Voltaire is Garbage

[Greypolopony]

I don’t think your “review” on their service and quality has much of a leg to stand on considering you a) did not give Voltaire a reasonable amount of time to fix the problem and b) broke your contract.

You bought a modern, cushy, delicate saddle (with arguably the least durable upgrades available) and then did an about-face when it didn’t wear like a warhorse rock-hard saddle from the previous century. AND you didn’t let the rep adjust the fit or vouch for their product… In my neck of the woods one week would be VERY fast for getting a rep out, especially during show season.

For what it’s worth, I own a 2014 calf, second skin Voltaire Palm Beach that I sold my 1993 hard-wearing pigskin Hermes Oxer to buy. The only reason I bought the Voltaire with those features is because I ride one horse per day and knew I was going to baby it until said horse retires (and if anything went wrong in the meantime our lovely local rep will fix it). I did the rockhard wears-like-iron saddle route…I’m much happier with my pillow saddle now, even if it does have a shorter life expectancy.

I think you’ll probably have a similar experience with Devoucoux…except they don’t pick up the phone when leather falls apart or you need to return a saddle (trust me, I’ve tried!).

[Bristol_Bay]

Three things:

1. You mean anecdotal, not colloquial.

2. You said post 32 would be your last post, but you keep posting.

3. THANK GOD THEY DID NOT GIVE YOU FREE HATS OR WE’D NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT.

[HJdaydream]

@Greypolopony

I don’t think your “review” on their service and quality has much of a leg to stand on considering you a) did not give Voltaire a reasonable amount of time to fix the problem and b) broke your contract.

You bought a modern, cushy, delicate saddle (with arguably the least durable upgrades available) and then did an about-face when it didn’t wear like a warhorse rock-hard saddle from the previous century. AND you didn’t let the rep adjust the fit or vouch for their product… In my neck of the woods one week would be VERY fast for getting a rep out, especially during show season.

For what it’s worth, I own a 2014 calf, second skin Voltaire Palm Beach that I sold my 1993 hard-wearing pigskin Hermes Oxer to buy. The only reason I bought the Voltaire with those features is because I ride one horse per day and knew I was going to baby it until said horse retires (and if anything went wrong in the meantime our lovely local rep will fix it). I did the rockhard wears-like-iron saddle route…I’m much happier with my pillow saddle now, even if it does have a shorter life expectancy.

I think you’ll probably have a similar experience with Devoucoux…except they don’t pick up the phone when leather falls apart or you need to return a saddle (trust me, I’ve tried!).

Well said!

Basically, the OP’s review based off her character that she has shown us (publicly trashing a company that SHE broke her contract with and she never gave the company a chance to rectify the issue), will mean nothing to most of us here on COTH.

OP is absolutely welcome to voice her concerns and dissatisfaction about a company, but the way in which she did it comes off as extremely immature, and nothing short of a teenage temper-tantrum. As a public forum, we are also absolutely allowed to point out her obvious hypocrisy, which in my view discredits her claims (whether they be true or not, the way she conducted herself does her cause no favors.)

Shrugs.

[Scribbler]

@HELLC

Again, everyone. I realize I didn’t handle the default of contract well.

But I am starting to think this saddle contract is nonsense. One can not speak of other saddle brands, be photographed in other saddle brands etc. Not all saddles fit all horses. I literally have a kid that saved up all her pennies to buy a used voltaire and it is falling apart. She bought the damn thing because of me and I look at it everyday and think that shouldn’t have happened.

BUT nothing negative popped up when I googled voltaire saddle quality. I look at reviews when I make all big purchases.

The saddle sponsor contract may be onerous. But as an adult professional it is up to you to read and ponder the contract and see if you honestly feel you can live up to its terms.

Surely you must have realized that Voltaires or any other saddle couldn’t fit every horse before you signed the contract and thought through the implications for riding clients horses or catch riding in public

I agree that the rules are onerous but no one company is going to give you a good deal without wanting your soul in return. So this is your mistake if you didn’t read the contract.

The student with the busted saddle is also ethically on your head, though obviously there is no legal responsibility. How you decide to make this right is up to you.

We have certainly had threads in the past from folks in her position.

“My coach insisted I buy a certain saddle that was outside my price range. Now it is proving a fail in fit/durability/ etc. I have since learned that my trainer got a discount off her own saddle for every saddle she sold to a client. I am really upset and don’t think I can trust her anymore. Is this common practice at training barns? Should I move to a different barn and how can I avoid being used like this again?”

Our first piece of advice if client bought it through a Voltaire rep would be to contact them ASAP.

[ParadoxFarm]

I know you’re new here, OP, but for your very first post to be a rant about a company leaves a bad taste in many mouths. Does that mean you can never voice concerns/opinions/problems? No, of course not. But this is a community, and most posters come here to share a love of horses and a passion to learn and enjoy the camaraderie with other horse enthusiasts. And I hope you will do that as well. But after reading all the posts, I just feel like this is a one-way rant against a company. When you say you “googled” the company before jumping on the deal, I wonder if that’s all you did. Were you not already a fan, a user of their products? Why accept a sponsorship for a product you are not familiar with and familiar how the products wear? Apparently it didn’t take you long to figure that out, so maybe you should have done more than “googled”. I really think that on this one, you are wrong. I would suggest you make it right. Check your contract. Chalk it up as lesson learned, like you said.

[fourfillies]

As an amateur who contemplated a “Blue Wing” before I bought a TC I appreciate the info. There are days (after riding in my sofa of an Antares) I don’t love my TC for my comfort (it does put me in a great position) my horse loves it and it is wearing like iron. Happy to have a little validation. Several barn mates are having similar issues to the OP with CWD and being a smaller barn without a lot of “clout” service is slow and not so friendly. Your experience may differ, that’s the value of folks expressing opinions.

