Voltaire saddle advise? Redwood Tack reviews?

[Arlomine]

Dressage trainer here, conditioning my 14.1 pony out in the orchards and reliving my glory days of tooling around in my Crosby Prix des nations

I’ve borrowed and loved a client’s Voltaire Palm Beach. It’s tiny, which I need, with 1A flaps (hard to find!). I love the balance, and looking at some used ones at Redwood Tack.

Questions:

Any downsides to the brand in general? I am more familiar with the dressage saddle world.

Difference between Palm Beach and Stuttgart? Redwood has a 16.5 Stuttgart with 1A flaps, but I’ve only ridden in a Palm Beach.

Other venues for used?

Thank you Hunter-folk!

[marmarmar]

Can’t answer your other questions, but there is a 1A Palm Beach listed right now with Highline

https://www.highlinetack.com/product/16-5-voltaire-palm-beach-1a-2018-full-calf-leathersecond-skin-upgrade/

[ThreeWishes]

Bought my Voltaire through highline tack. They were great about trial (which I extended) and that is the exact flap I sought. I love my saddle.

[wanderlust]

Voltaires are great. I love the Palm Beach. The Stuttgart is deeper, and IMO, the balance isn’t quite as good… I personally don’t like them. The biggest watchout is that the leather is beautiful, but it doesn’t always hold up for the pros who ride multiple horses daily. That said, my buffalo Palm Beach looked brand new after years of riding 1-2 horses 4-5 days a week.

The tree is quite wide, so may need different panels or padding depending on the horse.

[Saskatoonian]

I had several dealings with Redwood a few years ago, and they were super to deal with.

[horsegurl]

Redwood tack very reputable. The Palm Beach is generally a wider saddle. Used Voltaire’s are rare. Saddle holds value well!

[Small_Change]

I could be mistaken, but I think the newer Stuttgart is similar to the older Palm Beaches. If I remember correctly, the old Palm Beach saddles where a bit deeper, and are now flatter, replacing one of the other models. The Stuttgart is what Voltaire offers now as a comparable to the older PB, I think.

I ride in an older PB, which I adore, and a good friend recently purchased a Stuttgart based on riding in my saddle. I honestly can’t recall exactly what the rep said, but I think the above info is the gist of it. It could be worth taking a pic of the serial number etc on the saddle you like and asking Voltaire directly what you should be looking for to find a comparable saddle.

[foursocks]

We have a bunch of Voltaires in our barn, which is an eventing barn, so that includes everything from XC and dressage models to a couple of Palm Beach ones and my Stuttgart (I ride jumpers). Our trainer has four or five different models for her various personal/training horses and they have all held up great. She likes the PB for show jumping, but I like the slightly deeper seat of my Stuttgart.

I bought mine as a demo model nearly six years ago and only just recently had to have it repaneled to better fit my guy. I love it, and he loves it. It’s the only saddle I’ve ridden my jumper/large bouncy ball in that doesn’t get me jumped out of the tack over big fences.

[Xanthoria]

I got my full buffalo Stuttgart from Redwood this year and love it. Leah was very helpful and generous with her time and saddles.

[middleton.the.grey]

Can’t speak to Redwood, but I just got my horse fitted for a Voltaire after having seriously bad issues with Devoucoux and a Pessoa with the interchangeable gullet. I rode in both the Stuttgart and Palm Beach. Coming from a hunter barn, the Palm Beach was wonderful. A great balance and even though the seat is a classic flatter seat, you still feel secure and just really good. The quality is wonderful for both buffalo and calf-skin leather options. It was a dream come true for me and the saddles could not be more comfortable. The Stuttgart that I tried was what I ended up purchasing. I adored the way it sat me with a more secure seat as it is a bit deeper but not in any way restricting or “dressage like.” I just was so comfortable and in balance in it. I really cannot recommend them enough. Literally the best saddles I have ever ridden in. Beyond that, my horse was more comfortable and free than he has ever been in the other high end saddles. He definitely chose Voltaire for himself anyway! The rep was wonderful. Not pushy at all and knew everything about the saddles and accessories and Voltaire details and things like that. I adored both the Palm Beach and Stuttgart, but the Stuttgart was so much more comfortable and I felt invincible in it even if that sounds cheesy. Definitely personal preference as to style. By the way, I also do more Jumpers than Hunters so that may play into your decision. Best of luck!!

[HJdaydream]

@Arlomine

Difference between Palm Beach and Stuttgart?

They are pretty different IMO. I have a Palm Beach (which I ADORE) and I do not like the Stuttgart. I demoed one and I felt like I was struggling to stay in a half seat, like I was fighting the saddle. If you love the feel of the Palm Beach I wouldn’t buy a Stuttgart.

[Small_Change]

@HJdaydream

They are pretty different IMO. I have a Palm Beach (which I ADORE) and I do not like the Stuttgart. I demoed one and I felt like I was struggling to stay in a half seat, like I was fighting the saddle. If you love the feel of the Palm Beach I wouldn’t buy a Stuttgart.

To the OP, based on the above comment, it is definitely worth asking a rep to look at the serial numbers on the PB you like versus the Stuttgart. I mentioned earlier in the thread that they tweaked the PB model when the Stuttgart came available, so it is tough to compare the two models fairly without knowing the age of the PB. The specs on my friend’s brand new semi custom Stuttgart turned out a saddle very, very similar to my older PB.