Whoa! That’s crazy. Do you have a good saddle fitter who can adjust one to fit if it is close? I bought a wide tree Hennig and had it fit to my guy.
Sorry, didn’t see your previous post about fitters. One place, I believe it’s Skyline Saddlery, will make the adjustment from your measurements. Of course, I’m not sure if they will do it before shipping a saddle for trial.
Honestly, I feel your pain.
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Will you please let me know what you think about the Epiphany? I’m in the middle of saddle fitting hell as well.
I will. I will have it by Friday. I got the Hennig from Skylands, and they said they would widen it to the tracing I sent of my horse’s back. That one will come on Wednesday. I have a fitter coming on Friday to take a look at both of them.
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Veritas
Anyone have experience with Frank Baines saddles? My fitter suggested I look at them based upon my horse and my shape and preferences.
I have the Epiphany on trial. I tried it on two of my horses, which both have very flat backs. It fits my mare like a glove, but rides a little forward (think it can be fixed with a flocking adjustment). These saddles do not come with a point billet–they have two long wide spaced billets. This is my least liked feature of the saddle because both of these horses have very forward girth pockets and even with the Fairfax girth, I find it hard to do up the billets and keep the saddle properly placed. My mare LOVES the saddle though and is forward, uphill and expressive with it and I enjoyed riding her in it. I cannot get it to stay in place on my gelding because he is somewhat still butt high (he will be four in July) and has not yet popped his withers and he has a huge engine and he is about a 1/2 inch narrower than my mare. He pushes it up on his withers just in the walk. I am trying all sorts of combination of pads to get it to stay in place so I can take a ride on it with him–so far I have just lunged him in it becuase it moves forward and may be a bit large for him (the one I have is xw). I LOVE the saddle though. It puts me in a very lovely position and doesn’t hurt my hips (and I like a narrow twist and I would say this twist is medium). I can really feel the horse and the sitting trot in it is magical as they say. My only complaint for my feel is that the seat is a bit hard under my seatbones (but I am used to the feel of gel pads under my seat bones from the Hennig sofa). I think it will soften up though. I am hoping to get it sorted out for my boy (even as a temporary measure so I can try riding him in it).
I am getting a trial on two saddles from Lovett & Rickets–both somewhat similar to the Epiphany, but I really did enjoy the Epiphany and it is on the top of the list, at least for my mare.
Oh the Hennig MFT did NOT work at all. It apparently has a scoopy tree and both of my horses have flat backs. It also was much too narrow (even though I sent tracings and photos for the trial). It was a beautiful saddle but not for me…and it cost me over $350 (shipping both ways and restocking fee) to set it on my horse’s back and see it couldn’t possibly work.
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That’s very helpful information about the Epiphany, thank you! I wonder why they don’t do the point billets, that’s a shame. It sounds exactly like I had imagined it would, lol! Are you working with County corporate or a County fitter? Who is the company/fitter that sent you a saddle that’s not working? I like to know who to avoid as well. 
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had that experience, so disappointing.
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Yes I am working with a County fitter. I should also say that I ride in a 17.5 inch saddle, but I have an 18" Epiphany and I would not like it any smaller. I think perhaps the flaps are a little straighter than my old saddles.
The Hennig MFT came from Skyland’s Saddlery. They told me that they thought from the photo that my horse has a scoopier back (it’s flat) and the saddle has a scoopy tree, but I can tell you for sure that the saddle wasn’t widened for the trial. I had it and the County on saddle racks next to each other facing me and the Hennig was a definite MW on their ad and a MW on the rack next to the XW County. There was no way ever it was going to fit my horse.
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And I am not getting the L & R saddles on trial because they are very similer flap configuration to the County and she only has a 17.5 in stock. I also have argued for hours with a fitter about needing a point billet on my very wide, forward girth groove horses. Saddle hell is the worst!
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When I shipped back to Skylands, it cost double that with no insurance! So your round trip is at least $180.
That part is good to know about the flap, thanks!
They should have provided a shipping label for you so you could get their shipping rate. I’ve learned the hard way to ask for one!
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When I received my new epiphany, it came with 3 billets. The 2 standard placement ones and another that came off under the knee roll (not sure if this would be considered a point billet). Anyway, when I asked my fitter about it she said to experiment with them to determine which 2 gave me the best fit. Then, when she came to do the fitting, she removed the one I didn’t use, which happened to be the most forward one. That left me with 2 extra billets to be stored away for future replacements.
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That’s awful. Saddle shopping is getting so much harder!
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I asked them and they agreed, however I had a trip planned into town (40 minutes away) and couldn’t wait for their response (which took a bit). I was afraid that if I waited until the next time I could get into town (probably 3 days later) it would be too late for the trial restrictions. I do believe that they should have waived the restocking fee because OBVIOUSLY it was not widened beyond MW for a trial as they said they would do.
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Thank you! That is what I thought and I found that pocket and ran the first billet through it (this is a saddle that was used about 6 months). Of course, the point billet had been cut off and this billet isn’t attached to the point so all it would do is slide the saddle forward, but it let me know that I was not being given all the information about the saddle. I am trying to buy a saddle that is available NOW rather than waiting 6 months because I have nothing to ride my 4 year old in and he was broken out and hasn’t been ridden since April 13. I need to get on him!!!
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I have a Frank Baines Operetta. Lovely saddle.
I know you’re sending away for saddles, but it used to be that even with the different brand reps, you could buy directly off the truck. Now they all want you to ride in their demo, even if it’s not perfect, and then guess about which features might work best for you, and place an order that you have to wait MONTHS to get. It’s all so strange to me. For those of us with these just broke youngsters, we need something NOW to get going. Sometimes even just trying all these different saddles can be a challenge when the rep comes out. Did you understand I said, “HE’s GREENbroke!” ??? lol
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This is exactly why I bought the adjustable saddle from Ideal - at least gives me something that I can use to get up there and build some top line while I figure things out.
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