LASER DRESSAGE SADDLES

[CelticRiverDance]

Has anyone ridden in the Laser Trident or the Laser Amulet? What level do you ride at and what are your feelings on these saddles? Does the tree stay locked in place properly, how deep is the seat and does it have a narrow twist? Has anyone had issues with the velcro knee blocks on the Trident (I have a problem mentally with this velcro thing…I must be a leather snob)?

I am currently riding in an Albion SLK and love it but I am soooo very tired of paying big bucks for tree adjustments on a growing young Thoroughbred. Albion charges $250 just to come out to the farm…that does not include any adjustments. They are on top of the $250. They do excellent work but my last tree & flocking adjustment cost me $400! Thanks, Jan

[ToN_Farm]

I have ridden in the Trident and also the Albion SLK. Both saddles I had on trial, so only rode in them a week.

The Trident has a much wider seat (twist) than the SLK. I prefer a wide twist, but the Trident was giving me a little bit of groin pain, so I thought it best to not risk buying it.

The Trident has a more open seat than the SLK. The Trident blocks are great, especially the adjustability. The SLK blocks were not good for me. They locked my leg into the wrong position, because I have too long a thigh for their straight long block.

I can’t comment on the tree adjustment and how it holds, because I didn’t adjust it.

Things to consider… The tree is only one adjustment on a saddle. With the Trident, who will you be able to call on to service it for refitting/reflocking? With Albion, more fitter services are available.

[dutchmike]

I have the Amulet and love it sofar. I use it on a 4 year old TB-Hanoverian and on a 6 year old Trakhener and on a 4 year old luso-something. It takes me about 60 seconds to change the tree size

[nightmoves]

I have a Laser 747 with the adjustable tree that I purchased used. I’ve never had a problem with the adjustment mechanism. I don’t change it between different horse I only ride two and it fit’s both in the same adjustment. I do make sure to move it occasionally just so it doesn’t freeze in place.

[CelticRiverDance]

Laser Dressage Saddles

Thanks for the input. I did try the 747 but found the seat too open for me. Is this the older model with the adjustment opening in the front of the pommel or does it adjust from underneath? I think that the 747 has gel in the panels instead of wool. Doesn’t this self adjust to the horses back?

Also the Amulet has the Thinline in the panels and that is suppose to adjust to a horses back when warmed up…doesn’t this help a lot with fitting the entire saddle to different horses and not just the tree? I think the Amulet is also suppose to have a deeper seat…not sure if it’s as deep as the Albion SLK but the Ablion is not at all restrictive. Does the Amulet have a narrow twist?

[CelticRiverDance]

Laser Dressage Saddle

Hey dutchmike…what level do you ride and do you find that the Amulet with the Thinline in it helps the panels to adjust to the different horses you are riding? How long have you had it?

[dutchmike]

[QUOTE=janetbhill;4592894]
Hey dutchmike…what level do you ride and do you find that the Amulet with the Thinline in it helps the panels to adjust to the different horses you are riding? How long have you had it?[/QUOTE]

My higher level horses are mainly very wide Iberians and unfortunately the Laser tree doesn’t go extra ,extra wide. So like you saw in my earlier statement I use it mainly on the youngsters and the 6 year Trak. wich is doing 2nd and 3rd level work

[CelticRiverDance]

I will have to try the Laser Amulet. Laser Saddlery is about 1 1/2 hours from my farm, so I see a road trip in my future…that’s if the ground ever thaws out! I can see Florida in my future too…I hate winter!

[nightmoves]

@CelticRiverDance;4592887

Thanks for the input. I did try the 747 but found the seat too open for me. Is this the older model with the adjustment opening in the front of the pommel or does it adjust from underneath? I think that the 747 has gel in the panels instead of wool. Doesn’t this self adjust to the horses back?

