IDing a Passier

[equito]

Hi all,

I’ve been borrowing a few saddles for a couple months now, as all I currently own is an all purpose Collegiate and I’d like to get a few discipline-specific saddles (dressage, cc). I really love the Passier dressage saddle I’ve been using, and it seems to fit my guy really well too. Although I definitely want to get to a tack shop to sit in a few others, I would love to have more info on this specific saddle, incase a cheaper one shows up on ebay, at a tack sale, etc.

Anyway, it’s a Passier. Older, I believe. Leg supports look relatively small, and the knee padding–which is textured (the rest of the saddle is smooth) isn’t especially thick. Has short billets, although I think many Passiers give you an option of short or long. The saddle has “Passier and Son” stamped onto the buckle guard and on the underside. The lettering says M-PS-Baum (which, I believe, tells you the tree type), 17 (the size), D 232722 (no clue what this means), then “Made in Germany”.
Some photos (the Passier is at the bottom): http://www.flickr.com/photos/whiteoakacres

If anyone has an idea of what this saddle may be, or how I could ID it, please let me know. Thanks!

[Tamara_in_TN]

[QUOTE=equito;4669097]
Hi all,

Anyway, it’s a Passier.

just email the shop in Germany…they can tell you type and year w/o any trouble

Tamara in TN

[vervachel]

Here’s what I think it is

Well, I’m no Passier expert, but I think that it is a Passier PSL -D dressage saddle.

PSL = Passier Soft Line - verrrrry comfortable to sit in
M = Medium width tree
17 = 17" - this is the size of the saddle

PS Baum = the type of tree - this their classic tree - I think it’s bamboo, very nice to ride in and can easily be adjusted

D= basic dressage model

I ride in a Passier PSL E dressage saddle - 17", M width, PS Baum tree. It is exactly the same as the PSL D except that the leg flap is cut Extra straight - hence the “E”. Love, love. love these saddles. They tend to fit a wide variety of horses, are super confortable to ride in and last forever! I’ve had mine and been using it hard for 20 years and it still looks like new. If I ever had to get another saddle, I would definitely look at another PSL E. They do show up for sale used, and if they have been treated well, are definitely worth it.

Good luck on your saddle search.

[alexandra]

Coming out of the same small town where Passier is producing, I can tell you that the number is a production number and give exact information about the size of the tree when the saddle was built. But as a passier saddle can be fitted to almost any horse that info is no guarantee that you can get the same as you saddle is right now. They have a part out of iron in the front which can be adjusted and widened. Not all saddles have this Stübben e.g. not and as far as I know Kiefer also not.

I could check the number in mine so that can give you an idea how old yours is.
I have a simple jumping modell that is exactly 30 years old sitting around a bit but completely usable, than a small all purpose that I became as a new one in 1984 and I still love this saddle it is as coming home as it really fits my rear end.
I have now a new jumping saddle Modell Comet II (And I was brave and it is in a reddish color !) and I have a dressage saddle that is a modell that is invented by a tack store person together with Passier especially for short horse with huge should and not too much whithers. It is the first that reall fits that horse and in whcih I love to sit. A frind of mine has a pasier saddle in use everyday that must be 40 or older ! And it does not show any issue. I have to admit that the leather used to be better but that seems to be a result of chaning the way how fresh leather is processed. Passier one of the companies with one of the longest tradition. (heheh you can tell that I am a fan). Often people complain that the saddl eis too hard.
Www.passier.de

[Tamara_in_TN]

[QUOTE=alexandra;4669207]
A friend of mine has a pasier saddle in use everyday that must be 40 or older ! And it does not show any issue. I have to admit that the leather used to be better but that seems to be a result of changing the way how fresh leather is processed. Passier one of the companies with one of the longest tradition. (heheh you can tell that I am a fan). Often people complain that the saddle is too hard.
Www.passier.de[/QUOTE]

mine is an all purpose made in 1964…I love it

Tamara in TN

[Equa]

I recently sold a Passier, and one of the people who tried it emailed Passier with the serial number. There gave her the exact date of manufacture and the correct name of the model. It was older than I thought, but was in excellent shape.

[Hampton_Bay]

Email Passier and they can tell you for sure, but it looks like an older PSL all-purpose.

I know of a small local tack shop near me who has an older Passier dressage saddle, plain flaps of the double-grain leather, M tree and 17", for $250. I can give you the contact info if you want it. It’s in very good condition, but the girl who owns it is a hunter rider and has no use for it, and also has no idea what she has. I tried to tell them it was worth more than that, but I don’t think they believed me.

[equito]

Thanks!

Thanks all! I think I’ll try e-mailing Passier, but if anyone else has input on the style I’d stilll love to hear. I’ll send you a PM, Hampton Bay.

