SPIRIG.
Really depends on your price range and what you like. I have a flat backed TB with significant withers and short coupled…while I have a very long leg…I’ve had to go custom for him (and me). I love my Stackhouse saddles. Well built, lasting and beautiful looking. I like that he fits the tree to your horse and then builds the saddle around that tree. So you are not getting a semi custom fit…but a true custom one.
But everyone is different in their preferences.
Buying fully custom is not for everyone as you really don’t get to test drive the saddle first.
There are many options you can order with a saddle that are not considered customer per se. Many of the UK saddlers offer things such as wither and full front gussets, shorter or longer panels or more forward or straighter flaps for no charge. Additionally, some panel options such as shorter ones with longer seats can be at no charge. However, I suggest trying stock types first to determine what is needed based off of those to get the closest you can to what you want before ordering the custom stuff. Work with someone very familiar with their inventory as well.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions, we do have a wonderful rep. from County that comes to my barn & when I have enough money saved I’m probably going to try some of their saddles. My current fitter that works on my Courbette carries Frank Bains & Custom saddlery, which I probably will try out the Advantage & Wolf gang solo.
[QUOTE=MysticOakRanch;7929794]
The best custom saddle is the one that fits you and your horse![/QUOTE]
This.
16.2 Appendix QH went fabulously in a Paramount.
I had a very good fit with Schleese for my 14.1 Connemara, but it did not work at all for the 13.1 chubby pony.
He has a Prestige.
They were all fine for me… although the Prestige is the best of the lot.
Reactor Panel
pros:
Great Reps, Fully Custom, Horses love them, no reflocking EVER, they are quite customizable after market, you are REQUIRED to do a 2 week trial before you can buy the saddle they’ve custom made for you, and if you don’t like it, you don’t buy it.
cons: They look a little weird, it’s overwhelming to try and adjust them yourself at first, and they’re a bit heavier then your typical dressage saddle.
I had a great experience with my custom Wolfgang Solo. My very particular mare and I both love it!
Although wait time was about 3 months, you don’t pay for the saddle until after you receive and trial it.
Make sure you test ride as many saddles as you can. Remember, even if the saddle fits your horse perfectly, if it doesn’t also fit you it won’t be very much fun to ride in.
I love the older County dressage saddles, particularly the Warmblood and the Competitor. I HATE (actually, hate isn’t even a strong enough word) their new saddles, the fit is all wrong for me, even if it is ok for my horse.
If I could afford to buy myself a brand new, fully custom dressage saddle, I would buy a Schlesse or a Revere.
[QUOTE=girlygurl;7931242]
I had a great experience with my custom Wolfgang Solo. My very particular mare and I both love it!
Although wait time was about 3 months, you don’t pay for the saddle until after you receive and trial it.[/QUOTE]
So I am having a rep out this week to check out some Wolfgang solos and maybe the Steffen Peters Advantage. Do you know, when working with a rep if there is a wait time at all for buying “off the shelf”? I will likely not go custom because of the price and I am hoping that she has something available right then or even a used version but I just don’t want to wait a few weeks/months because I have a friend who wants to buy my only saddle right now (and who I need the money from to buy the new saddle). I guess there always bareback!
Stackhouse Saddles, without question! I’ve had 4 of them since 2005: Two (jump and dressage) for a very narrow and difficult-to-fit thoroughbred and then two for my sport pony, who has a huge shoulder that required a specially made tree from the UK. The pony has jump and dressage saddles, and I adore my dressage saddle (for reference, pony and I are preparing to compete at second level this year, and he is coming 7).
Their customer service is superb, and I have never been unhappy with the process or product! Feel free to email me at rallythepony@gmail.com if you have any specific questions.
You might look into Balance saddles: http://www.balanceinternational.com/
They do long-distance fitting, and the saddles are excellent quality. The customization is less about the saddle and more about using pads which then makes adjusting the fit much easier, because you can switch out pads.
My mare is a wide-bodied, moderate withered TB, and I ride in the Nexus dressage saddle from Balance.
Stackhouse
I have a Stackhouse that I am absolutely in love with. I actually bought my first Stackhouse dressage saddle used, and without any saddle fitters confirming the fit for my horse. It seemed to be a decent enough fit, but as more horse’s shape changed, the saddle was just not a good fit for him. I was devastated because I got a great deal on a like-new saddle that retails for $6k, and it was SO beautiful! I called David Stackhouse to come check it out on my horse for fit, and he agreed I needed something else.
He was able to put me in touch with one of his other clients a few states away who was in a similar situation. He measured us both, knew both of our horses, and encouraged us to get in touch and try a “swap”. We both ended up with gorgeous saddles that fit our horses the way they should, and didn’t have to shell out $6k for another new saddle. Talk about customer service. Stackhouse didn’t make a penny off of me except for what they charged to come do the fitting-- and now they’ve bought my business for the next time I’m saddle shopping! Can’t say enough good things about the customer service, hands on approach, and exceptional quality of their tack. David and Leslie know horses, know their saddles, and how to set you up to get the most out of your horse through exceptional fit.
It doens’t get better than a Stackhouse!
I completely agree!!
I have a Stackhouse that I am absolutely in love with. I actually bought my first Stackhouse dressage saddle used, and without any saddle fitters confirming the fit for my horse. It seemed to be a decent enough fit, but as more horse’s shape changed, the saddle was just not a good fit for him. I was devastated because I got a great deal on a like-new saddle that retails for $6k, and it was SO beautiful! I called David Stackhouse to come check it out on my horse for fit, and he agreed I needed something else.
He was able to put me in touch with one of his other clients a few states away who was in a similar situation. He measured us both, knew both of our horses, and encouraged us to get in touch and try a “swap”. We both ended up with gorgeous saddles that fit our horses the way they should, and didn’t have to shell out $6k for another new saddle. Talk about customer service. Stackhouse didn’t make a penny off of me except for what they charged to come do the fitting-- and now they’ve bought my business for the next time I’m saddle shopping! Can’t say enough good things about the customer service, hands on approach, and exceptional quality of their tack. David and Leslie know horses, know their saddles, and how to set you up to get the most out of your horse through exceptional fit.
It doesn’t get better than a Stackhouse!
I have a Lemke. I absolutely love it. It’s the most comfortable saddle I’ve owned. Plus Sheryl is an amazing fitter. While I was waiting for my saddle she got my Albion to stop sliding forward where two other fitters couldn’t.
Don’t overlook Albion. I tried so many saddles for my horse and eventually went with a custom made Albion both for jumping and dressage.
Hennig
I would include Custom, but they seem to take about a decade & you need to be prepared to kidnap the rep until it arrives because once she’s out of your sight, it is the last you’ll see of her.
