Has anyone ever sat in one of these? I saw a few used and they looked great. But I don’t know anyone who owns one. Looking at an EK26 model. Any comments are great.
Equipe has been very “in” and people rave about the saddles. I have heard nothing but good things. I have sat in one and it feels like a very nice high end saddle comparable to other high end saddles.
I have a used Equipe Grand Prix that I absolutely love. The leather is impeccable quality it is so soft and supple. I especially appreciate the narrow twist and great balance point. When I first bought this saddle my horse was super fresh after some time off and was spinning and bucking. I honestly think this saddle contributed greatly to me not faceplanting in the dirt because the leather is sticky and I was totally glued to the saddle. I was nervous about getting an Equipe because I didn’t know anyone else who had one but I’m so glad I did because its a wonderful saddle. I get a compliment on how beautiful it is almost every day, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one.
Great saddles. I’ve owned 2 jump and a dressage and they have been fantastic. I use the Special One jump though rode in the EK-26 while it was on order and quite liked it. Their customer service was very good and I was really happy with the fitting done by the rep.
I had an Equipe Grand Prix when I still owned a horse, and loved it. It was super comfortable, beautiful, and the leather was great quality. When I sold it after 2 years of use, it looked brand new.
I felt like it held you in, but not as much as some of the French saddles, which I liked. You didn’t feel like you were sunk into a mattress.
I have an Extreme, and it’s a really nice saddle. Great grippy leather, nice cushiony panels, and I like how it’s lightweight compared to my other French saddle. I’ve used it on multiple horses over the years, and never had a fit issue. My only beef is that I have the dark brown color, and the dye bleeds onto my breeches a bit. That might be my fault from over-oiling, though - I think they recommend only using conditioner, not oil. Oops.
I have a Equipe DaVinci and absolutely love it! I’ve ridden in several other models as well and have found them all to be very comfortable. Fit wise they suit a lot of horses, I find them great for thoroughbred types too as they are a great shape to accomodate a high, long wither. Balance point is great, extremely comfortable, knee roll and blocks support you nicely without feeling locked in. Leather and quality is excellent, I’ve ridden 6-8 horses a day, 5 days a week in mine for the past 3 years, and I’m extremely impressed with how little it’s worn.
I definitely recommend them!
A few folks at my barn have them and while they like them a lot, repair service was very bad
I sent mine to have the tree widened by an Equipe-authorized worker in Montana, and she did a lovely job. (The need for widening was not Equipe’s fault, my gelding just bulked up tremendously after a year or so in a well fitting saddle)