[HJdaydream]

@Scribbler

The saddle sponsor contract may be onerous. But as an adult professional it is up to you to read and ponder the contract and see if you honestly feel you can live up to its terms.

Surely you must have realized that Voltaires or any other saddle couldn’t fit every horse before you signed the contract and thought through the implications for riding clients horses or catch riding in public

I agree that the rules are onerous but no one company is going to give you a good deal without wanting your soul in return. So this is your mistake if you didn’t read the contract.

The student with the busted saddle is also ethically on your head, though obviously there is no legal responsibility. How you decide to make this right is up to you.

We have certainly had threads in the past from folks in her position.

“My coach insisted I buy a certain saddle that was outside my price range. Now it is proving a fail in fit/durability/ etc. I have since learned that my trainer got a discount off her own saddle for every saddle she sold to a client. I am really upset and don’t think I can trust her anymore. Is this common practice at training barns? Should I move to a different barn and how can I avoid being used like this again?”

Our first piece of advice if client bought it through a Voltaire rep would be to contact them ASAP.

In OP’s defense-

I do not believe Voltaire offers any kind of monetary benefit/point system to sponsored trainers if their clients buy Voltaires. Someone feel free to speak up if they know something I do not (which is entirely possible).

[ToTheNines]

To the OP, maybe part of the problem here is that your ranting seems like something for Facebook or the like. We don’t want that here. This forum is for constructive criticism, help, and support. Through the years, I have gotten invaluable assistance here.

A helpful product review is one thing, but a personal rant is another.

[lmlacross]

Not going to comment on the “initial post as anecdotal brand gripe” aspect here, but speaking more generally…

Flame away, but I can’t help but think that brand “sponsorship” of trainers is great for the brand in the short term but seldom great for anyone else. I wish the practice would stop so that trainers could be more engaged in working with and/or empowering clients to find the best saddle make and model for each of them and their personal horses. IMO, the odds that one brand is going to fit an entire barn of client horses better than anything else on the market is ZERO.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

My Voltaire saddle is several years old and wearing fine. Use before my “winter break” was once a day, 5 days a week. Calfskin, not buffalo. Are you talking about the buffalo or the calf? Just curious.

[enjoytheride]

https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/hunter-jumper/329168-problems-with-cwd

[RainCity]

Meh, I love a good gripe and a review, good or bad. I agree, the saddles are a beautiful, close contact fit but look very tired after a short period of use.

[woodhillsmanhattan]

@Bristol Bay

Three things:

1. You mean anecdotal, not colloquial.

2. You said post 32 would be your last post, but you keep posting.

3. THANK GOD THEY DID NOT GIVE YOU FREE HATS OR WE’D NEVER HEAR THE END OF IT.

You’re my new favorite

[BeeHoney]

@enjoytheride

There have been multiple threads on this page abput quality of saddle brands or dealing with the reps. Why are those threads ok but this one is not?

Because 1) the OP did not give the saddle company a chance to fix things. And 2) the OP purchased her saddle at a very deep discount ($2500) in exchange for signing a sponsorship contract, but then broke the sponsorship contract AND resold (traded in) the saddle with another saddle company at fair market value—effectively ripping off Voltaire for $2500. Sorry, but any honest person would have returned the saddle to the company in those circumstances. If you break a sponsorship deal you don’t get to keep the payment/merchandise!

Now Voltaire wants their $2500 back (or the saddle). So, one has to ask, did the OP have genuine issues with Voltaire or is she just slamming them online because she’s angry that Voltaire is insisting that she return the payment she received for sponsorship?

[Jumper37]

Five Words: Buy a Tad Coffin Saddle.

[eclipse]

Hmmmmm that’s a few new “houseguests” all wth the same point and same number of posts!!! LOL

[vxf111]

@lmlacross

Not going to comment on the “initial post as anecdotal brand gripe” aspect here, but speaking more generally…

Flame away, but I can’t help but think that brand “sponsorship” of trainers is great for the brand in the short term but seldom great for anyone else. I wish the practice would stop so that trainers could be more engaged in working with and/or empowering clients to find the best saddle make and model for each of them and their personal horses. IMO, to odds that one brand is going to fit an entire barn of client horses better than anything else on the market is ZERO.

Agree with you. I ended a relationship with a trainer due to a few reasons but one major one was that she was more interested in me buying a saddle so she could meet her sponsorship quota numbers than having me as a client.

I am very very leery of working with any professional who is getting a kickback of some sort for selling things. Period.

Good products fairly priced sell themselves, they don’t need kickbacks.

[Laurierace]

Voltaire literally bent over backwards to make my saddle right. I bought used and noticed a couple of blemishes in the flaps that I hadn’t noticed before so they asked me to ship it to them at no cost to me. They determined it couldn’t be fixed and sent it to France to have two new flaps but on. My saddle is now 2/3rds brand new and absolutely beautiful and fits like it was custom made for both me and my horse.

Just today at WEF they went so above and beyond when I made A small purchase that I don’t even want to say what they did in case someone got into trouble for it. Add me to the list who says you didn’t give them time to make things right. You may want to delete your posts OP before you get sued.

[AffirmedHope]

Wow. Btw, the manager of the North America side of the business comes on here occasionally. If he came on here to defend his hats, he will definitely come on here to defend his brand against someone that publicly admits to stealing their product.

[Bristol_Bay]

@AffirmedHope

Wow. Btw, the manager of the North America side of the business comes on here occasionally. If he came on here to defend his hats, he will definitely come on here to defend his brand against someone that publicly admits to stealing their product.

PAGING CLAUDE