Thoughts on older Albion saddles?

[amb]

I’ve currently got an older Albion jump saddle (Legend 5000) on trial that seems to fit everyone involved. (I am mildly picky, horse is very picky but seems to like the short and wide Albion panels.) I have always thought of them as a dressage brand but this saddle fell into my lap and I am surprised at how much I like it. Reminds me of my 50+ year old Stübben Siegfried except without being 50+ years old and beat up. (Even if that describes me pretty well too.)

Anybody have feelings about how their older Albions are holding up and want to tell me it’s a wonderful and/or terrible idea? Any problem areas to look at? Other saddles I should be looking at that fit the same way? (FWIW, price is $1000, which feels high.) I’m sure it predates all of the modern adjustability features that Albion now offers but their website says they’ll change out trees on any saddle they’ve ever sold, which surprises me. (Probably expensive enough to not be worth it with an older saddle, but still interesting.)

To get an idea of style, it looks a lot like this one from Middleburg: https://www.middleburgtack.com/jumping/albion-legend-5000-1

[js]

If it looks like and is in similar condition as the one in the link then the price is too much. Albions are good saddles, not as popular for jumping but if it fits you and your horse then that’s all that counts. I would keep looking for a better bargain though.

[walktrot]

Albion is not well know in the States. 20 years ago I was riding a school horse but needed a saddle that didn’t cause pain. My budget was $1000. I spent most of an afternoon at Pelham Saddlery and tried most of the inventory. I went over my budget when the store manager pulled an Albion out. I had an ahhh moment when I sat down. It was a GP900; general purpose, fit me, fit the school horse and the horse I bought. I sold it to a barn friend who is still using it and it looks good.

I walked into the store months later for something else. The same store manger said she had the perfect saddle for me. I still use it daily. It’s a special order Original Comfort dressage saddle with a 19" seat, short flaps, deep gussets and a wide tree. It was an aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh moment.

Both saddles were built around 1999. I had a broken billet a few years ago so I had all four replaced it and reflocked it. It has some wear but still looks wonderful. I use the saddle soap from HorseTech.com. It is easy to keep clean and I don’t have to condition very often.

Dressage saddles back then had seats that were more open with much smaller blocks. It’s good for developing your balance because you aren’t locked into the seat. The quality of their construction has to be the same for jumping as it does for dressage.

Look at the websites for a few saddleries and you can get an ideas of Albion pricing even if you can’t match the exact model. Pelham Saddlery in New Hampshire is a good source.

[ladyj79]

There is a legend 5000 dressage and an ap. Having owned one, I would spend 1000 if it is in good condition and fits my horse. That’s about right for an older used Albion.

[amb]

Coincidentally (and I’m going to completely give up on being anonymous here) I am trying out this saddle because somebody at Pelham said “Hey, this 19” Albion came in that might be exactly what you’re looking for for your long legs and short-backed horse". (It’s not even on the web site yet!)

Anyway, thanks for everyone’s input. On the on hand (and it’s a very compelling thing) it fits both of us. Also the size (19") is somewhat hard-to-find in jump saddles. On the other hand, it does seem high in price vs what comparisons I can find. Finally, though, it’s a consignment saddle, if I don’t like the price I can always make an offer, perhaps we can make everyone happy. (I’d also prefer to give Pelham the sale as they’ve been fantastic to me.)

PS: I think we have similar tastes in dressage saddles, too. The other saddle I have that works (to some extent) for both of us is a borrowed modern-style dressage saddle and it drives me to distraction to be that locked in.

[quietann]

I had an Albion Style for several years, and would have kept it had my butt not, um, outgrown it. Also from Pelham – they are good people!

I tried an Original Comfort they had, mostly because it was brown and I have a palomino, but it was. so. uncomfortable.

$1000 for a saddle that you love and that fits your horse, if it’s in good shape, is not too much IMO. But try making an offer.

[Alex_and_Bodie_s_Mom]

As anyone who’s gone down the rabbit hole of trying saddles will tell you, finding the right one is worth almost anything. If I had a saddle I loved, that fit me and my horse, I’d pay whatever I had to for it, so long as it was in my budget. But there’s no harm in making a reasonable offer.

The one thing I remember hearing about Albions is that they had a tendency to fade somewhat -? I took one on trial - a dressage saddle. It was nice, but didn’t fit the horse. It was quite faded from use, and looked a bit odd. But if it had fit the horse, I wouldn’t have minded.