High end saddles...

[Blacktree]

I wasn’t nearly as crazy about the K & Ms once I saw them in person. Now my friend’s Classic, that is niiiiiicccccccceeeeee!!

[QUOTE=Skyedragon;7073080]
Anybody have any input on the Kent and Masters saddles? http://www.hastilowusa.com/saddles/kent-and-masters-saddles/kent-and-masters-dressage.html

From what I can gather they are made by the same people that make Thorowgood and are their middle of the line saddle.

Also looking at the HDR Buffalo Adjust to fit: http://www.adamshorsesupplies.com/HDR-Pro-Buffalo-Dressage-Adjust-To-Fit-P3009.aspx

Or on the total flip side, the Tekna S Line dressage saddles: http://www.adamshorsesupplies.com/Tekna-S-Line-Dressage-Saddle-P5405.aspx

I have yet to hear anything bad about the Tekna saddles, while I have heard mix reviews on the HDR saddles.

Or I am still considering the Classic…I can afford the saddle, but spending that much on a saddle makes me shudder, haha.[/QUOTE]

[Skyedragon]

[QUOTE=Blacktree;7073110]
I wasn’t nearly as crazy about the K & Ms once I saw them in person. Now my friend’s Classic, that is niiiiiicccccccceeeeee!![/QUOTE]

I really liked the Classic that I sat in, it was super crazy comfortable. I am soooo tempted. With the genesis and an upgrade to buffalo leather it would be $1600, only $100 more than what the person with the used Classic is asking.

[arabiansrock]

I have an HDR Austal, and am very happy with it. Did not get to sit in the buffalo one, but have heard it is nice. But it depends what kind of seat you like. I have short legs and needed the more forward balance point of hte Austal to get my legs in the right place.

Also, I have two saddles that are similar to the K&M. One is a thorowgood T4 and one is a Hastilow concept. Very comfortable tree, tends to be very adjustable, you pick conformation specific tree. The seat is not deep, is very open. Haven’t seen the K&M to be able to comment on leather quality.

[3s1]

" You seem to change horses fairly frequently so buying a custom high-end saddle for the horse you are riding now probably isn’t the best solution."

I would disagree with that - buying a saddle that can be adjusted to fit your horse(s) as they change conformation (and they will and should if the saddle gives them the freedom to do so because it has been properly fit!) is an investment - and it will cost you more in the beginning, but save you time and money (no more saddle shopping hell!) down the road! (not to mention saving on vet bills and other body workers who have to work on your horse because of injuries sustained from a badly fitting saddle).

[Trakehner]

Well, it all depends…some high end saddles are horrid. There’s one French make that is famous as a horse crippler (but the riders love it). I loved the Hermes owners way back when…I remember the mother of one of the brats who rode one walking around with the saddle cover over her arm to let us know she’d bought a Hermes. Heck, we could have told what it was by all the pads under it to try and make the saddle fit the horse.

I like Passiers and Parianis (old ones). These brands don’t have the sky-high prices of some the killer priced saddles. What these brands do is fit guys. Some of the high priced saddles are classic guy cripplers (sort’ve like most Crosby stuff was)…a twist to fit a girl won’t fit a normal guy.

[3s1]

Yes but - Hermes saddles are among the ‘non-adjustable’ saddles (and adjustable means being able to adjust the saddle not only in the flocking, but at the gullet to ensure that the tree angle and width work for the horse!)

[Snowflake]

[QUOTE=Skyedragon;7073116]
I really liked the Classic that I sat in, it was super crazy comfortable. I am soooo tempted. With the genesis and an upgrade to buffalo leather it would be $1600, only $100 more than what the person with the used Classic is asking.[/QUOTE]

Look at the Rembrandts then if you want the Classic saddle for less money. Rembrandt saddles are now called Classic. The tree and design haven’t changed and you can get the Rembrandt with the adjustable gullet. I ride in a Rembrant Laurea and I LOVE this saddle.

I also had the Rembrandt/Classic Contour close contact saddle and I totally regret selling it. :no: High quality, well made, butter soft, well balanced. They’re not a trendy name brand so you can pick them up rather inexpensively. The Rembrandt adjustable trees have been going for around $700ish on eBay (I know because I have a saved search waiting for another Contour to come up for sale). If you’re willing to go with the non-traditional brown saddle, you can even save some more cash. My Laurea was $350 but I WANTED brown.

[vxf111]

I am quite a fan of the Thorowgood saddles, especially for the price. Some of the new ones are part leather and part synthetic and they really LOOK good. If I was in your shoes (often changing horses, disciplines, thinking about resale value, not ready to buy fully custom, etc.) I’d probably hone right in on the Thorowgood.

