ISO ANY leads on what brand this is. Was sold to me as a Forestier, but is not marked with a brand anywhere, just 2 of these sort of stylized F’s. Marked made in England, nice quality leather, xxw tree, looks like something you would see in England in maybe a Show hack class??? Any help appreciated.
Have the nailheads got a logo on them? Can we see the whole saddle? It could well be “just” an independent saddle maker rather than from a bigger brand as there are still a few around, and used to be a lot more. Also what size saddle is it? I’m wondering if by Forester they meant it had been a show saddle for a New Forest pony. Our UK hacks are generally very fine types rather than XXW ones. I’d wondered about a Fylde but it’s certainly nothing like their current logo.
Thanks for your reply. Nail heads are blank, only place it’s marked is the stamp pictured, and a plate on one side with the same symbol. It’s a 17" seat. Doesn’t look like the Jeffries logo to me? I suppose it could pass as an All Purpose. In person, the shape is a little odd to me though, flaps are quite straight. Not what I’d normally see in the US. Nice quality saddle! Not a junker, just not what I thought I was buying.
Forester not Forestier apparently…
https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00002182991
Looks like someone else had same question years ago! https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/odd-question-make-of-saddle.345530/
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There are a couple of Forester saddles currently for sale on eBay UK where it is possible to see the logo clearly. Apparently a small saddler based on the New Forest and making saddles initially to fit the local breed.
How is it odd? It looks to me like a straight up dressage saddle, with gusseted back panels. Rather short flap but flaps are variable and can be ordered different lengths.
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It’s a VSD style saddle - which are very popular as a GP saddle in the UK.
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Not a dressage saddle. From the shape it could be an older GP (general purpose, equivalent of all purpose in US) before all the GPs on the market went more jump saddle shape on the flaps, or it may have been marketed as a working hunter or VSD model.
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It looks like a GP saddle of the British type. Sometimes called a working hunter saddle. It looks like a very nice saddle.
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Thank you all for the replies and for solving the mystery. Any idea what the value would be on something like this? Afraid I overpaid because of the Forestier claim. It’s an XXW (believe it’s a Hoop tree) with 17 seat. Fits my girl well, but unsure if I should send it back…
I probably wouldn’t pay more than about $600, even if it’s British made, it’s not a name brand or popular style so should not hold significant value.
I’d say that if the saddle fits you and the horse, then keep it. Don’t worry about what you paid (easy for me to say, I know!).
As you probably already know, you can basically kiss a lot of money goodbye by just having to try multiple saddles with multiple saddle-fittings, etc., and still not have a saddle that fits properly at the end of the process.
So if it fits, the saddle should count as a win.
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But there is a big difference in price from a 1k Forestier saddle and a 400$ Forester one.
Even if it fits, this wouldn’t be much of a win to me…
