For you stubben experts…
My first (and favorite) saddle is an old Stubben Seigfried III. It doesn’t look like any other seigfried I’ve ever seen - looks more like an old Crosby PdN with square cantle, shallow-ish seat, and no knee or thigh fluff.
I’d love to hear any insight as to what the “seigfried” signifies and anyone who has a III - I would kill for one that’s wide enough to fit my new horse.
[QUOTE=Tantivy1;3034444]
Stubben… Note that the older ones made in Germany or Switzerland are of better quality than the newer ones. How to tell? New ones have the enamel “Blue Dot” on the saddle skirt, it is plain metal on the older ones. Several models are built with little variation (like the leather) but on the same tree. [/QUOTE]
I have an “older” Stubben that I bought new 20+ years ago. Pretty sure it was made in Switzerland. It has the enamel “blue dot”…
i have the Albion Kontrol GP as well.
[QUOTE=Hotspur;3036009]
I have an Albion Kontrol and my horse and I just love it. Our Albion rep did a great job of fitting and I believe the $$ spent on custom fit really pay off when you are in the saddle for hours while out hunting.
The Kontrol is a pretty deep saddle and I like that feel when we are traversing the hills, creeks, ditches, and jumps.[/QUOTE]
while i’m new to hunting, i competed in distance riding until 2008. lots of miles in the saddle. that is THE most comfortable saddle i’ve ever sat in. due to my mare’s conformation my saddle had to be semi-customized. it fits her very well, it fits me very well and i never ever feel tired of sitting in it.
and the Albion havana brown colour is very nice, too.
i’m surprised at the number of folks mentioning the stubben sigfried.
that was my first saddle and it felt like i was sitting on the rail… awful! i gladly traded it in for a wintec ap.:yes:
Wintec 2000
Comfortable, low cost, adjusts to every horse in the barn, easy to clean, & I can crash through the woods and not care a lick!
I sold my Crosby and my Stubben… not so good for many hours in the saddle!
Black Country, Berney, County…
I’m hard to fit…38" inseam and long thighs. I finally got a custom saddle made for me and my fabulous mare a few years ago. A County. after ridng in it a few years, it still fits me, but I guess never really fit the mare. My husband is using it on her son and loves it. I got a Black Country made (1/2 price of a County) and I REALLY love it. I think I had a better saddle fitter, so it fits the mare better. I also hunt with an old Berney. It really depends on which horse I’m riding. I’ve got the warmbloods with 5" withers and draft crosses with 1/2 withers.
If you are going to ride in a saddle for hours, it really has to fit the horse more than you.
that’s a really good point about the saddle fitting the horse more than the person. in a perfect world it would be both but i do think many folks overlook saddle fit on the horse. i rode in a county years ago when trying a friesian out in texas and really liked it! thanks for the reply.
[QUOTE=marta;4320179]
that was my first saddle and it felt like i was sitting on the rail… awful! i gladly traded it in for a wintec ap.:yes:[/QUOTE]
I rode in two this past week and it was like night and day. Did not seem to be the same saddle at all. If the saddle I have on order does not fit I’ll be looking to buy a Siegfried of the Swiss made type.
[QUOTE=gypsymare;4328433]
I rode in two this past week and it was like night and day. Did not seem to be the same saddle at all. If the saddle I have on order does not fit I’ll be looking to buy a Siegfried of the Swiss made type.[/QUOTE]
now that’s bizarre… i admit, mine was an old saddle. i bought it in the 90’s used. maybe the design changed somewhat?
but it explains why some folks rave about them and others, like me, rub their butts at a mere mention of them 
[QUOTE=marta;4328452]
now that’s bizarre… i admit, mine was an old saddle. i bought it in the 90’s used. maybe the design changed somewhat?
but it explains why some folks rave about them and others, like me, rub their butts at a mere mention of them ;)[/QUOTE]
One was German made and had thigh blocks and a smaller flap, the other Swiss. Same knee blocks, same seat and tree size but no thigh blocks. Both were Siegfried’s though. I had none of the chairseat feeling in the Swiss one, but the German one definitely put my feet out in front of me and it was very hard to post or two point up a hill.
I felt very secure in the Swiss one which was 13 years old but lightly used.
I’m In a Pickle
Had an ancient Sigfried of my fathers that I rode in until I was 27 (I’m 47), and it was 30 years old then. It was comfortable and well made. My husband’s was, however, hard as a rock and awful. Had a Crosby Olympia I liked, but my true love is my Butet - it has such thick, soft leather and a little knee block and thigh block that put your leg in a channel. I mean I love love love this saddle, but it is not wool flocked and pinches my best hunt horse!!! What to do? I am interested in the Barnsby, what about a semi-custom Smith Worthington? Hate County saddles as they are just too too bulky and feel dangerous! Any ideas? All the “saddle fitters” around here are either trying to sell you a saddle that they represent or are saddle fitters slash herbalists slash weirdos. I need some suggestions!
