So I want to buy a Stubben jumping saddle…But I don’t own a horse. Is this a smart thing to do?
Probably not.
Why do you want a stubben in particular?
What happens when that doesn’t fit the horse you want to ride or the one you eventually lease/buy?
Not really, no.
Going against the grain…having a saddle that fits you and you are comfortable in can make a big difference in your riding. If you are riding lots of different horses and are a long way off from one of your own, then a saddle of your own in a medium wide (maybe a generous medium) should do you ok, with the help of padding and possibly shimming. Is it ideal? Not necessarily, but it isn’t unheard of. Very few trainers ride every single horse in their care in its own, specifically made saddle.
To to make your life easier, so some serious considering of the TYPE of horses you ride. Are they all fairly similar? Or are their shapes all over the board? Some barns definitely have a “type” or horse and a certain type or brand of saddle seems to work well.
Like someone one else said, are you married to a Stubben? Is this they type of saddle you see mostly in your barn? Or are you going against the grain? Stubbens don’t work on every horse, so you need to consider if the general shape of a Stubben tree will work with the general population of horses you ride.
Also keep in mind that whatever you might buy now may not work for the horse you might buy or lease down the road, which means selling, which can be tough depending on what you end up with. Not a bad idea to consider not only all of the above, but also resale value and ease.
I am SO happy I have my own saddle. I half lease, but I ride a lot of different horses in addition to my half lease horse. Having my own saddle has freed me up from constantly borrowing (i.e., feeling like a butthead, panicking at the show when the owner’s class is running late and I’m worried about switching saddles, etc.) or using my barn’s lesson saddles, which all put me in a horrible position. I bought a new Beval Artisan 30% off, and I’m taking really good care of it. That way, if/when I buy or full lease a horse, I can sell it for little to no loss if it doesn’t fit.
Unless you’re planning to buy or lease in the near future, I’d say go for it, PARTICULARLY if you can get a good deal and it’s a brand with resale value.
I bought my own used Dover Circuit saddle long before I ever bought or leased a horse. I was encouraged to do so by my trainer (who helped me find and fit it.) It was the perfect size for me, and also fit most of the lesson horses I was riding at that time. I have since sold it to another woman in my barn (at cost!!) who does not have her own horse. We have both been very happy with it!
(And to be fair–the next saddle I bought fitted especially for my very first owned horse has fit very few subsequent mounts after they muscle up, at least over the long term…) 
I’m with yellowbritches.
Bought my Stubben Parsival A/P 5yrs before I owned a horse.
Lucky for me it fit the horse I was shareboarding when I got it & 3 horses I owned later.
Sadly - almost 30yrs later - it does not fit my current horse.
But that gave me a perfect excuse to gift myself & him with a new semi-custom Stubben Maestoso 
And I am hanging onto the Parsival because it was a versatile & comfortable saddle, did H/J, Eventing & trails with me & is still in great shape (no thanks to my caring for it).
I don’t think it’s crazy at all! I have ridden and leased many horses over the years, and even with a full lease often ride many different horses. Like others have said, having something that fits you makes your job much easier. Plus, it saves so much complication when you’re showing to have a 1:1 horse:saddle ratio.
I would invest in a medium-wide with a fairly “neutral” tree shape (as in, not built with a huge “banana” shape or a hoop tree or anything like that!) and panel configuration. Then, you can use a shim pad (also sometimes a wither release pad is good to have) to adjust width and balance to a degree.
I have had good luck with the Circuit line of saddles, but Crosby can also be very good for a starter saddle, as can Harry Dabbs. If you have more of a budget, I would consider a Butet with FB2 tree (fits warmbloods and a better variety of horses in general) or a CWD with pro-panels in grain or buffalo (buffalo is the best longevity wise, but it is pricy). These are more costly, but tend to resell for a good price and are lovely to ride in.
If you haven’t been riding for a long time, I would resist getting a ton of bells and whistles on your saddle, and get small/no blocks and a relatively flat seat. That being said, make sure that you like the balance on the saddle and that it puts you in a good position without artificially holding you there. Why? Because your position can change a lot your first few years in the tack and something that was super comfy at year one may not be at year five. By getting a relatively “plain” saddle, you both give yourself a chance to develop a good position on your own (without your saddle doing it for you) and give yourself time to figure out what you might like in the future. I should also note that it isn’t very expensive to add blocks to a saddle that did not come with them, if you should need them down the road. In terms of buying a quality saddle, in addition to checking fit for yourself and your mounts, look for grain leather that doesn’t seem “plasticy” (many lower end saddles such as HDR have it - you’ll know it when you touch it), as this is what wears well and thus retains value best.
