The dreaded english saddle package...

I think the cheapie saddles have come a ways from what people think they are. It's it fair to say that a cheap English saddle will cause damage to a horse because it wont fit. A big price tag on a saddle doesn't guarantee fit, and the price tag doesn't mean that the bad fit won't cause damage. A bad fit is a bad fit -- PERIOD.

That being said, yes one does have to question the quality of the craftsmanship, but really, let's really think this over. If people ran into problems, they complain and get refunds. Enough complaints, a company stops carrying it. The people leave bad reviews. I really doubt anyone would receive something poorly stitched or crooked or what have you and not send it back - cheap or not.

Or maybe I've just had good luck? The cheapie saddles I've come across look like they were made with the pattern of a fancier saddle but without the super high quality materials.
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That is kind of what I was wondering really. I mean lets face it. They are no where near the quality of a big price tag saddle. The $200 saddle package will never hold a light to the $1000+ saddles. But is it really THAT bad? I have never really used one except for the odd spin on a school horse at one of the "mass production" barns that pump out school kids like Michelle Duggar.

And these packages seem to be on ebay 24/7. If they were truly crudtastic would they still be selling like crazy?

This does not mean I am going to run out and buy one. But it is something I do wonder about. I am lucky enough though to have a great friend to lend me her saddle so I can save to get a nice one. But that doesn't stop me from wondering what they are really like if they were cared for properly as in cleaned after every use and stored in a dry area.

They sell like crazy because they are cheap. Parents of horse mad kiddies think 'oh sweet I don't need to spend $1000 + on a new saddle to keep kid happy'.
I have yet to find one such saddle that I would have felt comfortable sitting in let alone putting it on a green horse.

Yeah, they are THAT bad. Plus besides a horrible fit those saddles won't put YOU in a correct position either. Which I find to be very important as well when riding.

I've seen used NICE brands to go in $200-300 range (same as cheap new package). Say, Crosby. Other options would be Wintec or Tekna, that are not leather, but go quite cheap used.

I'm not a huge wintec fan... I liked the older wintecs that were made dressage style but the newer plastic ones drive me crazy. But a pair of full seats with those fabric like saddles were a great stick for cross country and stuck you like glue so you could sit the most bouncey of trots lol.

I've been thinking about thorowgood. My friend has one and its not to bad. I might go that direction. Since I am not in a rush I can sit back and watch and wait for the right saddle with the right deal

A part of me is kind of tempted to throw the saddle aside and ride bareback for the next few months. Work on my balance and position and get back to the basics. If only she wasn't 16 hands and so solid... its a long ways to the ground. Wonder if I can throw her in the dryer and shrink her down to 13 hands...

Personally I prefer this brand over Wintec.

Bareback pad would be a good option too (if she's quiet haha!).

I don't make personal criticism - it's unproductive at the least and might be misconstrued as rude, which I'm not. But you can't expect to make general statements without them being questioned.

From the horses I see I reckon at least a third (and probably more) have some level of discomfort caused by poorly fitted saddles, mostly through lack of education or thought on the owner's part. Reproduced worldwide, that's a LOT of sore horses, many of which need not be.

If you've ever seen animals with huge open sores where their backs have been galled by ill-fitted saddles, as I have, you might feel differently, especially when these poor wretches are on supposedly 'professional' yards. So you'll have to forgive me believing such thoughtlessness approaches wanton cruelty.

That's why, if I feel someone's idea of correct fitting is wrong, I have to say so. NO horse deserves less than the best fit we can achieve.

I'll go now ;)

And yet, I've had professionals look at the saddle fit and pronounce it good. All indicaors from the horses that have ridden with this saddle show no signs of "abuse" or huge open sores. So, explain to me again how I'm abusing my horse?

Perhaps this saddle wouldn't work as well with a bigger rider, but the only one who rides in it is a small child who weighs less than 70lbs. We use a proper contour sheepskin saddle pad and purchased a very nice girth from Dover.

It's the sweeping generalization from others that if the saddle is inexpensive than:

1) the owner is abusing the horse
2) the parent is buying it just to shut their kid up
3) it will NEVER fit properly and anyone who says it does is lying

That are really bothering me. There has to be a happy medium. Expecting parents to run out and buy a custom Stubben saddle when they are not even sure their child will stick with the sport is unrealistic. I did my homework. I spent over 6 months looking at saddles and talking to other owners/trainers. We did not buy blindly, we actually looked at the saddle in person before making the purchase. The leather is not from virgin cows massaged daily with neatsfoot oil until they are humanely euthanized... but it came from a saddle maker that is known for ok saddles and the leather has held up well being used 3 days per week by a young child who takes care of her tack.

Right now, Kitten is only doing flat work in her saddle. She is not doing dressage or jumping. The horse is not showing distress or discomfort.

Yes, we are looking at new saddles. We purchased this one as our "gateway" saddle and knew it would need to be replaced if/when Kitten got serious. (If only because it isn't as pretty in the show ring). But, I would still recommend it to parents of young riders who are just starting in the sport and need a basic saddle to school in. As always, buyer beware and take a good look at ANY saddle youn plan to purchase, but don't discount a saddle just because the price is "too low".
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Which is fine. My original comments weren't directed at anything other than the idea of 'fit'.