Anyone have an opinion about the Stübben Scout?
Not an opinion, but got a Scout!!! :lol:
An excellent general purpose saddle. Designed post-WWII for the Belgian Army and used by many police agencies, it’s comfortable, well built, and fits my horses quite well. And 10 D-rings allow you to carry a lot of stuff.
If it has a downside it’s that the smallest seat is 18" (or at least it was last time I checked, about 18 months ago). This is because when it was designed there were no women in mounted military or police units. So the saddle was designed without women in mind. Nowadays that would not be done, but there it is.
If the saddle fits your conformation and your horse then I’d buy it. 
G.
Thanks Guilherme. I would be buying the saddle sight unseen, although it is brandnew, so I have not had my fingers on it. Does it have more bearing surface (contact to the horse’s back) than a more “normal” Stubben saddle?
Compared to my wife’s VSD-DL the bearing surface is slightly larger, but not dramatically so. It carries a load quite well.
I made some “coat straps” for the pommel, and can roll and attach my slicker that way. I’m making some leather saddle bags to match the saddle but that’s a slow going project. In the interim I bought some nylon “fanny packs” from a company called Blackhawk (they make police gear). One attaches on each side and I made some nylon “hold down” straps to reduce “flapping.” I can attach a one qt. plastic GI canteen to either of the bags. I’m also making a “cantle shelf” that, when finished, will allow me to attach a “blanket roll” or portmanteau (also under construction) behind and it will not rest on the horse’s back. For a pad I use a reproduction cavalry blanket folded military style. That gives me a six layer, “laminate” pad that seems to work quite well.
We participate in military horsemanship competitions. The most difficult job so far has been hanging a saber. By 1948 they were generally obsolete, so the designers did not allow for them. I bought a standard carrier for the M1913 Patton Saber and then made a couple of straps that allow it to hang usefully on the off side, but it’s not really “right.” I’ve got to do more “engineering” on the project. 
All in all it’s a good saddle for general purpose riding, including trail or horse camping. 
G.
Hi! I’ve seen what may have been a Scout on eBay very recently. It looked very nice, but I don’t think it sold so maybe it will be relisted. I’m pretty sure it was a Scout.