Lastly, about Stubbens. I would echo the sentiment ‘don’t be married to a brand’. They can be lovely, and generally wear well over time. However, some Stubbens put people in a chair seat, which is very tricky to unlearn, and some people are not conformationally suited to riding in them. In addition, as others mentioned up in the thread, they won’t fit some horses well. If a particular Stubben is suitable for you and the horses you ride is really a question between you, your trainer, and a saddle fitter, so it’s hard for me to weigh in. I’m not saying don’t get one - absolutely consider it! But I would sit in many options (and have my trainer weigh in on each) before I bought one, especially if you haven’t bought a saddle before or if you haven’t been riding long.
Anyways, sorry for the essay, but I hoped this helped some! Good luck, let us know how it goes 
EDIT: One last thing: The best saddle in the world won’t help you if you can’t ride. If I had a choice between a $600 saddle and $3000 in lessons, or a $3000 dollar saddle and $600 in lessons, I would take the former any day. You can wear all the Tailored Sportsmans and Parlantis and Samshields you want and ride in a custom Stackhouse, but if you don’t put the time and money into your training, it won’t help you a bit.
I did the exact same thing. I bought my current Beval before I got my gelding. Thankfully the Beval fits him too so I lucked out. I think it’s a good idea to get your own saddle. Before I did, I was riding in saddles that were a bit too big for me.
Totally fine, a lot of riders have saddle will travel.
Having a saddle that fits you is night and day to riding in a school saddle or someone else’s saddle.
Just know that there may be the occasional horse that it won’t fit even with with adjusting the padding.
I am going to echo what it seems like most people have said. I have a butet, I got it when I switched trainers a few years ago. it fits me well (although honestly not perfectly) and fits most of the horses I ride reasonably. I got my saddle used (although through a weird turn of events they sent me a brand new one). having a saddle that is my own is something I don’t think I could ever turn away from now. Last year I rode more horses than I can remember, but always sitting in the same saddle helped me stay comfortable. Now that I don’t have a horse, having my own saddle and the right stirrups makes riding less frequently more do able for me. Plus when I go home I never have to feel awkward about asking to borrow someone’s saddle or sitting in a saddle that feels like a teacup or a boat.
I’ll also say that my saddle is a flat seat with no blocks or padding except for the knee roll. As my position has changed, the saddle has kept its function for me. and when I ride differently on different horses, I never snag on a block that is holding me into the wrong place
I bought a new Prestige Meredith when I didn’t have a horse. I was leasing and showing and my leg went over the flap on everything. I basically had to buy a new saddle to get an XL, XF flap ordered. I couldn’t find a used saddle that fit me.
Barring an abnormal femur like me, I would buy one used that I could flip easily if it didn’t fit my next horse.
I still have that saddle…I have had the tree adjusted professionally a few times over the years. Fits lots of horses.
Another one who bought a saddle before a horse. It was a pretty basic, medium tree saddle that was fine for most of the lesson horses I was riding-fit a TB really well, and had a very basic set up panel wise.
It definitely helps to have a saddle that you feel comfortable in. Just keep in mind the horse you are riding, and check to make sure it fits reasonably well.
[QUOTE=TrotTrotPumpkn;8096998]
I bought a new Prestige Meredith when I didn’t have a horse. I was leasing and showing and my leg went over the flap on everything. I basically had to buy a new saddle to get an XL, XF flap ordered. I couldn’t find a used saddle that fit me.
Barring an abnormal femur like me, I would buy one used that I could flip easily if it didn’t fit my next horse.
I still have that saddle…I have had the tree adjusted professionally a few times over the years. Fits lots of horses.[/QUOTE]
This is an excellent point! I am short, with a short leg, but a ridiculously long femur. What length I have in my leg is all between my hip and my knee. My knees pop over most of my friends’ flaps, and I would definitely be more comfortable riding in my saddle if I was doing a lot of catch riding.
[QUOTE=yellowbritches;8097077]
This is an excellent point! I am short, with a short leg, but a ridiculously long femur. What length I have in my leg is all between my hip and my knee. My knees pop over most of my friends’ flaps, and I would definitely be more comfortable riding in my saddle if I was doing a lot of catch riding.[/QUOTE]
That was my issue and solution too! Long femured people unite?
