A Pards reining saddle in my seat size has come on to my saddle hunting radar, and I am wondering if anybody has one, or has ridden in one? Thoughts? I have not had any luck tracking down reviews on the brand, and it would appear that the Pards tack shop doesn’t make their own saddles any more (if it truely is the same Pards).
What is the going rate for these saddles used? I was hoping to find how much they went for new to compare, but again, Pards doesn’t seem to make their own saddles any more.
I’ve ridden one of theirs before, I found it fairly comfortable. It all depends on what you’re looking for, I tend to go for hard seat roughouts over super cushy saddles. Some of them have more cushion than others, some are suede, some are slick. The one I rode in was slick and it didn’t bother me at all. Fit the horse well too. They are really popular in the Reining ring and seem to be well made.
They are located in Illinois and Texas. Mark is great to deal with.[/QUOTE]
Ah okay, I wasn’t sure if the Advantage or Versatility were made by them or somebody else. Those are some expensive saddles!
I don’t really have a preference between slick seat or suede seat, I do prefer some padding and need a narrow twist. I am also looking for a saddle with butterfly or close contact skirts, which is why this saddle caught my eye. Plus it is in my current price range.
[QUOTE=Bluey;8847946]Have you checked here for what reiners have for sale:
You can get an idea of how reining saddles look and what they sell for, the different brands, etc.
It is fb, but it is open to the general public, you don’t need to sign up to read it.[/QUOTE]
I browse that group on a regular basis. I didn’t see any Pards on there when I was searching earlier today. I was sort of wondering if this was more of an obscure brand, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8847825]
A Pards reining saddle in my seat size has come on to my saddle hunting radar, and I am wondering if anybody has one, or has ridden in one? Thoughts? I have not had any luck tracking down reviews on the brand, and it would appear that the Pards tack shop doesn’t make their own saddles any more (if it truely is the same Pards).
What is the going rate for these saddles used? I was hoping to find how much they went for new to compare, but again, Pards doesn’t seem to make their own saddles any more.[/QUOTE]
It could just be the picture, but the girth looks to be in the 3/4 position, and the girth rings are dropped very low.
That set up works best for a slab sided horse, not a wide one with well sprung rib cage. IME
Most of the Pard’s saddles on built to mimic a Don Lesson tree. It will offer close contact and a narrowish seat. Pards are very well made, infact, I owned one with the dropped rigging that this saddle has. It fit my full bodied QH wonderfully! Just be prepared to buy a shorter girth. The horse rode in a 34" girth on a regular saddle and I think I bought him a 30" for the dropped rigging. See if you can get the serial number off the saddle and call the shop. They should confirm the seat size, etc.
If the rigging positions the girth buckles or rings were they press on the vagus nerve, you get some interesting reactions from the horse. Anything from snapping as the girth is tightened to this…
The OP will need to try the saddle on her horse to see the fit. I would advise against buying this saddle off EBAY or from a seller that does not allow trials or returns
I didn’t even notice how low the rigging was, even when I looked at it in the shop. I did really like it in the store, but ended up coming home with a Rocking R that I will be posting about in a separate thread.
You owe it to yourself to try that Pards. Comparing a Rockin R to a Pards is like comparing a Ford Focus to a Ford Taurus. The quality between the two saddles is night and day, that Pards will have a way better tree in it.
[QUOTE=AQHA4me;8849925]
You owe it to yourself to try that Pards. Comparing a Rockin R to a Pards is like comparing a Ford Focus to a Ford Taurus. The quality between the two saddles is night and day, that Pards will have a way better tree in it.[/QUOTE]
I kind of wish I had grabbed it instead now… But the Rocking R was prettier… I prefer the sticky seat of the Rocking R to the slick seat of the Pards. But yes, I think I will try it.
[QUOTE=AQHA4me;8849925]
You owe it to yourself to try that Pards. Comparing a Rockin R to a Pards is like comparing a Ford Focus to a Ford Taurus. The quality between the two saddles is night and day, that Pards will have a way better tree in it.[/QUOTE]
I brought the Pards home on Saturday. Had an hour long lesson yesterday in it and my mare did wonderfully. We got some engagement that I have never felt out of her before. Now I am wishing that I had just gone with the Pards to start with! Hopefully one more ride tonight will confirm that it does fit her well.
Here is an interesting read as you continue on your journey. It confirms many of the things I feel. Buy a quality saddle and it will fit the majority of the horses by adjusting padding. I have been riding in the same saddle for 7 years now and it has worked for everything I’ve been riding. Colts, WP bred AQHA, my big 16.2 HH APHA huntseat horse. I use it on my 14.2 hh mare and 16hh gelding right now and just use a different pad. Neither horse is sore, I just change out my girth.
I’d solidly put Pards in the quality camp. The others I include are Bobs, Blue Ribbon, Harris, Scottsdale Saddles, McLellands, and a variety of other custom type saddles.
Brands I don’t include - circle y, reinsman, martin, and other mass produced saddles. For the most part if you can buy it from a catalogue I have no interest. Western tack is very different from huntseat tack in that perspective.
I want my saddle to have a quality wood tree and a leather ground seat. A good quality western saddle is going to be heavy, there is not a way to build it without the weight.
I would think that Martin is a quality saddle as well? They certainly have a price comparable to some of the brands you listed!
I was trying to see if I could find more info on this saddle, and was blown away by the prices of Pards’ Advantage line of saddles! If I decide to keep this saddle I think I will have gotten a really good deal!
I just bought a CSI pad so that I can play around with shims a bit. I also like the shock absorbing properties better.
We had a really good lesson in the Pards yesterday. Sydney was engaged and had some of the best jog and lope work I think I have ever gotten from her. We also did shoulder in for the first time ever, which is super exciting! I am crossing my fingers that she rides as well in it tonight as she did yesterday.
Didn’t get to ride last night. Hopefully tonight and tomorrow to get a good feel for how she feels about the saddle. Our lesson on Sunday was super good, but that was the first real ride in the saddle. Usually its the third ride or so when she starts to show her displeasure.
