Pony saddles to keep an eye out for?

[173north]

I have a rotating cast of sale ponies in my life and feel like I’m always scrambling for saddles, so I’d like to start picking up some not-too-pricey used ones that are known for fitting the (mostly) Welsh X types so I can have a few different options on hand for them in terms of tree shapes and sizes. I fit a 16 or 16.5 seat and could do fine in a 15.75.

I am mostly riding in a 31 cm Stubben which has proven useful, and borrowing an Albion for a pony jumper. I’m definitely on the hunt for a pony Pessoa and have also heard good things about Bevals and older Butets… is there anything else should I put up an eBay alert for? British brands are a bit of a gap in my knowledge, I did buy an old Thorowgood Pony Club from the UK a few months ago for a very shapely small, but I found it so uncomfortable I could barely ride in it and sold it on.

I’m fine at basic fitting, have plenty of shims and half pads and risers, and have two good local-ish fitters who can make final tweaks and approvals, I just need a bit more inventory in the tack room. Enable me!!

[Bristol_Bay]

Pesso 15 3/4" Saddle - farm & garden - by owner - sale

M PESSOA SADDLE - farm & garden - by owner - sale

I’ve bought saddles off Craigslist before. One was shipped to me from Maine, and I’m in California. Maybe worth a phone call?

[173north]

Oooh I’ll drive up to SLO for that Pessoa! Thank you for the links!

[Bristol_Bay]

Lol—of course you can! You’re my homie! Which I obviously didn’t notice until just now.

Good luck!

[RHdobes563]

Pessoa Rodrigo 16.5" Saddle - farm & garden - by owner - sale (craigslist.org)

[vxf111]

The old Bevals are classic too

[Tha_Ridge]

You can occasionally find old flat Jimmy’s 21st Century. Might be harder to find out in CA, but I’ll keep my eyes peeled for you up here!

[Renn_aissance]

@vxf111

The old Bevals are classic too

Agree. Beval Junior, Limited, and Stamford. The Stamford tends to run with a wider gullet than the other two had and has a little more of a modern feel in the wide twist and seat cushiness whereas the Junior and Limited are both a nice minimalist close contact style with less padding and a narrower twist.

The little Crosby Prix des Nations are classics too.

[173north]

I just found a crazy deal on a 16" Beval that was sitting on a mostly Western store’s website and RAN to my wallet to buy it. Not sure of the model but definitely more of the modern cushy style than some I’ve seen. This thread blessed my saddle search!

[StormyDay]

As already recommended, Pessoas.
However, I’d keep an eye out for a duett; every once in a while you get that roly-poly pony with no withers who needs a hoop tree.

[Tha_Ridge]

Maybe a World Cup? That was a great saddle.

[173north]

Oh it might be, I just looked those up! It basically looks like an early 00s Butet which I know was a big, um, inspiration for Beval. The leather is a bit fugly and faded but …whatever.

[173north]

Yes, good call on the Duett - I think my last little guy would have been happier in a hoop tree and I’m sure I’ll have another super round one at some point.

[Renn_aissance]

@Tha_Ridge

Maybe a World Cup? That was a great saddle.

I maintain that the OG World Cup was the best saddle ever made by any brand at any time. The plusher reiteration did not hold a candle to that pancake with the suede knee rolls. I loved that thing.

@173north

I just found a crazy deal on a 16" Beval that was sitting on a mostly Western store’s website and RAN to my wallet to buy it.

Share pics if you want to figure out what it is, we’re a bunch of nerds here and quite good at identifying saddles from photos! Those old Bevals wore like iron. My sister’s old Stamford from some 20 years ago is still floating around her former barn. More impressively, she had an ancient Jimmy’s that we got for $100 because it was in rough shape. We put new billets and a patch on the pommel and she rode in it for several years before outgrowing it. And I’m pretty sure I saw it at a horse show last weekend. The kid is a grown woman paying for her health insurance now. That saddle has seen some things.

[TooManyTBs]

I still have my old World Cup that I got for my 13th birthday (I turn 39 in a few weeks) and I will never get rid of it. I use it if I get on ponies, I use it if I’m riding a random horse that doesn’t have a saddle. It fits everything, except for me, it’s a 16.5 and my knee goes over the flap, wish it was a 17.

[173north]

ID away! Hoping there is a legible serial number I can send in to Beval, too.

[Pokerface]

So I’m no expert, but that looks an awful lot like the older Bevel Natural saddle. Those were very comfortable in my memory!

[Tha_Ridge]

I think it’s a Gladstone! Either way, an awesome find.

[Indy]

My guess is Gladstone too. I had one a while back that was great. It was used when I got it and it’s still floating out there being a super useful saddle.

[Renn_aissance]

I also think it might be a little Gladstone. They kept redesigning them over time but they did go through a phase for a few years where they looked very much like a tiny Butet.