Mine does adjust in the front of the pommel and yes, it does have gel. I do believe the gel remains rather stationary I don’t think it does any self adjusting. No more than wool but I could be wrong. I just know it’s one of the only dressage saddles I could find to fit my Percheron/Dutch Warmblood and it’s pretty good on my Welsh stallion too. Actually it seems to fit quite a variety of horses well.

[Lieslot]

I’ve sent you a pm ;).

[scubed]

I have a CM ultimate, narrower twist, great fit on several horses, easy to adjust. Rode through 2nd level in it and have used it on my greenies (it is quite secure :lol::lol:)

[Rival]

I would highly advise against one. The adjustable tree on mine broke and they would not fix it and the leather wore right through in a very short amount of time. JMO.

[Lieslot]

@Rival

I would highly advise against one. The adjustable tree on mine broke and they would not fix it and the leather wore right through in a very short amount of time. JMO.

I had VERY bad customer service from them too. I continue to like their saddles, but after how I was treated I’m not sure I’d feel like buying a saddle from them again. :no:

Agreed leather does not hold up all that well, I’m having to be carefull with it, quite some marks where the stirrup leathers sit and saddle is only 6 months old.

[CelticRiverDance]

I have not tried the CM Ultimate but I was told by Schuerer Saddlery, one of Laser’s distibutors, that it runs small and that if I ride in an 18" seat, I’d need an 18 1/2". That’s not too easy to find. Saddle hunting is such a pain in the rear…sometimes literally!

[snbess]

I have an older Laser 200, love it and have had no problem with the adjustment mechanism after I got it fixed (I bought it used and the adjustment mechanism was broken…this was several years ago). Leather has held up fine. Twist is wide.

[system]

I’ve been riding in a Rendezvous for almost a year and I LOVE it. It’s a mono-flap with a deep seat, narrow twist and large thigh roll. I moved into this saddle from an old Hennig that I just couldn’t get comfortable for my horse, and I considered selling the horse rather than give up my Hennig! Really glad I didn’t…

[opel]

I was witness to a very, very bad example of customer service from Laser too. Two episodes with two different people, in fact. Hmmmm…

[CelticRiverDance]

I think that between the comments about bad customer service and the leather not holding up very well, I’m going to have to keep looking. I’ve tried the Bates and liked the quality but the slight outward curve of the stirrup bars actually pocked me in the thighs…not nice at all and hurt to post. I was really disappointed. Back to the drawing board.

[jnel]

If you are so close to the Laser location, it might be worth a face to face with them. I have a Laser Trident and got it used. My horse loves the nice wide panels and I love the adjustable gullet. The leather has held up fine in the 6 months that I’ve owned it and I’m hard on tack. The twist is a bit wider and the seat deeper than the Stubben I was riding in but I got used to it.

After paying big bucks for a Stubben custom fitted, I was pissed to find that the saddle rocks and now is too narrow for my horse. What a waste of time and money! I was so fed up than when my trainer recommended a Laser and I found out that they were adjustable I went ahead and bought one. I don’t regret the purchase at all.

[CelticRiverDance]

Good idea. I will give them a shot. I just have had quite a few people talk about their customer service being very lacking. I had a very bad experience with them at Devon just asking questions about the velcro knee rolls. Major Beal was a snot. I so want a self adjusting saddle though and these seem to be the nicest out there. I would love to buy one used and have been looking on ebay for one in an 18" seat but so far…no go.

[QUOTE=jnel;4607342]
If you are so close to the Laser location, it might be worth a face to face with them. I have a Laser Trident and got it used. My horse loves the nice wide panels and I love the adjustable gullet. The leather has held up fine in the 6 months that I’ve owned it and I’m hard on tack. The twist is a bit wider and the seat deeper than the Stubben I was riding in but I got used to it.

After paying big bucks for a Stubben custom fitted, I was pissed to find that the saddle rocks and now is too narrow for my horse. What a waste of time and money! I was so fed up than when my trainer recommended a Laser and I found out that they were adjustable I went ahead and bought one. I don’t regret the purchase at all.[/QUOTE]