Looking for wool flocked saddle recommendations

[Destiny1]

Hi! I am currently riding in a foam flocked saddle and while my horse seems to go well in it, every once in a blue moon when I sit really deep he just explodes. Otherwise, he is absolutely lovely. I’ve been ruling out medical/health issues and I’m starting to think maybe he just doesn’t like foam saddles. And I can’t blame him, I know they aren’t the best it’s just what I have. I tried to pad accordingly to compensate for it, but there’s only so much you can do once a horse clearly says they don’t like something.

That being said, I’m looking into other saddle options. He’s not a difficult fit, but I’m looking for something has wool panels and the more affordable the better. I’m not opposed to going to custom route, but would rather try and work with a saddle fitter to find a more economical option first.

What wool flocked saddles would you recommend to someone trying to stick to a budget?

[Bristol_Bay]

When I was on the hunt for a used CWD a few months ago, there were always wool flocked models that were lower priced (as in same saddle I was looking for but 1K cheaper). Try doing a search on eBay, as a lot of consignment sellers post their saddles on eBay, but you have to go to their website to arrange a trial. I bought mine from High Line.

[Lusoluv]

See if you can find a used Black Country saddle. They’re quality, well-made saddles and are great as long as they fit you and your horse, of course!

[Pokerface]

I’d start with finding a good, independent saddle fitter. They can help guide you towards a saddle that fits your horse correctly. There is so much to saddle fitting, and while wool can be great, it doesn’t necessarily fix all issues. You might have a saddle fit issue based on the shape of the tree or panel placement, which wool won’t help with really.

That said, I really like the Black Country saddles.

[eclipse]

@Pokerface

I’d start with finding a good, independent saddle fitter. They can help guide you towards a saddle that fits your horse correctly. There is so much to saddle fitting, and while wool can be great, it doesn’t necessarily fix all issues. You might have a saddle fit issue based on the shape of the tree or panel placement, which wool won’t help with really.

That said, I really like the Black Country saddles.

This exactly…. I’m now in a Black Country Ricochet (my prestige didn’t fit my new horse) and I adore it! My prestige was also wool flocked though, so the biggest issue is to make sure the saddle fits the horse and you !

[hj.eq.xc]

I love my Stubben, there is definitely a second hand market as well for them and a Facebook group specifically for them. I love mine but I would talk to a really good fitter and see what works best!

[dmveventer]

I’d spend some time browsing the major saddle resellers to get a sense for what’s available in your price range. Highline/Fineline Tack, Equitack, Liberty Saddles, etc all have a wide range of saddles in stock and have knowledgeable people on staff that can help make recommendations on what would fit your horse. Equitack also offers virtual saddle fitting sessions per their website, and they have the best trial policy I’ve found.

What makes you think it’s the foam panels in general and not something specific to your saddle that your horse doesn’t like? If he goes well most of the time I wouldn’t rule out foam entirely, I’d suspect either your saddle fit is just a little off or there’s something medical going on. Pads can’t necessarily fix that, and a different foam saddle could end up being fine. Wool saddles have a lot of benefits but they do leave you dependent on your saddle fitter to make them work. You need someone knowledgeable who can make the correct adjustments (including completely reflocking it every year or so as the wool compresses) or it’s no better than any other poorly-fitting saddle. Depending on your area this may or may not be an issue, but it’s something to consider before making the switch.

[Atlas_Shrugged]

Stubben has wool flocked saddles - I love the Portos Elites but make sure you buy the correct width