This english saddle?

I am still thinking about the posted saddle, and am waiting for more pics.

BUT: what do you think of this saddle? 16" Synthetic Black Western Saddle Wide Tree Lightweight and in GUC | eBay

I bid on that WINTEC saddle ( note: reply #7) but I got outbid :(

Thanks

The seller states it's an extra wide saddle. Do you even know what tree size your horse takes? You're all over the place.

Stop thinking about the price and start focusing on what actually might FIT your horse. Example; there's an absolutely gorgeous German made Stubben on ebay I'd love to have, but it's a medium (30 cm) and I know it won't fit either of my riding horses.

Do you know your seat size? 16" and 17.5" are a world apart.

Oops- I missed that EXTRA wide part-

My horse needs a FQHB western or a Med wide / wide English.

Normally our local craigslist is PACKED with saddles for sale but for some reason the past couple of months their is hardly anything, that's why I'm having such a hard time finding something.

Oops- I missed that EXTRA wide part-

My horse needs a FQHB western or a Med wide / wide English.

Normally our local craigslist is PACKED with saddles for sale but for some reason the past couple of months their is hardly anything, that's why I'm having such a hard time finding something.

I need a 15 to 16 inch Western ( I ride both comfortably)

OR

A 17 to 17.5 inch English --- It's weird though how some adults say that they are riding in a 16 inch seat( and they are BIGGER then me ) - Not sure what to think of that.

I need a 15 to 16 inch Western ( I ride both comfortably)

OR

A 17 to 17.5 inch English --- It's weird though how some adults say that they are riding in a 16 inch seat( and they are BIGGER then me ) - Not sure what to think of that. Do some english saddles run differntly ( if they are treeless, synthetic, off-brand? Etc )

If an adult (of normal stature) is riding in a 16" English saddle, they are blissfully unaware that their saddle is way too small. 16" saddles generally fit kids age 10-16 or so pretty well. You'd have to be very petite adult to use one and have it fit right. If you are comfortable in a 15-16" Western, don't even think about a 16" or 16.5" English.

One thing I find odd about the saddle in your opening post is that BOTH ID plates are missing? There should be one on each side - one above each stirrup bar. Very odd that both are gone. I've never seen a name-plate come off any saddle, and I've had some saddles that were over 50 years old.

If I were in your situation, here's what I'd do:
-1- Look at some of the English seat size calculators and get a very close idea of your seat size. You're almost certainly 17" or 17.5". Don't bother looking at other sized saddles
-2- Take your wither-tracing and get a good idea of your tree-size. Sounds like you've narrowed it down to a M/W or Wide. Make sure you're confident in this.
-3- For the type of riding you described you'll be doing, you'll be happiest in an all-purpose saddle, so focus on that and not dressage or jumping.
Now you have things narrowed down quite a bit...
-4- Note the brands that I listed. Every other day or so, search for those brands on eBay or Craigslist or Tacktrader. EBay lets you set up an automated alert e-mail thingy.

One WILL pop up. I got a beautiful Passier in great shape a few months ago. Including all the stuff used to restore it and shipping, it was $105 (with irons/leathers). My friend kept watch for about a month, and got a great old Passier Comet jumping saddle with new flocking for $85 including shipping and leathers/irons. I've seen Stubbens with some wear, but in great usable shape, go for right around $100. These deals aren't all over the place, but if you can wait just a month or two and are willing to keep a keen eye out, you will find a good one. These are good saddles that run $2000-$3000 new. They last and last and put you in a great position. If you go for the first cheap saddle you find, there's a good chance neither you nor your horse will be happy, and you'll waste a bunch of time trying to re-sell the thing and find another one. In the month or two you spend waiting and watching, you'll probably have just a little more money saved up for fittings and girth too.

I'll be happy to keep an eye out for something, and I'll PM you if I find something. I look for saddles for a few people, so I'll just throw you in the mix.

If you wait a month and end up with a REAL saddle, you will be soooo much happier than if you hurry up and get something that's no good. A month or two isn't long.

And to answer your previous question, yes, I'm pretty sure that Wintec would have been far better than the one in your opening post, but more pics and info on that one would tell for sure.

Name plates don't fall off really good saddles...

Take a look at these recently ended auctions on Stubbens. They are out there in your price range. If you're horse needs a M/W to Wide, you'd be looking at probably a 32cm tree in a Stubben. Or even a 34 cm. That's a big difference. So you really do need a good wither-tracing.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Saddles-/472...&LH_Complete=1

Thank you for your detailed post! Would love it if you could PM me if you ever see anything in the next month or two.

This would be helpful too : what are the TOP FIVE english saddles BRANDS in YOUR opinion? That you've had experience with, and loved them.

Also, what are the top five western saddle BRANDS that you've enjoyed the most?

*Thanks everyone for all of your time*

This will vary a lot from person to person, (ie some people like bitter, some like sweet, etc). It also depends on price range. If I win the lottery, my top 5 list is going to be very different from my current top 5 list. There's a reason I'm good at hunting out inexpensive, good saddles - I can't afford an expensive saddle.

My top-5 list of saddles that I can afford would include (all used):

Passier: I like flat pancake saddles. The Passier is flat, puts me close to the horse. I can feel every movement and the horse can feel me. Even being flat, I feel secure, because it's so nicely balanced. Gives a great position. If the leather has been cared for, it's lusciously buttery. The short tree-points seem to avoid digging into a lot of horses. Cutback pommel helps fitting high-withered horses, but I've been told it also results in a weaker gullet-plate. I haven't had any problems.

Stubben: My fave for starting a horse or a for a difficult horse. Puts me in a great position, and is easy to stay put on. A lot of people hate how hard the seats are. Oddly, my Passier is harder than my old Stubben, yet I get a sore butt from the Stubben but not the Passier. Must have something to do with body shape, and not just seat hardness.

Courbette/AG Felsbach/Sattlerei beim Kloster Schonthal: The 3 are related business-wise. Similar to the Stubbens, but I don't find the position and balance to always be reliable. Many have foam panels, which I don't like. I like them anyway though, because I just seem to like the German/Swiss saddles.

Bates/Wintec: I wouldn't want one (I'm a leather affectionado), but I find them to be a respectable saddle. They provide a solidly built saddle at a price anyone can afford. The fake leather is grreat for people who love low-maintenance, and the changable gullet system is a lifesaver for many a horse without breaking the bank.

I like a lot of the Crosbys. Some seem to put me in a chair-seat, but others are just lovely. The Prix de Nations is a classic.