inexpensive saddles?
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
give me a little advice. Our budget will not allow a very expensive
saddle. What I need is an inexpensive, all purpose saddle that is
reletively durable (I won't be showing). I was just wondering about those
saddles that
you get for 100-200 dollars that say "for beginning or occasional riders
only". Are they worth the money? How about synthetic saddles? I like
the idea of low maintenance, but are they durable? Any advice would be
appreciated.
Katie
4 cats, 2 guinea pigs, 2 polish chickens, and, uh, 5, 8, no, 7
(plus the six over here) 13, 15, 20 (plus 3 more) fish. Wait, did I already
count that one?
Lisa M. Ruch
economize with tack since I'm still in grad school. The horse eats
well, I eat Ramen noodles, etc. Anyhow, I bought one of the lowest
proced saddles in the Libertyville catalog; it's all leather, fits me
and the horse very well, and is extremely comfy. It's good quality for
the price and is well-stitched, and I'm sure it will last me easily
until I graduate, get a job, pay off all my many loans, and then finally
buy another higher quality saddle.... -Lisa.
Gentlepath
Your "inexpensive" western light weight synthetic saddle (cordura skirts &
leather seat) will probably cost about $200 to $250, depending where you
live. Or new, up to $400 and well-worth it.\
(I don't have to feel guilty if I get it dirty and I don't have so much
leather to saddle soap and neets foot.)
I can't advise you on english style saddles. I need advice on that myself.
I can say though that I am not fond of fake leather. It makes you sweat.
-Doris
Doris Woods, Ph.D., Publisher
Catalina Sunrise Newspaper
Gentle Path Farm
PO Box 8724 Tucson, AZ 85738
Gentlepath @aol.com
1 Icelandic gelding, 1 Icelandic/Arab gelding, 1 Connemara Stallion, 1
Suffolk Punch mare, 1 AQHA Buckskin gelding;
10 pygmy goats (youngsters for sale),2 pack goats, 2 La Mancha Milk goat;
3 roosters and one very tired hen; 5 dogs, 3 cats, and various wildlife.
Rebecca J. Renn
c...@ari.net (Chesapeake Bay Foundation) writes:
> I was just wondering about those
> saddles that
> you get for 100-200 dollars that say "for beginning or occasional riders
> only". Are they worth the money? How about synthetic saddles? I like
> the idea of low maintenance, but are they durable? Any advice would be
> appreciated.
If you are looking at english saddles, stay away from anything made in
argentina, or argentine leather--this covers just about anything you
will find for less than $350 new. -- it is hard, has the consistency of
cardboard, then if yhou try to oil or condition it turns into a wet
noodle. They also tend not to last and the cheap trees spread so that
the saddle rides low on the horses whithers. There are some good bueys
out there in the $400 - $550 range. They won't be as comfortable or
look nice as long as a passier, but if you find one that's comfortable
for you it should be servicible for many years -- look at "collegiate"
(available from stateline), or llibertyville.
-jo renn
Jessica Jahiel
The Collegiate line IS from Argentina, but much better-made than the sort
of saddles that we normally associate with Argentina. I believe that
they are made with decent leather AND under the supervision/direction of
people who actually know something about saddle construction. So -- Jo
Renn is right on both points: it's generally quite a good idea to avoid
Argentine-made saddles, and Collegiates, although made in Argentina, are
very decent low-priced saddles!
BTW, one of the less-publicized drawbacks of the old made-in-Argentina
saddles is that the leather was urine-tanned, which not only made for a
poor tanning job, but created an aromatic aura around any unlucky rider
whose saddle got wet.. riding in the rain on one of those saddles was NOT
a pleasant experience.
Libertyville has some reasonably-priced saddles also, but beware of not
only Argentine-made items, but -- worse -- Indian-made ones! Indian
leather is almost always clay-tanned, which creates a very dry, brittle,
leather. The leather is then SOAKED in oil -- these are the limp,
dark-leather bridles you find at tack shops for $10 - 20! They break at
the slightest provocation (horse turns head to bite fly...), and the
Indian saddles are made the same way.
There's an old cowboy saying: Good saddles ain't cheap, and cheap saddles
ain't good. Believe it!
Good USED saddles can be bought cheap, sometimes, and that's a very good
way to get the quality you want at a price you can afford.
Good luck!
- Jessica
--
jja...@firefly.prairienet.org | Jessica Jahiel, Ph.D.
Voice: (217) 359-9880 | * Lessons * Training * Clinics *
FAX: (217) 359-9774 | Emphasis on communication
| between horse and rider.
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"God forbid that I should go to any heaven in which there are no horses."
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Pat Nelson
>From: Rebecca...@dartmouth.edu (Rebecca J. Renn)
>Subject: Re: inexpensive saddles?
