fee, and that is it. The fitting fee is paid to the rep to come out, allow you to try saddles, measure your horse, etc. Guessing that is what you had to give up, plus shipping costs. Compared to most of the other companies, where you own it once you order it. Sorry you had a bad experience - I think every single custom saddle company has instances where some of the owners aren’t happy - fit is wrong for horse and/or rider. I know people who have bought Schleeses, Trilogy, DK, all the big name customs, and had issues. None got a full refund. Many were stuck with the saddle, and had to attempt to re-sell it. That could be a whole 'nother thread, to be honest.

Nope. Huge deposit.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

@soloudinhere

I have ordered several saddles from Custom and the most I have been on the hook for was the (IMO, expensive) fitting fee.

Not me. Huge deposit.

Furthermore, I was able to prove (and they admitted) that the saddle they shipped to me was NOT made custom for my horse, so apparently someone else lost his or her deposit as well.

[Myout]

I have had issues with custom made saddles and so have clients but have experience fitting horses and riders so I tend to buy used. That said, my horse went through a couple of high end saddles before deciding he was happy in a Moffett Vogue, which is treeless. Amazing saddle and I love that I no longer have to worry about it fitting!

[FatCatFarm]

I bought my Custom Icon Star lightly used from CA. I’m in GA. I tried it out, loved it and bought it, then had a local dealer fit it to my horse who is a Saddlebred/Percheron with a broad back and low wither. He has huge shoulders and needs a wide tree. This saddle fits him awesome. I love it. It does have a have a high pommel to offer more freedom to big shoulders. YMMV

[Woop64]

I have a Custom Santa Cruz for my lipi! He is so happy in it. It can be difficult to get these short backed horses, through and loose in the back. He tracks up well with it and it gives us great balance