Wow. I did not anticipate that this post would generate quite this amount of discussion. Many, many thanks to those who offered helpful saddle search suggestions. Going forward, I intend to find an independent saddle fitter to get expert guidance for my next purchase. Many of the experts (Anne and, especially, Susy) that posters named in this thread have come highly recommended from friends who heard this saga as it unfolded over the past 6 weeks. I especially appreciate the education many of you provided and reference resources you have shared. Further, thank you to those who shared their experiences of CWD’s operations.
Regarding the saddle fitting the horse, prior to purchasing the Amerigo, I was using one of the barn’s 17” saddles for lessoning on various school horses. I was not knowledgeable about horse fitting in my first saddle purchase. Literally, days before I was going to start the lease for the horse, he developed a severe and rapidly worsening lameness issue and was abruptly shipped back to his owner out of state. I’d already purchased the saddle and just kept using it on lesson horses. By the way, I particularly liked the description of this process as buying a single swimsuit for 2 bodies. What I don’t know is how I could have fit many bodies with a single swimsuit.
Some responses questioned how I could not have noticed the saddle size/fit for 10 months. Understand that I had NO frame of reference for a properly fitting saddle, as I had never been in a right-sized seat. If your parents buy your shoes a half-size too small, you grow up thinking that’s how shoes should fit. And, as one gracious poster responded, I’m a bit fluffy. When I thought an 18” seat was snug, I assumed 18” is 18” irrespective of the brand. So, I did what I thought would fit me into an 18” seat. Recall that I also had to consider flap length. I’ve never seen a saddle larger than 19” and the 19” saddles are usually for very tall riders (with proportionally long flaps). I was unsure that I could ever find a 19” inch seat coupled with short flaps. So, I noticed that it wasn’t a perfect fit but I did not know that the saddle size was that far off.
Finally, some responses raised the issue/question about whether the length of time between the sale and the discovery should make CWD responsible for all, some or none of the problem. I didn’t go to Joe’s Bait, Tackle & Saddles. I went to CWD – a saddle manufacturer – thinking that they would know what they are selling. Nothing would have suggested that a saddle manufacturer did not know how to measure or determine the size of a saddle seat. Nothing in the ad suggested that there was a difference in seat size or that I should go behind them to verify the details they listed to advertise the saddle. I expect to have to do that on Craigslist, Ebay or Facebook, and for that reason, I chose the “easier route” of purchasing from a well-known manufacturer: CWD. I did not get something more valuable (as in the example of the vehicle that turned out to be 2 years younger – and likely, higher in Blue Book value). I got something that was not as advertised with no notice that I could not rely on their representation. And, as I stated originally, I had not used the saddle much in those 10 months due to medical issues that kept me from riding. So, no, I do not concede that they have no responsibility for their action, given that I would not have been in the market for a larger saddle only 10 months later if they had only sold me what they advertised.
I appreciate that many of you have understood that this was just very poor customer service from CWD. A business that sells used merchandise, as well as their own brand of new merchandise, has made the business decision to use the first transaction as a chance to establish a relationship for the next transaction. Whether the misrepresented Amerigo was the product of mistake or nefarious intent, when discovered, CWD’s had every opportunity to choose a response that could have preserved that future transaction. They could have offered to exchange the 17” Amerigo and apply a percentage of the cost against another used saddle. They would have gotten the Amerigo back (and earned another commission for reselling it) and I would have gotten a properly sized saddle (for which there would be a third commission). They could have offered to take it back (with an appropriate decreased value for the 10 months) for a store credit against a new saddle. There are so many ways a creative and customer-service oriented business can respond to this type of error. And, if they had chosen to even try to make it right (which can mean a lot of things other than a full refund), I would have been singing their praises. Unfortunately (for them), their chosen response was the equivalent of offering me the back seam of their breeches to kiss.
)