>Date: 20 Jul 1995 12:59:54 GMT
>In article <3uf0fq$9...@ari.net>
>c...@ari.net (Chesapeake Bay Foundation) writes:
>> I was just wondering about those
>> saddles that
>> you get for 100-200 dollars that say "for beginning or occasional riders
>> only". Are they worth the money? How about synthetic saddles? I like
>> the idea of low maintenance, but are they durable? Any advice would be
>> appreciated.
I have a Coventry event saddle from Whitman's that I really like. It's in the
$550-600 range.
P. Nelson
nels...@frango.hsc.colorado.edu
Veronique Gillard
Jessica Jahiel <jja...@prairienet.org> wrote:
>
>The Collegiate line IS from Argentina, but much better-made than the sort
>of saddles that we normally associate with Argentina. I believe that
>they are made with decent leather AND under the supervision/direction of
>people who actually know something about saddle construction. So -- Jo
When I bought my Collegiate dressage saddle 4 years ago,
I was told that the leather was English but the saddle was made in
Argentina. The leather is definitely supple and of nice quality
and the saddle is well put together and finished. I paid less
than $500 for this saddle new at the time. It has held up well
and I am very happy with it. I think Collegiate provides
saddles that are very good for their price.
They are coming out with a new model "Klimke" for dressage
which looks and feels great. I sat in it at the World Cup
finals. Miller will sell it for $990 (I believe) but it will
probably be available for less elsewhere. It sure looked great.
Veronique
user...@jax.jaxnet.com
> I was just wondering about those
> saddles that you get for 100-200 dollars that say "for beginning or
> occasional riders only". Are they worth the money? How about synthetic
saddles?
> I like the idea of low maintenance, but are they durable? Any advice
would be
> appreciated.
>
Someone at our barn bought one of those $200 special saddle/bridle combos,
the saddle was horrible. Cheaply made, cardboard-like leather, stiff, did not
fit her horse and was horrible to ride in. It was even strangely shaped.
She returned it the next day.
Collegiate saddles have much improved, I tried someone's not too
long ago and was very pleasantly surprised. The other alternative is used,
there are some very good buys out there.
The extra few hundred dollars you invest now will be well worth it in the
long run for your comfort and your horses. Plus you will have something that
you can probably resell when you decide to move up or on.
Good luck,
Sandy
Curently riding in a used Hunterdon and trying to persuade my
dressage trainer that she truly would be happier with the new
saddle she has her eye on so that I can buy her passier. <g>
Mickey D9
Collegiate. It is an Argentine saddle.
Your thoughts on Argentine saddles are a bit dated. 10 Years ago saddlers
in Argentine made great strides forward in developing terrific leathers,
contemporary saddle trees and state of the art design. Many were helped by
English saddlers.
The quality is often as good as English saddles. The prices however are
much more reasonable.
Collegiate saddles are well designed. They use a superior grade of
Argentine leather that is generally quite good.
For a better Argentine saddle you can look to the "Nice" saddles. They
were designed in France by Michele Devecoux. The leather is French and of
higher quality than most English saddles. French leather is used in the
finest Devecoux, Butet and Delgrange saddles. The trees are made by hand
under their own roof. Their saddles are mostly English & French trained.
NIce saddles are easily the equal of high quality English made saddle at
half the price.
Re: Cheap saddles. The place to look for poor quality is in the Indian
saddles. They are made of Water buffalo leather and are very boardy in
feel. The trees are heavy and of poor balance, But in ten years the Indian
saddles will be top notch. Just not yet.
Mickey D9
That no longer exists in Argentina. The leathers are typically vegetable
tanned. In tea actually. The smell of cheap indian leather is the uric
acid used for tanning. However better quality Indian bridlework is not
tanned in this fashion. Look to Harhmonkraft for superior Indian
bridlework with stitching that rivals $300 bridles at a price of about
$65
Shelly
>Re: Cheap saddles. The place to look for poor quality is in the Indian
>saddles. They are made of Water buffalo leather and are very boardy in
>feel. The trees are heavy and of poor balance, But in ten years the Indian
>saddles will be top notch. Just not yet.
Since you didn't list what type of saddle you are looking for, I thought
I'd give me two cents as well!!
I recently bought an Indian made Australian saddle really cheap (about
$300). They get the leather from somewhere else (I'm not sure where) but
it is incredibly soft and supple. They even send the stitching string
over to India from here so the only thing that is done in India is
putting the saddle together. I ride about 5 days a week and have had this
saddle for about 4 months and love it!!! I was told at the store where I
bought it that it probably won't last as long as a better made saddle but
they guessed that if I take good care of it, it should easily last 20 years!!!
For a saddle that cheap, I certainly can't complain!!!!
