Schlesse saddle

[Heinz_57]

@J-Lu

I can’t afford new but am now interested in learning about just how old is a Schleese saddle “too old” and likely headed for repair.

You probably will be looking much newer than this, but I believe they won’t adjust older saddles with Hennig trees due to the possibility of damage. I had a Schleese Pouvoir (jump saddle) that was my unicorn - fit my gigantic withered TB with no additional half pads, shims, nada thanks to the flair panels. And it was a joy to ride in. But I have also ridden in several older dressage saddles that I found lackluster (the 2x4 seat mentioned above!). I haven’t sat in anything made in the last 10 years for sure.

Also, I’m happy to hear that I’m not the only one who doesn’t have a $6k saddle budget

[J-Lu]

I’ve heard that, too - that they won’t adjust older saddles. Hence my question of what a) what years they’ll agree to fit in the next 5 or so years and b) what years of a saddle model will fit my horse GIVEN my very recent fitting and what tree is similar to the one I just rode in. Apparently, my fitting goes on file with the fitter and with Schleese. It should for the price.

Yep, we of the “Sorry-horse-$6K-has-bigger-priorities-club” can stick together. My new trainer hooked me up with a used Schleese website and feels my pain. Most of her students bought used. It’s still hard to justify the used price which is why I need specifics about years of models from the fitter/Schleese. That’s Monday’s project.

[emo]

This is sadly similar to my experience with Schleese. My saddle was “adjusted” by Jochen himself, and came back unusable. Horse hated it, I hated it, trainer hated it - it had been a saddle that everybody loved. I had to threaten legal action to get it looked at at our barn. Still wasn’t right, and I sold it for less than Schleese charged me for the “adjustment”.

[Mazou]

@J-Lu, you are so very welcome. I do not usually write bad reviews about anything, but this saddle cost too much for me to keep mum. It never sat well with me, literally. As we all know, saddle shopping is not much fun, more often than not. If I had to get a saddle today, I would also be looking into used. I hope you find something that works for you and your guy.

[Hayburner]

Similar situation I had with the fitter not coming for just one person. To me, that is poor service!

[emo]

Once again I agree with Mazou. Other than Schleese I haven’tever given a bad review. I echo her wish that you find something that works for you and your boy. Saddle shoppingis awful.

[Unfforgettable]

I bought a Schleese several years ago. It was OK, but I felt it sat me too far up off the horse. Seemed well made. However, only a Schleese fitter can adjust or work on it or the warranty is void. And they are within hauling distance of me (about two hours each way) only about twice a year. So if there’s an issue in the meantime, you have two choices: Have somebody else fix it and void the warranty (which it appears isn’t worth much anyway) or don’t ride until you can get a fitting appointment in a few months.
I sold it and never looked back.

[Bogie]

@Unfforgettable

However, only a Schleese fitter can adjust or work on it or the warranty is void.

I would ask whether when you buy a used saddle if the warranty is still valid as Schleese specifies that the saddles can only be worked on by their own fitters.

[J-Lu]

Thanks, everyone.

The Schleese fitter seems to come to my area about 3X/year and there are several Schleese owners in a half-mile distance. We are on the way to and not far from Southern Pines, where the fitter has a bunch of horses. Seemingly, as long as I am in this area, I’ll have a fitter.

For those of you who had your saddles “sent out” for fitting, was that because no fitter would come to you? Did you do the measurements or did a Schleese rep come out to make measurements? @emo, who made the measurements for Jochen? Why did HE do the adjustment?

[lorilu]

I recently sent my Obrigado to Canada to have the panels replaced . It is caramel colored, a “one of” made for someone down in Wellington a few years ago, and the local fitter does not carry caramel leather parts. Quite happy with the results. (the original panels were too long for my short backed guy).

[J-Lu]

Huh. Thanks! Doesn’t the Obrigado already come with short panels?

How do you like the saddle and how your horse goes in it?

[ake987]

I initially bought a used Schleese that fit both myself and my horse wonderfully, and I was a believer. My horse eventually grew out of that, and I ordered a brand new, custom Schleese that never fit either of us. The demo of the model felt so different from what was delivered. Jochen could not even make it work when he came to do the fitting. They are very well-made saddles, IMO, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a used one that I sat in, on my horse, and fit us both. I would never order a custom saddle from them again, especially not for that price.

[emo]

Sent a PM.

[lorilu]

As I understand it, any Schleese can come with any of the panel lengths (talking about the length under front to back, not down the shoulder). I like it… my position is much better than in the Custom Wolfgang Solo I had been riding in. Stirrup bars are much more under my seat rather than in front of me. Horse has better reach in his shoulder.

[J-Lu]

The extended stirrup bars are a definite selling point for me, as my femur is much longer than my tibia/fibula. I rode in the Custom Advantage and it put me in a chair seat. But that is because of my build. I’ve yet to find a saddle with extended stirrup bars. I’ve ridden my current saddle with the stirrup bar clips laying flat but I’ve had the stirrups fall off when riding. I make the clips upright now.

Yes, I misspoke about the panels. Thank you for correcting me!

[Scribbler]

Part of Schleese fitting practice is to stick the saddle in a press to open or close the tree angles as often as needed. My independent saddle fitter thinks this is something that should be done once or twice maximum in the life span of a saddle and preferably never. She doesn’t do it at all. I’ve also read that saddle presses should be used installed on a level shop floor, not in the back hatch of an SUV and worked on after dark. So this is something to be wary of with secondhand Schleeses.

[sheltona01]

The more concerning part to me is that they believe in adjusting the tree point asymmetrically. Once that is done, it is almost impossible to get the saddle straight.

I do adjust trees on the brands that are suppose to be like Custom. I mainly refuse on other brands because there is always a chance the tree will break.

The part people miss about the tree press is that the tree has to be straight relative to the press. So I have mine marked up so that I can get the tree straight even if the press is not straight. Otherwise, you do get trees adjusted asymmetrically.

[J-Lu]

Apparently you have to buy directly from a Schleese Rep for the warranty to be valid. You’d pay for shipping but the repairs are free.

[Cally0826]

I have had no other problems with the saddle. I believe the saddle was 7 years old at the time.

[Smith2]

I brought schleese custom virtual fit quantum saddle - It’s amazing…the new technology put into the design (explained on schleeses website) which improved my horses movement 3 fold, my balance and comfort. It’s the same weight as the prolight, so not heavy. I like this model in particular, as it gives me control over saddle fit as I can check shoulder measurement as my warmbloods weight fluctuates, with a shoulder tracer, make a cut out template, open the saddle up and check shoulder fits the gullet plate perfectly. The width or angle can be changed with an Allen key if need be. You can also access virtual fitting sessions or wait for a on-site fit. There’s also so much information Jochen Schleese gives in his you tube channel…the saddles expensive, but you get what you pay for and in my view it’s worth the investment…