Favorite saddles vs. least favorite, and why. Help me shop!

[kcmel]

@Pony Fixer

I also ride upper level (and lower level–FEI horse and young horse). My coach does too, and probably owns at least 6 Stubben saddles. Silva Martin rides FEI in a Stubben. My point is what you said at the end–YOU need to sit in the saddles to decide. Your friend who happens to ride FEI has what I would consider and outlier type of opinion on these saddles.

Yeah my trainer isn’t a big fan of Stubbens but she is sponsored by Hermes. If I had a Hermes I probably wouldn’t like my Stubben so much either!

[Obsidian_Fire]

@Salo

It is interesting to watch how saddle brands are also part of fashion - for several years I see the same brands at barns, then people switch to another brand. Many people believe that ‘only’ the new saddle will improve their riding.
No Stubben for decades, not popular anymore. I see a lot of Custom at the moment, some Benz and Fichtbauer, for people with less budget Prestige.

I pet and hug my Roosli. Fits a lot of horses and my saddle fitter said, don’t ever sell this saddle.

ROFLMAO!!! That was too funny.

You are right, about saddle brands and fashion. I’m not into that kind of thing, which is why I can’t tell you a darn thing about “newer” saddles… LOL…

So you mentioned Benz… as in Max Benz? Years ago (like 25+) that was my trainers upper end saddle. I only got to sit in it once. Seemed like a nice saddle. Are they still nice?
I also rode in an old Stubben Tristan with the very hard seat and frankly I loved that thing. But that was a long time ago and my riding aspirations (and horses) were very different than now.

[XXS]

I know some people who have Max Benz saddles, they are custom made, service and quality are very good but personally I hate this ‘blocks’ that Benz uses as knee roll and find Benz quite hard. Interestingly Custom has compareable ‘blocks’ and these saddles I find more comfortable (Custom was a challenge for me, I don’t like their looks and also the hype, but I have to admit, I ride a Custom on a dressage horse with lots of movement and the combination is wow). I like that it is a monoflap (this is the only disadvantage of my beloved Roosli).
Ingrid Klimke wins in a Hopfner (Höpfner) saddle, so maybe this is the saddle to ride olympics, haha.

[Scribbler]

@Obsidian Fire

ROFLMAO!!! That was too funny.

You are right, about saddle brands and fashion. I’m not into that kind of thing, which is why I can’t tell you a darn thing about “newer” saddles… LOL…

So you mentioned Benz… as in Max Benz? Years ago (like 25+) that was my trainers upper end saddle. I only got to sit in it once. Seemed like a nice saddle. Are they still nice?
I also rode in an old Stubben Tristan with the very hard seat and frankly I loved that thing. But that was a long time ago and my riding aspirations (and horses) were very different than now.

Those old hard Stubbens have no relation at all to the modern Stubbens. Especially the ones with biomex seats!

[Obsidian_Fire]

So this morning I got out my Perfection, even tho it is Wide, and ya know I only needed a half pad (okay it was a good one). She didn’t object at all, went well for me. I took all kinds of measurements and pictures this morning, sent them to my fitter. I will say, sure was nice riding in “my” saddle again. That thing and I have some serious miles between us.