Lisa M Becker
like to put in a good word for them. They are a great value, you'd have
to spend at least twice as much to get a better saddle! My trainer is so
impressed with my saddle that he tells all his new students (those without
the means to buy the best) to buy a Collegiate. When we bought our saddle
two years ago, our's was the first. But now there must be a half-
dozen Collegiates in our barn's tack room. And to really save money,
try to find a used Collegiate. We had to trade ours in last year when
Kissmee's withers changed shape and at $300 for a one-year-old Jessica
was sold fairly quickly.
Lisa Becker | Check out my (almost) all new WWW home pages!!!
cr...@math.ncsu.edu | http://crsc1.math.ncsu.edu/~becker/lisa_home.html
--
Lisa Becker | Check out my (almost) all new WWW home pages!!!
cr...@math.ncsu.edu | http://crsc1.math.ncsu.edu/~becker/lisa_home.html
Dana Runkle
a dressage saddle in January, and could not be more pleased with the way
it fits both me and the horse. It is a very good copy of a much more
expensive saddle that is attached to a "name." A clinician I rode for
thought that I had the more expensive brand. The only drawback that I
was not warned about is that they tend to over dye their saddles. Wear
OLD breeches for the first six months or so. I ride every day, and I
ended up dyeing a pair of old whites black so I wouldn't look funny -
white outer legs, black butt and inner thighs.
I also own a Crump all purpose saddle that I love. Everyone who has ever
ridden in it is amazed that a "cheap" saddle can fit so well.
Good luck in your search.
Dana and the Willie Monster
John Hall
better, fit better, last longer & hold it's value for re-sale. Quality
DOES count DON'T put a lousy product between you & your horses back.
You'll both be sorry. Look for a good quality used saddle. In lower
priced but good quality saddles the Collegiates, as mentioned, are indeed
nice saddles. Two at the barn where I board have purchased the new
"NICE" (brand name) saddles made by EISERS. They are very well made,
look good, fit the horses well & come w/ a 10 year warranty on the tree.
They were written up in Mike Plumbs horse journal if you want to read
about them. They were purchased for under 500.00$ new & look like an
excellent value. Good luck!!!!
Mike Tucker
: I am hoping to get a horse soon, and I was wondering if someone could
: saddle. What I need is an inexpensive, all purpose saddle that is
: you get for 100-200 dollars that say "for beginning or occasional riders
: only". Are they worth the money? How about synthetic saddles? I like
: the idea of low maintenance, but are they durable? Any advice would be
: appreciated.
Ask around and find a good saddle/leathersmith shop and check into buying a
used saddle. It may not be as flashy as a new one but it will serve its
purpose. Used does not mean poor quality. There are a lot of old saddles out
there that are very good. One of my favorite saddles that I have ever used is
an old J Higgins that was made somtime in the 1930's.
Good luck
Michael Tucker
Imonics Development
Mike Tucker <mtu...@seqanal.mi.uky.edu> wrote:
>Ask around and find a good saddle/leathersmith shop and check into buying a
>used saddle. It may not be as flashy as a new one but it will serve its
>purpose. Used does not mean poor quality. There are a lot of old saddles out
>there that are very good. One of my favorite saddles that I have ever used is
>an old J Higgins that was made somtime in the 1930's.
>
If you do buy a used saddle, make sure and buy it from a dealer who
has a good reputation. I bought my Kieffer from a big tack swap at
a show, and it turned out to have a cracked tree...
--
Michael Czeiszperger | http://crsc1.math.ncsu.edu/~becker/czei.html
cz...@imonics.com | Check out my NEW AND IMPROVED home page!
Research Triangle Park, NC | "He doth nothing but talk of his horse."
(919) 469-7966 | -- From The Mercent of Venice
Lisa Stroyan
I got a cheap ($150) english all-purpose, originally just for trail-riding.
The cons were that I had to try three of the same exact saddle to
get it right (the first one had a weird sound in the tree; the
second was stuffed unevenly so I refused to take it out of the store;
the third was in great shape). The pro, however, is that this saddle
fits me and Jazz both really well! My instructor first snubbed her
nose at it, then we jumped in it and she likes it a bit better than
my nice Crump Prix de Saute close contact! Now I always do cross-country
riding in the all-purpose.
However, I would not recommend buying a cheap saddle out of a catalog unless
you find a particular saddle that others have had good luck with, the
variation between saddles is pretty high for most cheap saddles
(not Collegiate-level, but the < $200 level).
Lisa
--
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,--; Lisa Stroyan *
_ ___/ /\| Jazz, "large puppy dog" horse _/\ /\_ _ /\
,;'( )__, ) Calvin, Hobbes, and Susie, cats _/ \ \_/ \/ \/ \_
// // `--\ Fort Collins, Colorado _/____\__\___/________\_
' / \ | / li...@fc.hp.com
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