[catknsn]

I love my Barnsby Whitaker with all my heart but I would not have dropped the $$ for a new one. I hit the Ebay lottery and got it for $450. It is the most comfortable thing I have ever sat in, and the most secure. Your leg does not move.

I would never buy a cheap new saddle due to inconsistent flocking and other problems commonly seen with low end saddles. I would buy, as I did, originally expensive but now used and affordable.

[Skyedragon]

[QUOTE=Snowflake;7073218]
Look at the Rembrandts then if you want the Classic saddle for less money. Rembrandt saddles are now called Classic. The tree and design haven’t changed and you can get the Rembrandt with the adjustable gullet. I ride in a Rembrant Laurea and I LOVE this saddle.

I also had the Rembrandt/Classic Contour close contact saddle and I totally regret selling it. :no: High quality, well made, butter soft, well balanced. They’re not a trendy name brand so you can pick them up rather inexpensively. The Rembrandt adjustable trees have been going for around $700ish on eBay (I know because I have a saved search waiting for another Contour to come up for sale). If you’re willing to go with the non-traditional brown saddle, you can even save some more cash. My Laurea was $350 but I WANTED brown.[/QUOTE]

If I could find a brown dressage saddle within my budget with everything that I want, I would die a happy woman. I didn’t know that the Rembrandts came with the a genesis-like system. I thought they had been discontinued years ago when Lynnda made them into the Classic Saddlery saddles that they are today.

There are two Classic/Rembrandt dressage saddles on eBay that I am watching, but neither offer the Genesis system. A quick google/CL search turned up nada for sale. :no:

I think I am going to have to make a trip over to Classic soon, though I always feel kind of weird going in there. A few years ago Lynnda and I really got into it over a Toulouse saddle I bought with a twisted tree. :no:

[Snowflake]

[QUOTE=catknsn;7073439]
I love my Barnsby Whitaker with all my heart but I would not have dropped the $$ for a new one. I hit the Ebay lottery and got it for $450. It is the most comfortable thing I have ever sat in, and the most secure. Your leg does not move.

I would never buy a cheap new saddle due to inconsistent flocking and other problems commonly seen with low end saddles. I would buy, as I did, originally expensive but now used and affordable.[/QUOTE]

I lucked out on a Barnsby Milton with the buffalo leather seat for $150 including shipping on eBay. This thing is lovely - soft, comfy, and classic. I actually bought it as a flip but when I got it and it fit my mare without the need for any fuss, I kept it.

[Snowflake]

[QUOTE=Skyedragon;7073449]
If I could find a brown dressage saddle within my budget with everything that I want, I would die a happy woman. I didn’t know that the Rembrandts came with the a genesis-like system. I thought they had been discontinued years ago when Lynnda made them into the Classic Saddlery saddles that they are today.

There are two Classic/Rembrandt dressage saddles on eBay that I am watching, but neither offer the Genesis system. A quick google/CL search turned up nada for sale. :no:

I think I am going to have to make a trip over to Classic soon, though I always feel kind of weird going in there. A few years ago Lynnda and I really got into it over a Toulouse saddle I bought with a twisted tree. :no:[/QUOTE]

Search for “adjustable tree” with the rembrandt. They don’t call them the genesis system, but it’s the same hex key principle. My fried just had one for sale not too long ago for $650, IIRC. She’s ArtisticGold on here if you wanted to PM her.

[jn4jenny]

[QUOTE=Skyedragon;7071654]
Its a used Classic, though now that I see that, they are trying to sell it for the same price as I could get one new with all the same options. Its not so much in need of repair as the cantle has a lot of nicks and scratches and there is a huge scuff/scratch down the side of one of the panels (that may be able to be conditioned away), and the saddle overall has a used look to it.

I could comfortably go up to $2000 now.[/QUOTE]

You might be comparing apples and oranges. Without knowing more about the used Classic in question, it would be hard to say what’s going on, but Classic brand comes in two flavors: a very high-quality British benchmade brand, essentially on par with Albion/Black Country/some of the German makes like Passier/etc., and an Argentine knockoff of the British Classic designs. The Argentine knockoffs are perfectly nice for their price tag, in fact they’re very comparable to the better Thornhills/Toulouse Pros/etc. being made in Argentina around that same price and I’ve recommended them to many folks. But if the used Classic is one of the high-end British versions that just has some years on it, it may still justify a higher price tag than a brand-new Argentine Classic.

As for your other questions, I’ll stay largely out of the fray. Based on your posts, you’re probably already working with your local fitter (Lynda) and she’s offering you a variety of saddles to take on trial in your price range. That’s a good situation and I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll like.

[Finzean]

[QUOTE=wildlifer;7065027]
That intangible feeling of quality and craftsmanship exudes out of it and there is no comparison.[/QUOTE]

This is how I feel about my new saddle, a Prestige Optimax…and I have some really nice, but older saddles in the barn. This Prestige…holy guacamole…it just rides like a dream.

