Questions re: possibly reflocking an older County Competitor

[Platypi]

Apologies if there is a better location for this post.
I have an older model County Competitor (16.5 #2 tree if that matters for any purpose) that has been used lightly by both myself and the previous owner. It’s in surprisingly good shape for its age, but I’ve heard good things about these saddles holding up well.

Anyway… it’s been in storage for a while not being used, and I see the curved side parts of the panels are looking a little lumpy/wrinkled. The back panels still look perfectly shaped and solid, this is the curved side parts under the flaps. I’ve not dealt with this before so I have a few questions…

Is this something I need to address before using at all? If it were the back part of the panels I wouldn’t even think about it, but this is not really a weight bearing area.

Does anyone have any idea the cost of reflocking just this part of an older saddle? Either locally or sending out? (I’m in MA) I have looked over and over and I don’t see anything remotely wrong with the majority of the flocking, just these side flaps, so I think it would only need to be partial. I’m assuming based on the age of the saddle and the feel of it that this is wool or some combination thereof.

Oh, and if it matters, I have used it on various horses in the past so it has never been fitted to anyone in particular-- but I am part-leasing now-- at some point will try this saddle for fit-- if it works, I would be fine with it being done to fit him if that is a factor… but I’m not sure they’d need to do an actual fitting if the back isn’t being redone. Hope that makes sense.

Thanks in advance!

[GoForAGallop]

Yes, lumps are ALWAYS bad.

I highly recommend Patty Barnett, out of East Crow Saddlery, but pretty much anyone should be able to do a competent basic reflock. Best to do a full one, you don’t know how old/what quality that old flocking is.

It’ll be in the $300 range.

[alto]

I think you mean the panel at the front of the saddle - where it sits on the shoulder more so than the back ???

It’s not unusual for saddle panels to look a bit wrinkly as the flocking settles etc, whether it bothers the horses, rather depends on the horse.
Actual lumps will act as pressure points.

If the flocking has had a bit of use over the years, especially on different horse, & no maintenance, I’d have the saddle checked & likely re-flocked.

Prices vary, I get the absolute best pricing in my area through my County rep (it was a significant consideration when I was saddle shopping) & she uses top quality wool.
(oddly her predecessor used some funky off label stuff - as we discovered when I had a saddle adjusted, rep ended up replacing much of the wool in the panels but charged only a minimal fee as she felt the previous rep had done poorly by the saddle.)

btw our old Competitor is an '86, 16.5, #3 - as far as we could tell it had hardly been used: had some cat scratches & we assumed it got stored away at that point & then finally went to the local tack shop … it still had the original flocking and had no panel wrinkles etc despite it being 2010 when we bought the saddle :lol:

[Platypi]

To clarify, all the flocked parts that are on the top along the back/withers that would have any weight pressing on them are in great shape… they look no different from when I got it. It is the curved side parts (underneath the flaps) that are looking wrinkled. If it were sitting on the horse, it would be the parts leaning against the sides of the horse, underneath my legs, if that makes more sense?

I assumed that would be considered part of the panels since it’s all attached, but it’s not until the curvy part that it starts looking wrinkled.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=nYnTZ269cLRR5M&tbnid=5C3x62kI8SGM7M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bettersaddles.co.uk%2Fsaddle_construction_1.html&ei=s9GEU8yqKarIsASAzIGgBw&psig=AFQjCNEVL4omK7hXKPpHXxGMnZ0Zs-iHrw&ust=1401299671740213

This pic is not my saddle but for reference: the part with the buttons is the part on mine that is affected. On mine like in this one, the panel is both the part the saddle sits on, and the padding all the way down the flaps.

[alto]

Yes that’s the panel area I assumed you meant, FP would have an absolute fit if there was a lump in that area - he’s a shoulder guy :lol:

[jaybird660]

It it is an older saddle and had settled, lumpy or very irregular flocking then a strip flock is probably a good choice and can range in the mid 200 - 350 range depending on who does it and what is needed.
Sometimes, just the way a saddle has been stored can make dents and such and sometimes a flocking adjustment can cure or fix some issues but without actually feeling and seeing it is hard to be sure.

