Saddle Shopping Dilemmas!!!

[JFalexis]

Hi all, I am about to buy my first close contact saddle, I have both a cutback and a western EQ saddle, as I ride saddle seat and western in addition to hunters and EQ over fences. I have decided it is time for a saddle to add to my collection, but I don’t know anything about CCs… I have narrowed it to a few options that I know won’t be the absolute nicest out there (obviously I wont be a Maclay champion in any of these saddles) but I do want to choose what will be best for hunters up to 3’ and EQ up to 2’6". I am on a budget though, as I am 17 and have to buy it on my own (parents think horses are a waste of money). That being said, I have around $900-$1000 to spend on a saddle that has to last me through college (so about 5-6 years of use). I would like to hear everyone’s input on the saddles I have it narrowed down to including experience or anything else, I want to know the GOOD AND THE BAD!

The first saddle is a Camelot. I know on the forums a ton of people say they are crap and hate them but everyone I know who has one has loved it, and I would be able to afford it new. A girl at my barn has one and loves it, she says she has had it for 3 years now and it is still in good condition, but it is VERY dark compared to when it was bought (a Havana or chocolate color, but bought a nice light brown). I tried one and it seemed comfy, but I would like some input. Here is a link: http://www.doversaddlery.com/camelot-close-contact/p/X1-15255/

Saddle #2 is a Stubben Siegfried, used from a local tack shop. I know that it is an all purpose saddle but is it suitable for the things I would like to do and is it show worthy? Here is a link to the exact one I would buy: http://www.saddlersrow.com/17-stubben-siegfried-vsd-all-purpose-saddle-consignment-a30320/
it comes with leathers as well, which would be nice, but the flap is straight, so opinions are very needed.

The third saddle is also used, from the same tack shop and is a Pessoa EQ with no knee or calf or thigh blocks, but a small knee roll. It comes with both leathers and irons for about 900 which is right in budget, but I couldn’t find much information on this saddle, it looks amazing, but I would LOVE to hear some confirmation on this, or even anything on the contrary, I’d like to be fully informed of EVERY opinion. Here is a link: http://www.saddlersrow.com/17-pessoa-eq-close-contact-saddle-consignment-c14618 The appealing part is I wouldn’t have to buy leathers or irons and would be right on my budget, but isn’t worth it if the saddle is junk.

The next saddle is an HDR Advantage that I could buy new. I know the opinions are pretty mixed, but would like to revive that debate for my purposes.

Next would be a used local consignment saddle Pessoa A/O plain flap, no blocks or rolls. I think it looks nice but I couldn’t imagine a plain flap is good for jumping, but I would like to see the opinions. It has some scrapes on the flap that I think would oil out just fine. It is about $400. Link is here: http://www.saddlersrow.com/17-pessoa-a-o-plain-flap-close-contact-saddle-consignment-c14619/

I found no information at all about the Supreeme Jean LUC I was looking at that is only about $400 used and I was wondering if anyone could tell me anything about it: link is below.
http://www.saddlersrow.com/17-supreme-jean-luc-close-contact-saddle-consignment-c14624/

Another I liked was the Equibette that is about $500, but I don’t know anything about it. link is here: http://www.saddlersrow.com/17-equibette-close-contact-saddle-consignment-c14572/

The last saddle I was looking at was the HDR Pro Show Jump saddle, would love to hear opinions link is here: http://www.saddlersrow.com/17-hdr-show-jumping-pro-close-contact-saddle-consignment-c14626/

it is also used, but is very very well priced, but would like opinions since I’m not too sure about anything.

If you were choosing between these saddles, which would you choose and why? Please include any information you think I would be interested in or need to know to make my decision.

THank you all so much!
Alexis

[Dramapony_misty]

The #1 lesson I have learned in saddle searching, is this: “All Purpose” saddles = no purpose. The flaps are too straight and the seat usually too deep for jumping, yet the flaps are usually too far forward to put you in a good position for dressage flat work.

Looking at your listed saddles, I would steer clear of:
HDR Pro Show Jump saddle- only because that flap looks REALLY forward. You would have to jack your stirrups up alot to fit it and that is not ideal for hunters or EQ. I think that saddle is made for the position need to tackle the really BIG fences.
The Equibette- don’t know anything about them, but the 2-tone leather is super-out of date.
Stubben- for the first point I made…just not really right for hunters and EQ

If I were you, I would seriously look at that Pessoa EQ. Pessoas are great saddles and the EQ seems like it has the best shape for what you want to do.

[JFalexis]

[QUOTE=Dramapony_misty;8695546]

If I were you, I would seriously look at that Pessoa EQ. Pessoas are great saddles and the EQ seems like it has the best shape for what you want to do.[/QUOTE]

I was thinking the Pessoa EQ looked lovely, but the no knee or calf blocks scares me, as I am unsure of if it will put me into a bad position or if it will not be very secure. Is the $900 a good deal for it to include leathers and irons or not really? What does no blocks essentially mean for my position and comfort and overall function? I like that it does have a knee roll, as that is my preferred look as I enjoy the classic “jumping” look of it that seems to be very common. Plain flaps worry me and I don’t know why. Can anyone please tell me what the difference is other than the obvious?

[HJdaydream]

I think for what you are wanting to do, and the budget you have listed, a Pessoa is a good option for you. They are much nicer then similar “starter” saddles in my experience, and you can often find lightly used ones in your range on Facebook groups for used tack, some people even allow a trial. I used to have a nice little Pessoa that I bought “used” that looked brand new for $950, and was able to sell it 2 years later for $900. It held up VERY well to every day riding considering the price. Good luck in your search, and check out English Tack Trader on FB if you want more used saddle options!

[541hunter]

I would go for the Pessoa with the knee roll if you like how it rides. They’re good lower-budget saddles, and if you decided you want blocks you could get them added down the road for not too much money. But plenty of people don’t care for blocks at all – I’m pulling the calf blocks from my Beval, actually, because I find they get in my way more than they help my position. But I like a knee roll for a bit of stability.

Pessoas will probably also hold some resale value, in case you decide down the road you’d like to trade up. They’re a very common brand, especially amongst the non-A circuit crowd (though you’ll still see them at the As!). We have quite a few in our school horse program and they hold up very well.

[JFalexis]

So are you saying that no blocks lets you be more in control of your positioning rather than the saddle choosing your positioning? I am used to riding in the Cutback saddle that is literally a seat and a flap with a girth attatched, so I am very much a fan of being in control of my position, I just didn’t know if it would allow for the needed stability over fences to get one with no blocks.

Also Whats the deal with plain flaps? out of style? Junky? Not good for jumping? Or are they awesome? Is it a preference?

Sorry for so many confusing questions, I am just trying to make the best decision!

[cswoodlandfairy]

I agree with others that a Pessoa is the best route. As for the plain flaps, that’s a personal decision. For me it would depend on how “sticky” the saddle is whether to go plain flat, but on a whole I prefer a my padded knee flap. My first saddle which was a Stubben Artus (LOVED IT) only had a pencil knee role and it worked great. It is a cc saddle…hard to find used though as people tend to hold on to those. When I was ready to get a new saddle I got thigh blocks and loved having them, but I do high jumpers and it makes me feel more secure. So again its completely a personal preference. I never felt unsecure in my Stubben but once I felt the difference I kept the thigh blocks.

Definitely check the FB pages and other used saddle places (many online) as Pessoas are much easier to find used and in your price range! Best of luck!

If that site you are looking at is close to you I would suggest trying as many as you can. If you like the Pessoa they have for sale it is not much more to get knee rolls or thigh rolls on there if you want them.

[Arelle]

No real input - I’ll be watching this thread as I have my normal saddle that I love love love - I think it’s a Beval that I bought used back in 09? 08? and it was used then. BUT I would like to have a second saddle around so I don’t wear this one out as quickly. I don’t want to spend thousands of dollars and I’m curious as if anything out there is really a good value.

Have you checked out the clearance section on Dover? I was eyeballing a few of those. I assume you’re looking for a 17’’ seat.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/saddles-girths-closeout/c/8310/

[541hunter]

Plain flaps are definitely out of style – they’re very old school, but that doesn’t make them out of the question. In the old days (or so I hear!) everyone rode in totally flat, thin CC saddles with no blocks or rolls to allow for closer contact (hence CC) with the horse. Rolls, blocks, deeper seats, etc. have evolved as tools to increase rider stability.

I’ve found that I like a knee roll so I don’t slip around. We have no-roll saddles in our tack room as well and they work just fine, just not as comfy and there’s less to grab onto with your knee if that makes sense. Blocks are fine if they are set in the right place for you, but when you’re buying “off the rack” they can mess with your position. I found them helpful when I was less secure in my position, but if you’re solid in the tack they’re really not necessary IMO. I have a somewhat hard to fit shape (I’m 5’4", long hip to knee and very short knee to ankle) and I’ve found the calf blocks on my saddle (Beval Artisan) rub my calves really badly when I’m riding without stirrups. I think they push my legs just a hair bit too far forward as well, so I can’t wrap around my horse’s belly the way I’d like to. But if the block holds your calf in the RIGHT place, it can help your leg stay still.

[JFalexis]

I am starting to like the sound of what no blocks seems to be, I currently ride without blocks in my trainer’s saddle, and I do not feel forced anywhere. I like the idea of having more control over my position, I wouldn’t say I’m dead solid in the tack, but I am very sticky and have ridden for 11 years, so I know where my leg goes and have the muscles to keep it there. I am going to go check out a few saddles when I go, I just wanted to see what the opinions are and get information so that I am more educated and don’t get taken a certain direction by a sales person in the store. I am an awkward shape, long calf, short thigh, and I believe that blocks would make me go into a chair position, something any EQ rider or trainer would cringe at. The Pessoa EQ is at the tippy top of my list, and the price is reduced due to te staining on the underside (part that touches the horse) and the wrinkle on the bottom of the left flap, something that doesn’t bother me. Plus it comes with matching leathers and flex stirrup irons (the kind that are silver with black rubber so they move more and don’t hurt). The irons alone are almost $150, and leathers do not run cheap, so I think the saddle would be quite a steal if it works out for me. Thank you to anyone who has put their input into this thread, more people are welcome to do so as well, as I am looking for as many opinions as I could get!

[Against_All_Odds1]

[QUOTE=Arelle;8695665]
No real input - I’ll be watching this thread as I have my normal saddle that I love love love - I think it’s a Beval that I bought used back in 09? 08? and it was used then. BUT I would like to have a second saddle around so I don’t wear this one out as quickly. I don’t want to spend thousands of dollars and I’m curious as if anything out there is really a good value.

Have you checked out the clearance section on Dover? I was eyeballing a few of those. I assume you’re looking for a 17’’ seat.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/saddles-girths-closeout/c/8310/[/QUOTE]

On this link there is a collegiate diploma new for $899. I had this USED for this price. It was an amazing saddle and it’s seen often on the trillium circuit here in Ontario. It was stolen so obviously someone else thought it was nice enough too. It also has a changeable gullet system that I found fit my paint, a HUS appendix at my barn and a morgan gelding that I purchased it from.

[541hunter]

[QUOTE=JFalexis;8695689]
I am an awkward shape, long calf, short thigh, and I believe that blocks would make me go into a chair position, something any EQ rider or trainer would cringe at.[/QUOTE]

Like I said, blocks don’t necessarily always do that. If I moved my blocks (another very inexpensive fix) I’m sure they’d be fine for me. But my personal preference is no blocks. I’d say your best bet is to try riding in a saddle with blocks and see what you think, if there’s an option to. But if you’ve been riding without blocks and you don’t mind it, I’m sure you’ll do just fine in that Pessoa EQ.

Also wanted to clarify that I didn’t mean blocks are only for people without solid positions, as evidenced by the poster above who rides the bigger jumpers! I just found that for me personally, once I got solid in the tack (i.e., fit, muscle memory set, etc.), having blocks or not having blocks became somewhat irrelevant.

[Belmont]

Out of all of those, I would get the Pessoa Eq.

Don’t be afraid of no knee blocks. Thought cushy, knee pad/blocks everywhere saddles are in style, no one really notices if you are in a flatter saddle. Lillie Keenan rides one of her horses in a flat saddle. I love flatter saddles and found myself more pushed into a certain position in the more cushy saddles. Therefore, I bought my saddle and took off the knee blocks!

If you can, try before you buy. Your body will tell you what you do/dont like.

[JFalexis]

I can buy and try and return at this tack shop, which is great since it is close. I am going to a consignment shop tonight that doesn’t list their saddles online, they don’t usually have anything very great, or a lot in my size, but worth a try. If I don’t see much, I’m heading to the shop this weekend to check out the Pessoa EQ and a couple of others.

[nycequestrian]

It’s not on your list but I would also consider looking at the Dover Circuit saddles. They’re decent saddles for the money and tend to hold up well. I have one that I bought several years ago and only had one issue with it (which Dover fixed). The leather quality definitely isn’t as nice as say a $5000 French saddle, but then again the Circuit runs 900 - 1200. I have the special eq premiere and really love the grippy-ness of the seat and the way the flap fits my leg.

[MtnDrmz]

I also vote for the Pessoa EQ! I have never sat in an HDR that I thought was remotely comfy or well balanced, and the all purpose saddle is as the other poster put it “no purpose”. I will say that I am not a huge fan of the Pessoa A/Os that I have sat in either (not a great place to sit), but the EQ seems to be a bit better. The EQ will be a flat saddle, as that is what Equitation used to be ridden in, but not as fashionable these days. However, if you are used to a cutback I imagine that this saddle will definitely be a step up in security anyways, but not so overpowering compared to what you may be used to. I do think its better to get a slightly used higher quality saddle, then something in your price range that is new. Good luck!

Added: The jointed iron are no longer legal in the equitation, so you may need to grab another plain pair while your’e there!

[JenEM]

I’d also opt for the Pessoa EQ out of those choices. They’re well balanced, decently made saddles that will last.

As to blocks/rolls/etc, all my saddle has is a pencil knee roll and padded flaps, similar to the Pessoa EQ. (It’s actually a Dabbs AO, which made the Pessoas when they were made in England, so very very similar.) I love it, have done 3’ hunters and eq no problem. I actually don’t love a lot of padding on my saddles. BUT, if the blocks etc are in the correct place, you shouldn’t notice them, they should just support you. It’s when they’re not positioned correctly or you’re relying on them to give you a position rather than riding properly that they become noticeable.

[pattnic]

I’m going to be the voice of dissent and suggest you seriously look at the Jean Luc saddle. If it’s what I think it is, it is easily the best deal of what you’ve listed - low brand recognition has it priced extremely low.

And to join the chorus, the Pessoa EQ would be your other best option. Do not take into account whether fittings are included - consignment saddles are typically not priced any higher because they include fittings.

[RugBug]

[QUOTE=pattnic;8695825]
I’m going to be the voice of dissent and suggest you seriously look at the Jean Luc saddle. If it’s what I think it is, it is easily the best deal of what you’ve listed - low brand recognition has it priced extremely low.

And to join the chorus, the Pessoa EQ would be your other best option. Do not take into account whether fittings are included - consignment saddles are typically not priced any higher because they include fittings.[/QUOTE]

This is what I was going to say. The Jean Luc looks very much like a Black Country and thus, knowing that I could try and return, I would start there.

Stay away from HDR. that Stubben should not be considered either.

[JFalexis]

Can someone tell me what’s up with the Jean LUC? I imagined it was kinda junky? Can someone tell me why they would say that over a Pessoa?