I have a Custom Icon Star and I’m considering similar burial arrangements. :lol:
I love mine because of the monoflap that allows me to sit really close to my horse. He’s a big horse, and the giant external knee roll keeps me in place. I can really “sit down” in it (comfy!) and when I do, my horse just lifts his front end. Effin’ majikal!!
My rep is also just the best and I appreciate the win-win of working with someone with her expertise and getting a saddle that fits us both so well.
Mike Corcoran (saddle maker, fitter/dressage rider out of TX) saddle. I’m a leggy 5’9" so the flap is long. Knee block is long and straight. Some folks have a problem with the knee block because it’s so straight, but I’m impartial. It’s wool flocked and fits my TB well.
I have one of his saddles too! It’s about a decade old now, but still quite lovely with serge panels and great leather. I’m in the process of trying to find it a loving new home since I got the Icon Star (just needed something different with the new horse.)
I have a Trilogy Verago and I love it. It’s a dual flap, wool flocked, with external knee rolls. The flap and rolls are actually pretty straight. I had a County Perfection and it put me in the weirdest chair seat and I couldn’t get rid of it fast enough. My Trilogy fitting and fitter are also superb. She was so detailed oriented during the fitting and I have a great fit on my horse.
I am a big believer in wool flocked saddles and I won’t even consider a foam one as it can’t be restuffed in the horse’s shape changes.
For my two personal horses I have Albion dressage saddles. The older mare who is more of an “off the shelf” fit has Albion SLK Royale with short flaps and some custom patent and detailing on the cantle. The saddle is a dual flap and has a moderate thigh block and the narrow seat. I LOVE this saddle and it fits me and the horse very well. The younger mare is a more difficult fit due to her extremely flat back. She has a fully custom Albion Revelation Couture. This saddle is mono flap and has a very large external thigh block. I really like the saddle although perhaps not as much as the SLK Royale. I didn’t get the narrow seat on this saddle and I sort of regret it. I can’t really say that I have any preference for dual or mono flap. Both saddles give me a nice close contact feel. Both saddles are holding up well to frequent use although I do take care of them meticulously and have them checked by my local Albion saddle fitter every 6-12 months.
Custom Icon Flight. I would love to be buried with it but I think there are at least four people fighting above ground for it.
I’m very interested in the Custom saddles, and they seem to have a vocal fan club in this thread. Can you tell me more about what you like? I found an Icon Flight that I’m interested to try, so I would LOVE to hear more about your saddle!
I’ve had a few dressage saddles over the years, and really liked all of them! I started with a Neidersuss Symphony (wool, dual flap) which I loved and served me well for a number of years. But I bought a new horse and it didn’t fit. So I moved on to a custom Black County Vinici (wool, monoflap) which I also loved, and rode in that for a number of years. But I got a new horse, and it didn’t fit well, and I had started to do some work with Voltaire Design, so they brought an Adelaide (foam, monoflap) out for me to sit in, and from the moment I first sat in the demo I thought to myself, “Where has this saddle been my whole life!?” And I honestly thought that was really interesting because I truly did love my previous two saddles!
I have a tendency to get a little bit behind the vertical, and the Voltaire Adelaide was the first saddle that really allowed me to sit UP with the motion of the horse, without feeling like I was fighting my tack. They have a variety of thigh block configurations that they can make depending on your preference, but mine is more vertical (versus being a bit more forward). I’m not that tall (5’3"), but I ride a gigantour of a 17.1h TB, and he did shorten the flap by a 1/2" purely for aesthetics. Plus they were able to make it in a dark brown buffalo leather, so it’s just gorgeous. 
I love my Icon Flight because of the flap size, as I need a shorter flap. The balance of the saddle puts me in the correct position and it’s comfortable. I do not feel trapped even though there is a large thigh block. Best of all, I have had a number of horses and it’s been completely adjustable by the Custom rep (Julie out here in Ohio is the best) both in tree size and by the wool flocking. Its amazing what a properly balance and fitted saddle can do for your position.
I strongly disagree that if it fits the horse it fits the rider. I am very petite with a long femur and I went over the flap in several dressage saddles because they were too straight for my leg. I tried a county perfection where my knee was on top of the thigh block. Also, I like a more open seat instead of a deeper seat. I tried one saddle that fit my mare like a glove and looked like it fit me, but I couldn’t even post in it. For me twist is a huge part.
I have Stubbens Romanus and Genesis and a Schleese Liberty. My current horse likes Schleese which is the most comfortable saddle I’ve had. The Stubbens are indestructible and I love both of them.
Mine is an older Albion Original Comfort, wide twist, moderate knee blocks, short flaps (which are somewhat comical because I’m 6’ tall). I like it but I don’t love it like I love my Stubben Siegfried jumping saddle. However, it fits my horse quite well and I got it in a somewhat unusual size for a song. I’m slowly getting used to it – never thought I’d be reteaching myself how to post after 15+ years riding! But I can ride in it quite effectively and thanks to dressaging hard you can sort of see a six pack through my abdominal flab now.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