[Platypi]

Thanks everyone for the input! Looks like I’ll be saving for some reflocking Unfortunately for me I’m on fixed income so it’s hard enough to manage a lease… and just my luck I’ve also had multiple dental emergencies this year. My DENTIST could probably afford a pretty nice pony now LOL!

The saddle is old, yes, but hasn’t been super heavily used or on that many horses. I bought it from the original owner, who sold her horse and the saddle didn’t fit the new horse. I used it for weekly lessons during the summers for a few years until i moved and stopped riding for a while. At any rate, when using it for lessons, it was on two horses- an arab and a small TB who were surprisingly similar in build. I tried on them before I bought it, and my instructor was surprised how well it fit both… neither needed any corrective padding at all to “make it work” and both were much less cranky. I got it because that barn had a “ride in whatever is left” policy for tack, which sucked for everyone involved. You’d pad the daylights out of some monster big saddle or be perched atop a tiny close contact. And forget having the right bit, you got what was on the bridle that was there. Needless to say I got a bridle too… I just felt so bad for the poor school horses. At least when I rode them, they got the same thing every time, and it actually fit. At any rate, the saddle has been used on a grand total of 3 horses ever, and two were extremely similar build.

[merrygoround]

Last price I saw was around $150, with several saddles checked and I think two done.

[alto]

[QUOTE=Platypi;7601908]
Thanks everyone for the input! Looks like I’ll be saving for some reflocking Unfortunately for me I’m on fixed income so it’s hard enough to manage a lease… and just my luck I’ve also had multiple dental emergencies this year [/QUOTE]
Check with your local saddle fitters, county reps for pricing (ask about travel fees & adjustment fees for a total estimate, also details of wool used), you might also enquire about possible payment plans
If rep is in your area or fitter already coming out to the barn, you should be able to have the saddle checked very economically, & at least will know if saddle really needs adjusting before you ride.

The saddle is old, yes, but hasn’t been super heavily used or on that many horses. <snip> At any rate, the saddle has been used on a grand total of 3 horses ever, and two were extremely similar build.

Wool may’ve compressed just with pressure from storage (it’s been some years, I think), also if riding 5-7 days a week, I’d expect to check saddle at least every 6-12 months (current horse gets his saddle done every 3 months or so, but he has zero interest in stoicism )

[Platypi]

Thanks again everyone. As it turns out, the County is too narrow on the pony I’m leasing so I’m just setting it aside for now… since finances are tight, it probably doesn’t make sense for me to reflock it without a horse to fit it to or a use for it, and then put it back in the closet.

It is an unusual creature-- smaller, narrower dressage saddle-- but it’s just so unbelievably comfortable and when it fits, it FITS. I can’t believe I continue to justify holding onto it, but… it is simply the most comfortable and proportioned saddle for me that I’ve ever found. I have weird conformation LOL and it’s very tricky to find a saddle that lets me keep my legs well under me. Ditto finding a horse I don’t look ridiculous on! I’m tall in the body, but with super short arms and legs. But then, nearly all of my leg length is thigh, not calf. Making it almost impossible to keep my legs underneath me in anything but a dressage saddle. I thought it would never happen until I learned about the whole stirrup bar location thing. ANYway… just wanted to thank everyone for input on this ole County. Mmm… would it be totally crazy to pop it on a stand and use it as a computer seat?

[alto]

[QUOTE=Platypi;7645457]

Mmm… would it be totally crazy to pop it on a stand and use it as a computer seat? :)[/QUOTE]
Yes! not great mileage to put on a saddle that you love & hope to find a horse to fit - it will break in in all the wrong ways.

You might try the new Competitors/Connections, especially with a good rep, as there are various options to alter fit to suit the rider.
The updated versions are considered more “horse friendly”.

Our '86 Competitor isn’t going anywhere :lol: