Hi, I’m new to the forum and I figured someone could help me with this. There is a dressage saddle on ebay made by Custom Saddlery. It is the Royal Star model. I don’t know much about these saddles but there is one for $1600.00 and one for $1450 with best offer, so I am considering making an offer on the one and I was just wondering if anyone knew anything about them or personally owned one. Are these decent prices with both of them being in good shape? Thank you for any help you can provide!
I rode for a while in the Revolution model and while I liked it and my horse liked it, it didn’t put me in the best position. BUT, that’s because of my body - plenty of other people really liked it, and I think one of their other models would have been better for me. I will say that the buffalo leather was very nice quality, the seat was very very comfortable without making me feel far “off” the horse,and the saddle held up to regular use on multiple horses.
The best thing is to visit custom saddlery’s website (mysaddle.com, I think) and look at the model. You might find a picture on their used saddle page and a little blurb about this model (which I think is the one with a slightly forward flap??). Each model has a different balance to the seat, different kind of knee roll, different shape over the horse’s shoulder, there are multiple trees available, different kinds of leather, etc. You can get the particulars about this saddle from the seller. The sales people at custom saddlery are pretty helpful, too, and might be able to answer your questions.
The prices seem fine, but it’ll depend on the particulars of the saddle and the amount of wear and tear.
Good luck!
I have one of their jumping saddles that I got from their website. It was a demo so it was reasonably priced. I have been very happy with the quality. I have had it for 6 or 7 years. I think many of their saddles are over $3K new. You can go to mysaddle.com to look at the prices.
I had a custom jumping saddle made by custom saddlery before my horse could no longer jump :mad:. Anyhoo Fred came out to do the fitting and they are totally amazing saddles! I love mine! They were great to work with and are excellent quality. I recommend them 100%! If I could afford a custom dressage saddle I would get one from them! 
I have two of them- a Revolution that goes on both of my Andalusians and is definitely MY saddle. I love it! Unfortunately, they have changed this model so the older ones are not quite the same as the new ones and I prefer the older one.
My other horse is a big warmblood big shoulder movement, forward girth channel, on whom everything would go forward. He now wears their Wolfgang Valor which has a cutback flap/angled back points and he loves it. We couldn’t get him to do flying changes in front…he’d change in back and start to go in front but then “chicken out”. With this saddle, he’s coming through and over his back to get the change and the quality of everything is better. Its like night and day to put this saddle on him compared to anything else I’ve ever tried.
However, I like really wide saddles and the Woflgangs are a bit narrow for me- although the Valor doesn’t have the exterior thigh block so that helps me with what I need. I’ve got an old severe lowerback injury and have to be just right (Pilates is a huge help) in how I use my muscles etc. to stay in the sweet spot of this saddle in order not to get uncomfortable. But, for my boy its worth the extra effort. And, when I’m right its just fine and comfy.
… but I’d love it if they’d make a Revolution model with the angled back points!
And their reps are great… our poor rep here in Nor. Cal has spent a fair deal of time helping me out, but sincerely wants to get it right for rider and horse. So, I give them a thumbs up as far as a company who has a lot of options and a desire to make something work for you and your horse.
You might want to research other options for purchase. Custom Saddlery has some used models for sale for $1200-$1600 http://www.mysaddle.com/MYSADD~3/UsedSaddles.html
The Horse of Course also has two used models for that range. http://www.thehorseofcourse.com/
With these places, you can at least take them on trial and return if it does not work. They also both can do fittings.
yup, I can definitely say CS stands for Customer Service as well as Custom Saddlery. they are awesome. Fred helped me completely with digital picutes sent of the horse, and measurements on cardboard, and our 2 saddles were perfect.
From fitting a demo custom saddle to completion including the time to ship it was about 10 days froms start to finish. Very good company.
Another endorsement for Custom Saddlery. Their different models work for different body types (horse and human), they have great customer service, and it does put me (and other folks at my barn who have them) in perfect position (not that I can always stay there, but that’s me, not the saddle!:winkgrin:) The only saddle I’ve found to be similarly good in rider support is a Luc Childeric, but they’re not adjustable as the CS-saddles are.
Piaffedreams,
OK, you are the perfect test model. I’ve ridden in the revolution and it put me in a bit of a chair seat. I’ve often drooled over the Wolfgang models, esp. the Valor, as it seems to be cut-back and that my horse would like it.
Question: My issue with the revolution is that the flat part of the saddle is towards the cantle, and the stirrup bars are forward - for my body. Is the wolfgang the same??? n How does the wolfgang feel in relationship to the revolution (btw, the revolution I rode in was about 2 years old - so maybe the newer model?)
J.
[QUOTE=J-Lu;3219854]
Piaffedreams,
OK, you are the perfect test model. I’ve ridden in the revolution and it put me in a bit of a chair seat. I’ve often drooled over the Wolfgang models, esp. the Valor, as it seems to be cut-back and that my horse would like it.
Question: My issue with the revolution is that the flat part of the saddle is towards the cantle, and the stirrup bars are forward - for my body. Is the wolfgang the same??? n How does the wolfgang feel in relationship to the revolution (btw, the revolution I rode in was about 2 years old - so maybe the newer model?)
J.[/QUOTE]
Strange thing for me is I FELT like I was in a chair seat in the Revolution, but I’m not. I do think I have the tendency to perch as a rider so this helped. The revolution seems to have a generous flat portion that is back a little and allows my seat bones to rest very comfortably there.
The Wolfgang however, has a very scoopy seat with no flat spot. Its like a bucket LOL… I find it very hard to figure out how to keep my seat back in that spot. If I sit forward over the stirrup bars I’m in agony as it feels like my seat bones are sitting right on the wood panels of the tree and ugh end up with bruises. I have to shimmy my way back, really back to get down into that deep “bucket” part. Then, I’m totally comfortable, but for me I feel like I have to go further back and even more chair seat feel than the Revolution.
That is my experience. I’m short, at 5’1", but my thigh is quite long for my body… so this might have something to do with it. My seat sizes are 17.5"
I have a Wolfgang Valor on trial right now. My just turned 6 gelding has really developed over the last year, to the point that my other saddle was just too snug. He really loves the Valor, preferred it over the Revolution, even though they both had the wider tree, he really seemed to like the cut back panels.
It is a bit unfair for me to comment on the saddle, as it is too small for me. But a few things I have noticed right off the bat. I hate calfskin flaps! My VLX is the buffalo, and immediately it felt broken in, and the flaps laid down softly against side of horse. This demo is calfskin, and the flaps don’t lay down flatly, and I feel like I am having to really fight to get my leg against side of horse. It also demands a straighter leg position. I don’t hate it, but it definitely puts my leg in a different position. It is also a very scoopy deep seat, which I am not really a fan of. I love the VLX, as it is a flatter seat, and lets me find my own balance, rather than dropping me down into this deep hole, like the Valor does.
If you are debating between the buffalo and the calfskin on any of the Custom Saddlery saddles, I would definitely opt for the buffalo.
Thanks PiaffeDreams! The revolution definitely puts me in a chair seat and I have to ride a hole shorter than normal. It wasn’t terrible and I even showed in this saddle, but for my body it wasn’t ideal. The knee rolls kept my leg a mile from my horse so I was hoping that the Wolfgang might be better (the one with the external flap), but then I wondered about the scoopiness of the saddle from the pictures. I really like a flatter seat that lets me be where I want, so I’m not sure the wolfgang would be for me. Thanks for your very detailed description!
