So Grateful for Antares

[FineAlready]

I had an Antares a few years back, and the tree broke TWICE in the approximately 3 years I had it. I believe it was a 2007 saddle, and the tree broke in 2009 and then again in 2011 (can’t totally recall the years anymore). So, two different trees broke (the entire tree was replaced the first time, it came back, I rode in it for a while without incident, and then that tree broke in a different place while I was walking around the arena cooling out my horse).

I’m not going to rehash the entire situation, but dealing with Antares was a nightmare, especially with the second broken tree. Among other things, one of the owners of the company was beyond rude to me (implying/suggesting that I caused the problems, which I absolutely did not), and the proposed solutions to the problem were entirely unacceptable to me. The tree was still under warranty both times, so it WAS replaced each time, but suffice it to say at that point I just wanted OUT and AWAY from the company and its products.

Perhaps others would have found the solutions offered by Antares to be acceptable, but I personally had and still have a problem with the fact that I had TWO broken trees on one of their saddles…particularly in such a short period of time.

I will never do business with them again, and I will relay the facts concerning the broken trees I encountered to anyone considering an Antares. Honestly, I don’t even have to say much - simply relaying the completely indisputable truth that the saddle had TWO broken trees is generally enough information for people to make an informed decision about whether or not to buy from them.

[Pennywell_Bay]

FA- perhaps you should be expecting an email?

[mercedesva]

Pennywell Bay - No, BB wasn’t contacted by us in regards to her post. I haven’t personally spoken with her but I do know she is getting a new tree. I just wanted to clear up the fact that we would never knowingly sell a broken tree.

[Renn_aissance]

This is very much reading like “we will fix your tree, and maybe for free, if and only if you retract everything bad you ever said about us because we’re really getting gun shy about the amount of bad publicity we have had on the internet.”

[Lucassb]

Well, if nothing else… the “recanting” has served to remind a lot of people about the issue Antares seems to have with its trees and customer service…

[Appsolute]

Guess I am “old school” I remember a time when saddles really used to last a life time and cost 1/3 of what Antares charges.

I have saddles that are 25+ years old and have never had to replace a tree. Routine maintenance? Billets every 10 years or so. Haven’t worn through seats either, but they used leather that actually lasted on those saddles.

I am mind boggled by the number of “issues” many seem to find acceptable with their outrageously expensive saddles. If I plunked down that much money on a saddle, I would want a life time tree guarantee (there are some manufacturers that do that you know), and a saddle that was actually built to last.

[vxf111]

The “beatings will continue until morale improves” brand of customer service??

[Showjumper28]

Let me just say, my experience with Anatres customer service has been less then stellar. And I only ordered a helmet! Took many many months and lots of chasing/angry phone calls to get it. I ended up with a lesser model that wasn’t even close to the original I had ordered. And the whole time I felt like I was just a huge PITA that they didn’t feel was important enough. Would never order anything else from them after this experience. Seriously if they couldn’t get a $500 order right, I am certaintly not going to give them $5000!

And I’m glad I found out about the tree issues. I will be considering a new saddle for my new horse. This just adds another reason to the list on why it won’t be an Antares.

[Mara]

Wonder if it was BB’s Antares-sponsored trainer who strong-armed her into recanting?

[Bristol_Bay]

[QUOTE=Mara;7388544]
Wonder if it was BB’s Antares-sponsored trainer who strong-armed her into recanting?[/QUOTE]

Wasn’t he on vacation when all this was going on?

I know people come on here and vent sometimes before they have all the facts. I know I have done that. Maybe that’s the case here.

[FineAlready]

[QUOTE=Pennywell Bay;7387832]
FA- perhaps you should be expecting an email? ;)[/QUOTE]

Yeah, don’t really care. I’m an attorney and know that I am WELL within my rights to relay my true experiences with the company to others.

[TSWJB]

[QUOTE=Appsolute;7388181]
Guess I am “old school” I remember a time when saddles really used to last a life time and cost 1/3 of what Antares charges.

I have saddles that are 25+ years old and have never had to replace a tree. Routine maintenance? Billets every 10 years or so. Haven’t worn through seats either, but they used leather that actually lasted on those saddles.

I am mind boggled by the number of “issues” many seem to find acceptable with their outrageously expensive saddles. If I plunked down that much money on a saddle, I would want a life time tree guarantee (there are some manufacturers that do that you know), and a saddle that was actually built to last.[/QUOTE]
I agree with you! I had a Crosby Prix de Nations and a Bevals Gladstone saddle and they would wear like iron and I never ever had a tree break. Now 5K saddles have their trees break? Why?

