I am looking for a new saddle and I would love to hear brand recommendations. I don’t know very much about saddles so any advice is appreciated. I am going to get a used saddle for between $800 and $1000. I don’t show very often but when I do show I usually do jumpers. I just want a comfortable jumping saddle with knee rolls. My trainer recommended Crosby saddles and I have also been looking at are Barnsby, Collegiate and Bates saddles. What have been your experiences with these brands?
I have owned Crosby, Barnsby, Bevals, Stubben, and I have ridden in the other brands in your post.
I would look for something wool flocked so you can have it adjusted easily.
Hands down, I love my County. I know it is not on your list, but the balance and comfort cannot be beat. My current County is over 10 years old. I have never kept a saddle this long. Used you may have to spend 1-2k, though, maybe less for an older one.
You can find really nice used Pessoas right in that price range. I find that they are almost always high quality saddles.
It really depends on your horse’s shape. A saddle won’t feel balanced and your horse might not move optimally if the tree shape and width is off. Additionally, if the balance is off due to fit, then your balance will be compromised and the effectiveness of your aids.
I love Kieffers and Prestiges. Used Kieffers can go for very nice prices, too.
Equipe is great, too. And their Emporio saddles have excellent prices, even new.
You can almost buy a new Ovation in that price range. I think they are very nice saddles for the money. Don’t expect it to be comparable to a CWD but for the value, still a nice saddle. It’s really going to be what fits the best, not the brand. Bates is good but try to find a flocked one. I have a Pessoa A/O with the Bayflex panel, horse loves it and so do I. Check Classic Saddlery closeout section for saddles, she sometimes has new saddles in your price range that are closeouts, most will be Toulouse.
It will really depend on the shape of your horse (narrow/wide/flat back etc) what lines we would recommend.
However in general in that budget I would look at used Bevals and Pessoas.
You could also look at some of the Marcel Toulouse saddles used (I haven’t ridden in any but I know people like them on a budget), and you could likely get some of the Dover Circuit saddles new closer to the top of your budget.
It comes down to what fits you and your horse best, but quality wise Beval and Stuebben (did I spell that right?) are my favorites. I’ve owned more expensive saddles but honestly I was never as satisfied with them as I have been with those two.
I’ve had a Pessoa GenX for about 15 years. It’s held up well, fit lots of horses, and is by far, the most comfortable saddle I’ve ever had. I got it with padded flapps, but no knee blocks. New, I believe they are still in the $1500 range.
The Pessoa AO have been around awhile, and I’d think you could find a used one in that range. They are a little more saddle than that GenX, but are higher end when new.
In that price range, if your horse is normal/flatter any of the English made saddles are pretty good. I found an old Crosby Prix from when they first came out with knee rolls after the 80s in near new condition for a freind for $450 awhile ago. I LOVE the Moritz D’Accord, great grippy leather, roomy open hunter type seats, generous flaps and room in gullet. the Pessoa’s are hit and miss, right in your price range, but you really have to look at each one as an individual, IMO. My girlfriend had one that was not an Xchange gullet and had bueatiful leather. We sold that for $750 in a heartbeat, likely under priced. but others have gross leather. I personally hate the various lives of exchange gullets, but, heh… others have no problems with that.
If you can find a Crosby Centennial, gorgeous. there are definitely options in that price range if you are open minded about flocking (I personally didn’t have a problem with foam flocking, but hate the new trend toward plastic, carbon and exchange trees).
Good luck!
I bought an Ovation Palermo with adjustable gullet and forward flaps for my very long legs. It is inexpensive and my horse (who is opinionated about saddles) loves it.
I loved my Ovation but it had a fixed gullet and didn’t fit my new horse so I had to sell it. But they are all made with interchangeable gullets now so that is an option and brand new still in your price range. Bates are great saddles and I know people that have had their Bates for many years. I currently ride in a brown Wintec jump saddle and love it. For your price range you can probably find a good used Pessoa as well.
Check the Dover “slightly blemished” saddles in their catalog! My friend got the Dover Circuit Eq (I think that’s the name) saddle for $1000 and the only thing wrong with it was a VERY SMALL oil stain under the flap. It was a beautiful saddle and she compared it to riding in a bargain priced Butet lol
Have you tried any saddles on your horse, or are you looking to buy something to fit a variety of lesson horses, or a certain type or…? Because putting aside the “it needs to fit the horse” caveat, I’d start with looking at the aforementioned Beval, Pessoa (the older English-made ones especially, though they may run a bit narrower than modern models), and Stubben. Used, if you shop around, you should be able to find those in your price range.
I paid $850 for my county. You can find good deals if you look. I had a bates before and it was very comfortable, but didn’t fit me right.
I’ve had my county for 4 years and wouldn’t trade it for all the tea in China. Keep your eyes open on eBay, there’s quite often county saddles that pop up for under $1,000-$4,000 for new/like new.
I had a Pessoa A/O for about 3-4 years, I LOVED it! I only sold it once I moved up to the 1.20s, because at that point my horse started ‘trying’ and started using his back, and the stirrup leathers would pop out while on course, no matter who rode in the saddle…
You might ask your trainer why she recommended Crosby. It might be because she thinks that brand and model will fit the horse(s) you ride best. No matter what brand we may prefer, how it fits your horse is most important.
When I was looking for saddles, my horse didn’t mind most of the ones I tried, but one particular Pessoa and one CWD fit him badly enough to make him limp. Other saddles in those bands were fine, but those two models just didn’t work for him.
I would try to find a used County, Beval or Stubben. I think they are much higher quality saddles than the ones your trainer recommended. Just my opinion.
I have a Beval Natural and a County Stabilizer right now and I found them both for under 1k.
