Desoto saddles, anyone know about them?

[walkers]

I still have not found a saddle to fit me and my horse. Desoto was recommended to me as its custom tree and weighs only 16 pounds. I have had one experience with custom and it did not fit my horse at all but they did take it back .

I was hoping some COTHers would know more about this saddle maker as many of the letters of thanks on the web site were from endurance riders. I like most of what they say about the saddle but am concerned with ordering a saddle i’ve never tried or seen.My horse is very short backed and rwide liitle guy with low withers. Currently riding very old circle Y that weighs about 15 pounds and fits him well but gullet is to low on him and its not comfy for me.
Anyone have one?

[saratoga]

I had one made for my endurance horse around 13 years ago after going through a lot of different saddles. He would get a sore back and/or white hairs or the saddle would slide forward. The DeSoto was an expensive purchase for me and I honestly didn’t think it would be successful but it was- fit both of us really well and we went on to do many miles with never a sore back or white hair and it stayed put. I didn’t like the pad it came with and I bought an Equipedic which is great.

[steinwayseahorse]

I’ve had a DeSoto for 3 years now and can’t say enough good things about it! We have Morgan/quarter crosses, all of them extremely wide-gauge, short-backed and nearly wither-less. One horse has almost exactly the cross-section of a 50 gallon drum. The DeSoto fits magnificently and is extremely secure, and my 22-year-old mare is very comfortable with it on long trail rides, which is our principal usage. Other people have ridden it and say what I say: they love the combination of a near close-contact ride with western saddle security. The light weight is also a real bonus for my 68-year-old lifting abilities. I have gone to the Weaver no-slip pad with it, because the DeSoto pad lets my saddle bags rub on the horse. But all three of our chunky monkeys do very well with this saddle, and I recommend it highly.