[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;8081957]
Did you get pink piping on it too??? That would look very nice.[/QUOTE]
But of course!
[QUOTE=PrinceSheik325;8080872]
Do you find Stackhouse seats to be more comfortable?[/QUOTE]
That’s the beauty of custom–you can custimized it!
I have a tailbone that doesn’t curve under at the bottom as much as most peoples’. It doesn’t bother me in a jumping saddle, but can get sore if I spend too many hours in a dressage saddle. When I had my dressage saddle made David gave me a little extra cushion there in the seat. Problem gone.
I am crossing over from foxhunting land to ask opinions on Stackhouse vs. County. I have been hunting in a Crosby Equilibrium for a few years and I adore it, except it puts me into a slight chair seat, but I am working on that. Unfortunately, the saddle fitter hath decreed that it doesn’t fit horsie, so the hunt is on!
I have had a County Sensation out on trial and I really like it, but I am not positive it is the answer. For the money involved in getting the Buffalo leather, Stackhouse isn’t much more price wise so I want to consider all my options.
All input is much appreciated!!
No comparison. Stackhouse is a much nicer saddle.
[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;8350785]
No comparison. Stackhouse is a much nicer saddle.[/QUOTE]
Ditto this. County saddles are not truly custom, either; rather, they are customizable. Spend the extra couple of hundred dollars for a truly custom saddle that is made of far superior materials!
Love, love, love my Stackhouse jump saddle. So much so, that I just ordered a dressage saddle. David and Lesley are fantastic!
Like others have said most “custom” saddles are not actually fully custom, they are customizable. You just basically pick a tree, seat size and flap. They are still made on a manufacturing line. The crazy part is, the cost of a big name French saddle is not much less than a fully custom Stackhouse.
David measures you on your horse to make sure your Stackhouse is perfect. The craftmanship is beautiful and you can see the difference.
I tried many big brands before buying my jump saddle and none were as comfortable as the Stackhouse. Still feel the same was after 4 years. Can’t wait for my dressage saddle to arrive!
My Stackhouse jump saddle is 11-12 years old and on its second tree and it’s still the nicest, best balanced saddle I’ve ever sat in, on top of being gorgeous, so add me to the list of devotees.
I will say this though. Before buying one, sit in one. That’s what sold me - I got a used one on trial, knowing a 16" would be too small, and ended up liking it so much I bought it to use while waiting for my custom. But a friend sat in it (after her Prestige) and hated it!
Good luck.
But as someone pointed out what is custom for you is not going to fit someone else -speaking as the ‘friend’ who hated it because it gave her quarter sized raw spots on her seat bones after a 5 minute ride! 
It IS a beautiful saddle and very well made.
My 19 yr old Stackhouse is the ONLY saddle that fits my new horse. We’ve been able to adjust the flocking to fit his growing topline already and while I have tried others and looked around, so far we have yet to find anything to fit his back. So the Stackhouse soldiers on.
I would love a new one, but they now cost 3-4 times what this one cost in 1996. Oh well.
Emily
I’ve been told that you can’t tell if you’ll like a saddle that’s custom to someone else, but it’s too contrary to my experience for me to believe it. And there’s no way I’d have put down that amount of $$ without sitting in one and loving it.
I sat in a friend’s that didn’t come close to fitting me before I had my first Stackhouse made. What was important to me was that I’ve been watching her ride for decades and the saddle she had made for her and her horse was a beautiful fit for both of them and noticeably improved her position. That was good enough for me!
A custom saddle made for someone else is just another nice saddle that might or might not fit you and your horse.
I’ve found that the better the saddle fits you and your horse the more comfortable it is. The ability to make changes in things other than the fit (like extra seat padding in my dressage saddle for my funny tail bone) has them even more so. Perfect fit also increases security. In 40+ years I haven’t had anything that I feel this tight in.
The only time I rode in a Stackhouse is when I tried my present horse that was for sale. It was very comfy and he moved well in it. She kept it and I wish she would have sold it to me because my L’Apogee, which I love, did not fit him at all! I have always heard good things about Stackhouse. If I could afford one and they would make wool flocking I would definitely buy one.
My present horse is a tough fit but I got luck that a friend that was selling her used Custom Saddlery dressage saddle worked for us.
Their saddles are comfy and beautifully made. Maybe one day…
[QUOTE=Hilary;8351277]
But as someone pointed out what is custom for you is not going to fit someone else -speaking as the ‘friend’ who hated it because it gave her quarter sized raw spots on her seat bones after a 5 minute ride!
It IS a beautiful saddle and very well made.[/QUOTE]
This happened to me with a fully custom jump saddle Stackhouse made for me. I couldn’t walk my horse for five minutes in a flat arena in the saddle without the same thing happening. After some unpleasant exchanges they decided they didn’t have any jumping saddle trees that would accommodate my seat bones (5’11" and weight in proportion to height so I’m not THAT unusually configured). I ended up with a dressage saddle instead and I jump in an Antares that fits my bum well (they have a choice of seat widths as well as seat lengths and tree sizes, something Stackhouse would not provide).
The first solution I was offered was that I should wear padded underwear or bicycle shorts to ride in the custom saddle they made me that was leaving painful red marks on me. Seriously. And I’d just spent how much money for the saddle? They did eventually take care of me and I do like the dressage saddle, but given my experience, I would not order any custom saddle before riding in a demo or friends that was definitely comfortable.
Thank you for all of the responses!! The saddle gods have smiled upon me and I found a used Stackhouse that fits my horse perfectly (as determined by an independent saddle fitter) and I love it. Problem solved for the time being!! Someday I would love a new one…until then I will be happy as a clam with this one!
