CWD Saddles -Terrible Customer Service

[beowulf]

I can’t speak to how the customer service/claims side is for BC when things go wrong, but I am really happy with what I got from Patty Merli this spring through BC. With all things related to saddles, your fitter is paramount. I would only recommend BC through Patty.

Patty found a used bespoke BC for my horse’s brother Fudge years ago. At the time, I was ready to go custom with my horse and was told by my competition barn’s fitter (not Patty) that he needed a custom Stubben Zaria. That situation was an absolute debacle - the custom never came close to fitting my horse. It was a full two tree sizes too small and bridged. Stubben HQ gave me the equivalent of the middle finger when I attempted resolution.

Fast forward a few frustrating weeks, I’m saddleless – so I start riding Holden in Fudge’s BC as a short term stop-gap. Holden seems to like it and displays none of the violent objections he had when I put the Stubben on him. A few weeks turns into two COVID years, Fudge goes out on lease, and I decide that I really need to get Holden his own saddle.

So I contacted Patty and explained the situation - I had an old BC, fitted to a totally different horse, that seems to be working really well on my horse. Can she make an exact replica of this 15 y/o saddle? I think at first, Patty was reserved about this – but once I explained everything about the Stubben and how Holden had been going his best in the BC, she agreed it sounded like a good plan.

We pull the serial number, pull the custom info from archives, and viola. BC sends me an exact replica of a totally bespoke BC – and the OG BC truly was bespoke; it had a custom tree built for it that is not in regular production.

I’ve been riding in it since this spring and it still takes my breath away every time I pull the saddle cover off.

[Ponyplusaninch]

PMing you!

[Jane_H]

Endless climb how long did this process take to get resolved? Office of AG says 4- 6 weeks. My credit card company said it could take as long as 60 days. I do have a family member that is a lawyer so will reach out to him as well. I am glad that you were able to get a full refund!

[endlessclimb]

We ended up settling. I’d say it took a little over 5 weeks start to finish. I also had 2 experts say the saddle didn’t fit.

[2bayboys]

Oh that’s disappointing. I adore my BC and have recommended the brand to others.

[vxf111]

Me too. I think it’s a since the pandemic issue?

[Jane_H]

Update today my CWD representative told me one of the reasons my horse could be back sore is due to the fact that the leather is stiff. A new saddle is like a new girth apparently and will be tight in the beginning. She offered me again to send it off to another professional for them to “soften” it. That should definitely make the custom saddle fit.

[Renn_aissance]

And she said this with a straight face? Good grief.

[endlessclimb]

What a joke. I’m sorry you’re dealing with a nincompoop.

[trubandloki]

So, she is implying that they are happy that they might (we know they really do not) use leather that is so stiff that it hurts the back of the horse until it is properly broken in? What kind of horse will the professional use it on that the too stiff leather will not bother?

[vxf111]

A Selle Francais. Duh! Because the fitter will explain the process to it in French so it understands. /s

[BootsAndCoffee]

@Jane_H

A new saddle is like a new girth apparently and will be tight in the beginning.

…but the tree and panels shouldn’t be stretching?! I mean, if it had overstuffed wool panels sure, riding in it would soften up the fit. That one sounds a whole lot like the line Saddle Seeks Horse was fed.

I wonder if some brand reps have a mystery box ‘o excuses they just pull this nonsense from.

[NaturallyHappy]

She certainly is creative . More fuel for your dispute fire. That really is unbelievable. Your saddle is not a shoe.

[NaturallyHappy]

This is a fabulous post!

[touchstone]

This is somewhat off topic, but not entirely. I think custom purchases of any sort are really risky and best to avoid unless you are extremely hard to fit. There are so many threads about ill-fitting custom saddles, boots, clothes. I think translating from even good measurements to actual products is a process rife with errors, where many adjustments are often necessary.

Obviously, if you need a custom saddle, you need a custom saddle. But I would personally try pretty hard to buy something in a standard size that fits so that I know it will work BEFORE I risk losing a 33% restocking fee. Among the many things I find galling about the sales strategy for these brands is their contention that everyone even needs a custom product that you can’t evaluate until after you’ve bought and ordered it.

[NaturallyHappy]

Do you know what brand Saddle Seeks Horse is referring to? I have a friend struggling w D*******x.

[Equestrian24]

Pretty sure it’s also the brand in question.

[Bristol_Bay]

Sent you a PM

[Night_Flight]

@touchstone

Among the many things I find galling about the sales strategy for these brands is their contention that everyone even needs a custom product that you can’t evaluate until after you’ve bought and ordered it.

Particularly when it seems that for most riders, the customization in question is to have some piping in an usual colour, or some decoration on the back of the cantle, rather than an actual need to customize for the purpose of making the saddle fit the horse.

[BootsAndCoffee]

I was always under the impression it was CWD.