What are your thoughts on this saddle?

17 INCH IMPERIAL DERWENT BY CAVALIER ENGLISH SADDLE - Edmonton Livestock For Sale - Kijiji Edmonton**

For $150 plus shipping, do you think it's a deal??

Found a review for it:
Cavalier Imperial Derweny All Purpose Saddle All Purpose Saddles Reviews @ Horse Tack Review

Keep in mind that that review is only from one person. But if it seems to be made of cheap leather, then the rest of the saddle is probably/maybe cheaply made as well.

If you plan on doing a lot of riding, keep looking. This is a low end saddle. The finish is more like a paint not a good dye. In order to make a cheap saddle, cheap materials are used, beginning with the tree. The metal is recycled pig iron with air bubbles. The metal in the pommel acts like a bridge across the withers and hold attaches to the wooden tree. Just not a good item to buy.

Looks like a cheap far-east made saddle to me. Like saddlebag said the trees are poor, leather's far better than it was 30 years ago but drum-dyed so the colour fades and it wears faster, and the flocking is often short-fibre carpet waste. I'd avoid.

Cavalrytales Blog

It does look very cheap. I always go on ebay to search for a saddle and select 'top-rated selllers' or go to my local tack store.

Too many people there days (unfortunately) are not honest about what they are actually selling.

I always look at reviews and look compare the price to other saddles.

I would personally say save up for a Tru Britt Saddle, Wintec, Pessoa or some other brand.

Good luck!

I am by no means a saddle expert but I will tell you from weeks of saddle searching, a low price saddle new always means cheap quality and a pissed off horse. It looks to me the manufacturing of a good saddle is not cheap for the salld maker.

I would agree with all the posts so far to a point. I have repaired several of the derwent saddles over the years. The trees do not stand a lot of abuse and the leather is generaly on the thick side and not good quality. But on the brighter side I have used them and when they fit and are conditioned and taken care of can be a okay starter saddle for someone that just wants to get their foot in the door on english riding. I would look at the stiching on the billets and make sure the tree is okay before trying it. I have seen these saddles priced for three hundred dollars but I have always sold them reconditioned for one hundred with fittings cause that is what I think they are worth after I have gone threw to make sure they are safe. On all the ones I have had apart the webing does go over the tree like it should I have seen some makes of saddles that are so cheep that the billet webbings are tacked under the tree. And so derwent did try a little at least.

I had another thought. For not very much more money you can pick up a better brand I have seen stubbens for three hundred and I have gotten some very nice old ones for one hundred that needed repairs so look around its fun.