Saddle searching: need recommendations

[mryann]

I’m currently looking for a saddle and I’m having a tough time deciding on brands and sizes. I’m a college student (mainly ride hunter/equitation) and I do not own my own horse, so I ride a variety of sized horses- I would prefer something that will fit a majority of them. I was convinced I wanted a CWD or Butet, but now I am leaning towards Devoucoux… But any and all opinions would be appreciated! I’m not in a hurry, so I’m trying to do my research before I buy something I won’t like… So I need some brand suggestions and some opinions, please!

I have a (very) long thigh and a somewhat long lower leg as well, so I’m pretty sure I will need a forward and possibly a long flap as well.

I’m not 100% sure on a solid budget right now, but I think it will probably be around $2000-3000.

[AmmyHunter]

I bought my CWD SE01 (3C, long forward flap) when I was leasing a horse and have been using it to try sale horses, and with a 4.5" point-to-point measurement, and a half-pad with shims that can be added or removed, it has fit pretty much everything I have put it on (some better than others of course but none where we didn’t feel like we could adjust something to have it work). What saddle will work best for you will be a model that suits your personal preference, but should be something with a common tree width to give you the best chance of fit. I tried Devoucoux, Voltaire, Antares, etc, and with the budget you mention, you can definitely find a nice used one. If you have any you can try at your barn to narrow down your preferences, it will save you a lot of shipping money having used ones sent to try. I had good luck with Maryland Tack Exchange, and there are plenty of other websites too (iselltack.com comes to mind, as do the actual manufacturer websites where you can find demos).