[Skyedragon]

[QUOTE=jn4jenny;7073487]
You might be comparing apples and oranges. Without knowing more about the used Classic in question, it would be hard to say what’s going on, but Classic brand comes in two flavors: a very high-quality British benchmade brand, essentially on par with Albion/Black Country/some of the German makes like Passier/etc., and an Argentine knockoff of the British Classic designs. The Argentine knockoffs are perfectly nice for their price tag, in fact they’re very comparable to the better Thornhills/Toulouse Pros/etc. being made in Argentina around that same price and I’ve recommended them to many folks. But if the used Classic is one of the high-end British versions that just has some years on it, it may still justify a higher price tag than a brand-new Argentine Classic.

As for your other questions, I’ll stay largely out of the fray. Based on your posts, you’re probably already working with your local fitter (Lynda) and she’s offering you a variety of saddles to take on trial in your price range. That’s a good situation and I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll like.[/QUOTE]

Is there a way to tell the difference between the Argentina made and the British made? I noticed a pretty sharp price difference between the dressage saddles and the AP/jumping saddles.

What other question are you talking about? I am not currently working with Lynnda, though I will likely go over there some time in the near future. She carries pretty much all the saddles that I am interested in except for the Tekna.

[Skyedragon]

[QUOTE=Finzean;7073511]
This is how I feel about my new saddle, a Prestige Optimax…and I have some really nice, but older saddles in the barn. This Prestige…holy guacamole…it just rides like a dream.[/QUOTE]

There is a Prestige on my local CL for $1000. I was half way tempted to go check it out.

[Jo]

[QUOTE=3s;7073189]
" You seem to change horses fairly frequently so buying a custom high-end saddle for the horse you are riding now probably isn’t the best solution."

I would disagree with that - buying a saddle that can be adjusted to fit your horse(s) as they change conformation (and they will and should if the saddle gives them the freedom to do so because it has been properly fit!) is an investment - and it will cost you more in the beginning, but save you time and money (no more saddle shopping hell!) down the road! (not to mention saving on vet bills and other body workers who have to work on your horse because of injuries sustained from a badly fitting saddle).[/QUOTE]

I agreed with that until about a month ago, when I complained to a high-end brand fitter that my saddle - that SHE fitted - was not working on my horse, and was told the saddle “would never work for my horse.” All negativity aside about why she bothered to fit a saddle that would never work, there are points about all saddles that make them not work for all horses, even if they are adjustable - tree shape being one of them.

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

[QUOTE=Skyedragon;7073449]
If I could find a brown dressage saddle within my budget with everything that I want, I would die a happy woman. I didn’t know that the Rembrandts came with the a genesis-like system. I thought they had been discontinued years ago when Lynnda made them into the Classic Saddlery saddles that they are today.

:[/QUOTE]

You can find the Rembrandt in brown, but not sure about the adjustable tree. I had two Rembrandts, one in black and one in brown. Adored them. Very nice saddles, and the brown was a beautiful tobacco color, very soft leather (much nicer than the black, IMO). It also had a slightly deeper seat and bigger thigh blocks than the black one did. Good luck finding what you want!

Edited to add: here was one on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190821604098&item=190821604098&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466 – so they must be out there!

[Skyedragon]

[QUOTE=Jo;7073580]
I agreed with that until about a month ago, when I complained to a high-end brand fitter that my saddle - that SHE fitted - was not working on my horse, and was told the saddle “would never work for my horse.” All negativity aside about why she bothered to fit a saddle that would never work, there are points about all saddles that make them not work for all horses, even if they are adjustable - tree shape being one of them.[/QUOTE]

I think a common misconception about the changeable gullet system is that it only changes the shape of the front of the saddle. It doesn’t change the shape of the tree. Signs of bridging are always the first thing I check on a saddle.

[Skyedragon]

[QUOTE=Alex and Bodie’s Mom;7073586]
You can find the Rembrandt in brown, but not sure about the adjustable tree. I had two Rembrandts, one in black and one in brown. Adored them. Very nice saddles, and the brown was a beautiful tobacco color, very soft leather (much nicer than the black, IMO). It also had a slightly deeper seat and bigger thigh blocks than the black one did. Good luck finding what you want!

Edited to add: here was one on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190821604098&item=190821604098&lgeo=1&vectorid=229466 – so they must be out there! :)[/QUOTE]

Oh geez, where is my time machine when I need it?!

My first dressage saddle was a Thoroughbred Saddlery saddle that I picked up from the tack store for $150 about five years ago. I cleaned it up and it was a gorgeous saddle, it also happened to be brown. Thus started my love affair with brown dressage sadddles.