Collegiate Saddle

hey all,
I am looking to buy a new saddle but i have a few questions:

1. The saddle i have now is a 16", which i have had since i was 13 (now 21). I took it to a saddle shop and had the man measure it and then he had me sit in a few other saddles and said that a 16 was too small so he had me sit in a 17" Ovation. Unfortunately, he did not have the saddle i want. I am looking to buy a 17" collegiate alumni saddle. Anyways, my question is..Do different english saddle makers (crosby, bates, collegiate, hermes, pessao...ect.) seat size really different? Would a 17" be the same seat size in all makes?

2. I do not own my own horse. I ride a verity of horses/ponies. So i need a universal saddle that will fit most horses/ponies. I came across the Collegiate Alumni with a easy change gullet system. I was just wondering if anyone owns this type of saddle and would be able to tell me the pros/cons of it.

YES, different brands fit differently! I know a lot of french made saddles are a little smaller. Hermes, Antares, Devoucoux and Delgrange all run a bit small. -I'm a 16.5 in most saddles, but my antares and delgrange are 17s. Butet doesn't have half sizes, but they all fit like half sizes (a 17 is more like a 17.5 and is absolutely humongus on me). I think Pessoas, Collegiates, Barnsbys, Bates, etc all fit pretty similarly though. I'm a 16.5 there.

First of all I own 17 Collegiate myself (not changeable gullets though), and I picked it after trying like 20 saddles in Dover. :)

Certainly different models feel (and look) differently under your back. Also I've heard if you use close contact (which is more flat) size 16'5, it's better to go with 17 for all purpose (more deep one).

I'd suggest going to different tack stores and trying on as many different saddles as possible.

Like Kitten Val said, each maker will make the saddle slightly different.