[Star_s_Ascent]

I can say that I had contacted Antares and spoke to Ashley specifically (hi!) back over the summer about whether they would take a saddle I had as a partial trade. It had a squeak which I fully disclosed. After also sending photos they chose not to take my saddle as a trade. So in my case they chose not to take a saddle with a known problem in. I ended up buying a new one. My rep was great to work with and I love my saddle so far. I haven’t had any problems with the others that I have all bought used either. And Ashley was great to work with as well. A few years ago I also called to get info on a saddle I bought used and the gentleman that helped me was more than helpful. Like someone else said, things happen. You can take in your lemon car and end up with another lemon car of a different model. It just happens. It’s unfortunate but it does

[Appsolute]

And some manufacturers of cars produce many more lemons than others (check out consumer reports dependability ratings), same is true with saddles.

Some one mentioned Crosby, I have never heard of a Crosby tree breaking, maybe if a horse flipped on it, but standard use, less than 10 years old? Unheard of. Those saddles are like 1980s Toyotas, you can’t kill them. Now Anteres and broken trees? As common as a Volkswagen with electrical issues.

[jn4jenny]

[QUOTE=Appsolute;7390711]
And some manufacturers of cars produce many more lemons than others (check out consumer reports dependability ratings), same is true with saddles.

Some one mentioned Crosby, I have never heard of a Crosby tree breaking, maybe if a horse flipped on it, but standard use, less than 10 years old? Unheard of. Those saddles are like 1980s Toyotas, you can’t kill them. Now Anteres and broken trees? As common as a Volkswagen with electrical issues.[/QUOTE]

Antares does have a lemon reputation. I’m pretty sure everyone on this thread, including me, has agreed with that. But it is not “unheard of” for Crosby trees to break in an untimely fashion. Or Stubben trees. Or Passier trees. Or Berney Brothers trees. You must hang out in a different PM box than mine because while people don’t tend to squeal loudly in public about their $500-$1000 Passier/Stubben/Berney/etc. saddle breaking its tree, the trees do break sometimes. I’m not talking about saddles that broke in shipping or got dropped etc. That could happen to any saddle. I’m talking the “hmm, suddenly something seemed wrong. My saddle started squeaking/I felt weirdly tilted in the tack/my horse started to object to a saddle he’d not objected to the day before.” They are often subtle breaks: one compromised bar, one compromised tree point, a hairline crack in the steel plate that finally gives in, etc. I remember one memorable customer who took a Berney on trial, finally figured out (with my help) that the tree was compromised----and then couldn’t convince the tack store that the tree was broken. The tack store insisted that the saddle was fine. It remained on consignment in their shop for another 12+ months. :eek: Anyway, even when people catch the problem and are totally miffed, what are they gonna do? Drop another $600-$800 to fix a saddle tree on a saddle whose used value is $600-$1000? Most of them just throw it away and get something else. I grew up riding at a big lesson-factory-type barn that must have had 60 Stubbens, Crosbys, and Courbettes. And I remember at least 3 to 4 broken trees over the years. But nobody complained. The saddles were so cheap that the BO just threw them away and quietly replaced them with another $300 saddle.

Again, I am not saying it’s common. I’m saying there’s a reason you don’t hear about it as much. When it happens on sturdy pigskin saddle that’s built tight as a tick, like Stubben or Passier, sometimes the nice thick leather helps “hold the ship together” for a few rides (or even weeks/months!) until the problem is quite a bit more pronounced. By contrast, when French saddle trees fail, it tends to happen pretty fast and be screamingly obvious because they’re made of soft leathers, foam, etc. that quickly reveal any squeaking or unexpected flexing. And when French saddles break, people squeal loudly because a) those saddles cost a fortune and b) many French saddle brands’ customer service is spotty at best. Antares has been wildly inconsistent in its treatment of customers with broken saddle trees. The stories range from “getting white-glove service and a free replacement tree [usually for saddles that are still under warranty]” to “being told to piss off, basically.”

[Sport]

I have an Antares saddle and I love it. David as the rep here in Ontario is fantastic. I can’t say enough great things about him. We are a small barn and a couple of hours out of his way but he comes out to the farm whenever asked. I know a lot of people with their saddles and never heard of an issue until I started seeing topics on it here.

[bjd2013]

I think all saddles have issues, some are just less known then others. We’ve had CWD’s that had stirrup bars literally break off multiple times, and one after the bar got fixed it came back with a broken tree.

Antares would just be the more known saddle brand with issues. When buying from them you assume a risk, same with any saddle brand, or anything in life.

[hj0519]

[QUOTE=Sport;7391032]
I have an Antares saddle and I love it. David as the rep here in Ontario is fantastic. I can’t say enough great things about him. We are a small barn and a couple of hours out of his way but he comes out to the farm whenever asked. I know a lot of people with their saddles and never heard of an issue until I started seeing topics on it here.[/QUOTE]

Same here. I have an Antares that I love and ride in a barn full of Antares saddles. I had never heard of any issues until I saw the topics about it on COTH.

[2foals]

I have two Antares saddles and love them. I have also found the customer service to be excellent. I had a concern about one of my saddles and the rep (T.J.) made a trip to my farm to check it personally. I also have never heard directly of problems with their saddles from anyone I know who has one, just like hj0519 I have only heard of issues here on COTH.