[Bogie]

Kieffer saddles are perhaps the brand with the most easily adjusted tree. The trees are made of a type of plastic and authorized dealers have a special unit that softens the tree and allows it to be adjusted any number of times.

With standard trees, my saddler tells me that they generally sustain two adjustments . . . but that you have to be really careful who does the adjusting. Otherwise you may end up with a tree that’s not symmetrical.

I have a County that I bought as a medium tree but fits as a wide . . . it was most likely professionally widened and I was just lucky that it worked on my horse!

If you want a saddle that can be adjusted, I’d stick with a Kieffer or go with a brand that advertises that they can adjust the tree (like Schleese) and have them do it!

[pintopiaffe]

It’s a PSL.

But Passier will get back to you within a couple of days with specifics.

SNAG the one that HB knows about–if it’s the right size.

I will probably spend the rest of my life looking for a PT in 18" 5; when I’m flush, they’re scarce. When I’m broke, I find like one a week… :uhoh: :lol:

[alexandra]

This all purpose Passier that I have since 1984 has been adjusted at least ten times and it is still symmetrical.

And by the way - guess where Schleese has done his 3 year apprenticeship and his German Meister ?

Interesting about Kiefer - the german saddlers I spoke to sofar all said one can not adjust it. I may need to check but I can not sit in them so i do not really care…

[alexandra]

Looked at the pictures, yours should not have those wrinkles when looking from the underside. What happened to it that it looks so bleached out ? Have only seen that in older ones, but from the number I do not think it is old ?

Send an email to Passier they have stored info on each saddle.

I once had a used one which I brought privately, they did not even know to which store it was sold to, but also the person who sold it (they recorded for that one a repair or a new upholstering or something).

And I have a beautiful custom made briddle by them. I bought one around 1983 and that lasted around 20 years. I always wanted a new one but was to greedy. But I had an option to get one much cheaper and it perfectly fits my mare who has a cob head in length but WB in width. I am looking at a double at the moment. For 180€ where the model costs new 550€.

[equito]

@alexandra;4669615

Looked at the pictures, yours should not have those wrinkles when looking from the underside. What happened to it that it looks so bleached out ? Have only seen that in older ones, but from the number I do not think it is old ?

It’s not really bleached-looking in person, probably just my camera. As for the wrinkles, I don’t know. I borrowed it about two months ago from a friend (who, I believe, bought it used), and it came as it is now. I’m not sure how long it’s been in use…

[spaceagevalkyrie]

Can anyone identify mine? Flap says:

PS- BAUM
2=17
D 202902

Its dark brown and specifies that it was made in West Germany, so I can assume its old :lol: I emailed passier months ago and never got a reply back.

[pintopiaffe]

Tree is narrow. (2)

D= dressage.

Other than that, only Passier can translate the S/N.

I would email again, they’ve always gotten back to me promptly.

OP/Alexandra–the wrinkles look to me like someone just stored it or shipped it with the flaps curled in toward each other. Or placed it down on the ground with flaps curled in. (which is a sin, of course, but… )

[spaceagevalkyrie]

[QUOTE=pintopiaffe;4669743]
Tree is narrow. (2)

D= dressage.

Other than that, only Passier can translate the S/N.

I would email again, they’ve always gotten back to me promptly.[/QUOTE]

Thanks :). If that is a narrow tree, thats the widest narrow tree I’ve ever seen!

[Equi88]

Alexandra

I am trying to send you a message, but you inbox is full!

[pintopiaffe]

Oops-you are right.

I think it is:

1-Narrow
2-“regular” or “Medium”
3-MW
4-W
5-XW

but on top of that, a #2 might’ve been widened considerably, and with the shortened points and cutback pommel, will fit a LOT of horses… hence my adoration of Ancient Passiers. :yes:

[alexandra]

Could be something different.

They used to put the size of seat also in numbers.
Mit has a 2 on the side but in Roman numbers and is a 16,5’’, which is not stamped in there. Email them and ask…

@Equi88: emptied something …

yes there should not be wrinkles and if so have it restuffed in that area… It is better for the leather. When I am back at home in a few days, I could take pics of my two old ones…

[equito]

Message from Passier…

For those of you who said Passier would get back to me quickly, WRONG… they got back to me super, ultra, with-in-a-few-minutes lightspeed quickly!

Seriously, though, I e-mailed them this morning and heard back in just a few minutes; here’s what Passier said: “The Passier Saddle no. 232722 is a PSL Dressage Saddle size 17 Black color. The saddle has NO gusseted panels and no extra deep seat. It is a normal deep seat Dressage saddle. When we manufacture the Saddle in August 1992 the saddle is equipped with a normal gullet plate size 27.5 cm. But it is always possible to made it wider or more narrow according to the requirement of the horse. We are still producing this kind of saddle. Mainly the new design has some larger tight supports.” So right on as to the PSL model. :winkgrin:

Thanks for all of the responses!