[QUOTE=xeroxchick;4329097]
Had an ancient Sigfried of my fathers that I rode in until I was 27 (I’m 47), and it was 30 years old then. It was comfortable and well made. My husband’s was, however, hard as a rock and awful. Had a Crosby Olympia I liked, but my true love is my Butet - it has such thick, soft leather and a little knee block and thigh block that put your leg in a channel. I mean I love love love this saddle, but it is not wool flocked and pinches my best hunt horse!!! What to do? I am interested in the Barnsby, what about a semi-custom Smith Worthington? Hate County saddles as they are just too too bulky and feel dangerous! Any ideas? All the “saddle fitters” around here are either trying to sell you a saddle that they represent or are saddle fitters slash herbalists slash weirdos. I need some suggestions![/QUOTE]
Beval can reflock the saddle for you with wool. I’ve found them to be very helpful in tack repairs/alterations. But I guess that’s probably not the reason that it pinches your horse, is it?
I love my old Stubben. I forget what it is called but here it is:
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2603145400103114374oVUGGd
Mine is really old (German made) and I think it is fabulous!
I have an old Crosby I love as well.
I would like a Black Country though…nice saddles.
I am just getting into foxhunting, but have spent many years doing H/J and a few eventing. I must be oddly conformed, because there are Stubbens that give me terrible back pain after about 15 minutes of riding (but others are fine.) Fortunately, I rode in a friend’s Passier saddles and it was love at first ride.
I will be in the camp of “make sure the horse you buy fits your saddle” - I have a used, older Passier that is fairly flat and has no thigh block (and almost no knee roll) and I love it. I will be keeping it until I die. I think I must have deep-seat, thigh block/knee roll saddle claustrophobia.
Sissu- it looks like yours is the Imperator model. There are a few of them in my hunt, very nice!
Since this thread started I picked up a 20 year old Passier PSL. A small village can be put in the seat, it is that deep, that secure.
One thing I added to my saddle use is the Thinline pad. I swear it softens the ride for me and I know it works well on my horse’s backs after a day hunting.
[QUOTE=SLW;4332959]
Sissu- it looks like yours is the Imperator model. There are a few of them in my hunt, very nice!
Since this thread started I picked up a 20 year old Passier PSL. A small village can be put in the seat, it is that deep, that secure.
One thing I added to my saddle use is the Thinline pad. I swear it softens the ride for me and I know it works well on my horse’s backs after a day hunting.[/QUOTE]
Yes!! That’s it. I see them on e-bay now and then…would like to buy every single one of them!
I too use a Thinline and like it. It makes for a sweaty back so I use it between a sheepskin halfpad and my saddle. I also like the old hunter type look of the saddle flap being against the horses naked side with no pad hanging out.
[QUOTE=sisu27;4330098]
I love my old Stubben. I forget what it is called but here it is:
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2603145400103114374oVUGGd
Mine is really old (German made) and I think it is fabulous!
I have an old Crosby I love as well.
I would like a Black Country though…nice saddles.[/QUOTE]
I’m another one whose back squeals with horror if I ride in a Stubben…I had a shiny new Imperator (pictured in your photo) on trial and I was amazed how quickly I began to hurt.
Beautiful saddle to look at, though, so I was most disappointed!
I’ll stick with my Forestier Atlanta, or hubby’s Phar-lap.
[QUOTE=SLW;4332959]
Sissu- it looks like yours is the Imperator model. There are a few of them in my hunt, very nice!
Since this thread started I picked up a 20 year old Passier PSL. A small village can be put in the seat, it is that deep, that secure.
One thing I added to my saddle use is the Thinline pad. I swear it softens the ride for me and I know it works well on my horse’s backs after a day hunting.[/QUOTE]
Sissu - which Thinline pad do you use? Do you use one on its own, or juggle it with a wool numnah, or…?
Not Sissu but for both my saddles I use the thicker Thinline Pad- the contrast is the Ultra Thinline which is thinner. The style I use is the contour pad: http://www.thinlineinc.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=10 I cut it to follow the shape of my sofas, errrr saddles. I always use a saddle pad underneath it and it (the Thineline) does not create bulk.
I debated switching over to just real sheepskin pads but decided I would not be able to keep those clean enough. So I use very nice quality synthetic fleece pads.
[QUOTE=Romany;4338787]
Sissu - which Thinline pad do you use? Do you use one on its own, or juggle it with a wool numnah, or…?[/QUOTE]
I use the regular (not the ultra) Thinline in the contour cut. It goes next to the saddle and then I use a sheepskin halfpad against the horse. I do wash my sheepskin a lot and consequently wear them out quickly but I like this combo the best for the horse, myself and as mentioned, I like the way it looks too. Will try to find a pic.
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