Hi,
I tried an Albion SLK years ago and it was not for me. Recently I rode in a friends SLK with the Narrow Seat (NS) option – a whole different feel and now I’m in the market for a used one.
Are they hard to find? Do other Albion models come with this option?
Thanks for any info!
Look at the Albion SL. That is the very reason I have been trying to sell mine. Seats to small for me .
I have an Albion SL, narrow twist, MW, 17" for sale if you want to PM me about it.
[QUOTE=gailbyrd;8745264]
I have an Albion SL, narrow twist, MW, 17" for sale if you want to PM me about it.[/QUOTE]
I need an 18" --thx!
Any similarly designed saddles? I have ridden in narrow twist saddles but this is a very specific feeling design which I love…
Just a warning, your search may be difficult… every Albion is slightly different, and they definitely change year to year. Do you know what year the saddle you tried was? That could help. But coming from a barn where every single person has the same (almost) saddle, the Albion SLK Ultima, myself included, and watching friends take many out on trial, every single one rides differently, even the ones built the same year (WTH, right?!). So if you sit in one you love, buy it! Otherwise you may be out of luck finding it again…
sadd
[QUOTE=Nestor;8745488]
Just a warning, your search may be difficult… every Albion is slightly different, and they definitely change year to year. .[/QUOTE]
The saddle is a loan, not for sale, and the flap length is too short (although I’d likely buy it anyway if it was for sale).
Thanks for the warning. There are certainly a lot of options on the Albion saddles – I have the serial number but am no sure how to tell the date of manufacture.
This saddle also has the high head – and I’m wondering if part of what I’m liking is that feature…
[QUOTE=champagnetaste;8746259]
The saddle is a loan, not for sale, and the flap length is too short (although I’d likely buy it anyway if it was for sale).
Thanks for the warning. There are certainly a lot of options on the Albion saddles – I have the serial number but am no sure how to tell the date of manufacture.
This saddle also has the high head – and I’m wondering if part of what I’m liking is that feature…[/QUOTE]
It’s possible that you like the high head as well! You can call Albion with the serial number and find out the year. I’d guess that similarly aged saddles would have close serial numbers, but you can always ask Albion!
I just bought an SLK with the NS option. They are not super common, but they’re out there.
Albion is very responsive on their FB page. The serial number will tell them what year it was made.
Was: SLK Narrow Seat, now “what saddles have very narrow twists?”
There just aren’t a lot of Albion SLKs with Narrow Seat options out there (see my earlier post re: these saddles). I’m not sure I can wait for one to come onto the market and I’d prefer used over new.
Can anyone recommend other saddles with narrow twists? I’m tall/long legged so petite saddles are not an option.
You may have to go through a lot of trials, but Hennig makes a lot of narrow twist saddles. I’ve owned several and ridden in even more and most had narrow twists.
Good luck. Finding the right saddle is SOOOO hard but when you do, AWWWWWW
Stubben and Passier have a lot with narrow twists. Especially older saddles. Love them. Love that narrow twist! And you want to know what’s really odd? The OLD Wintec Pro saddles have a narrow twist and a decent flap for longer legged riders. Not that you’re looking for that. The newer (last 8-10 years) Pros are wider, like the Isabelle.
Have you sat in a Bates?
It seems to me like narrow twists in newer saddles are pretty much non-existent. If you’ll notice, all of the saddles on Custom’s website are described as having a narrow twist, but in real life, I’ve only ever come across Customs with wide twists.
What tree do you need? My understanding is that tree width determines a lot about the twist, and whether or not a narrow twist is even a possibility on a particular saddle. So if you need a wide-ish tree, you may simply be out of luck.
I agree that you are going to just have to ride in a lot of saddles to find the right one. I also agree that you may want to look into Stubben. My Stubben has a narrow twist, but it is also on a narrow tree.
[QUOTE=Can’tFindMyWhip;8774845]
It seems to me like narrow twists in newer saddles are pretty much non-existent. If you’ll notice, all of the saddles on Custom’s website are described as having a narrow twist, but in real life, I’ve only ever come across Customs with wide twists.
What tree do you need? My understanding is that tree width determines a lot about the twist, and whether or not a narrow twist is even a possibility on a particular saddle. So if you need a wide-ish tree, you may simply be out of luck.
I agree that you are going to just have to ride in a lot of saddles to find the right one. I also agree that you may want to look into Stubben. My Stubben has a narrow twist, but it is also on a narrow tree.[/QUOTE]
See, that is funny - I have a 3ish year old Wolfgang Solo, and it is super narrow. Practically every other rider hates my saddle and it is on a MW tree. A Hennig that I had years ago was so wide in the twist that it hurt my hips every ride.
Agree that especially if you are shopping used, you’ve gotta just keep trying different ones until you find what works.
The one I sat in was not a favorite, but it was also on an unfamiliar horse.
I’m surprised you’re having trouble finding the narrow seat Albion. I just bought one in May from a consignment shop, almost brand new with only a few rides (love it!). I did some comparison shopping before purchase and seems to me there were quite few similar saddles on the market. I went through the list of dealers on Albion’s web site and looked at the dealer sites.
Link to US dealers:
http://www.albionsaddlemakers.co.uk/store-locator-3?country=US
I don’t recall all of the places I checked, but here are a couple I remember looking at:
http://www.hobsonschoicesaddlery.com/used.html
http://shop.flyingstarsaddlery.com/Used-Consigned-Saddles_c28.htm (bought a saddle from her several years ago)
By the way, narrow seat is not the same as narrow twist. The seat is the part under your bum and the twist is under your crotch.
I’m surprised you’re having trouble finding the narrow seat Albion. I just bought one in May from a consignment shop, almost brand new with only a few rides (love it!). I did some comparison shopping before purchase and seems to me there were quite few similar saddles on the market. I went through the list of dealers on Albion’s web site and looked at the dealer sites.
Link to US dealers:
http://www.albionsaddlemakers.co.uk/store-locator-3?country=US
I don’t recall all of the places I checked, but here are a couple I remember looking at:
http://www.hobsonschoicesaddlery.com/used.html
http://shop.flyingstarsaddlery.com/Used-Consigned-Saddles_c28.htm (bought a saddle from her several years ago)
By the way, narrow seat is not the same as narrow twist. The seat is the part under your bum and the twist is under your crotch.
The Karl Niedersuss Symphony Dressage Saddle has a narrow twist. Also the Ideal Roella and Ryder Legacy saddles. Derby House in the UK did do their own version of the KN - not sure what the saddle was called and it will only be available on the 2nd-hand market. I’ve ridden in KN, Ryder, Albion SL and Albion Legacy saddles and have been happy with them all.
Thanks! And yes I knew that the Narrow Seat is different but the feel when you ride is similar.
Larkspur I have found a few but not in the seat size/width I’m looking for. I’m trying one out now that has a short flap (I’m 5’10" with a 36" inseam), frankly it can’t really feel the difference in the flap length. It is, however, a tad wide on my horse. Cost is also a consideration for me although I consider a 2K budget to be realistic.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
