[Sketter]

Right now I am looking into getting a saddle.. but there are so may diffrerent brands. I am willing to spend up to $2600.00 no more then that. If anyone has had any experance (sp?) with Keifer or Barnsby and anything in that price range let me know

Thankyou

 

[dreamergurl4101]

Test out different saddles.
See what fits your horse and what meets your needs.
Fitting is defently important. Different saddles have different amounts of padding and support.
And your personal preference on the feel of the saddle beneith you is something to look at.
What kind of saddle are you asking about? Dressage? All purpose? western?

 

[Sketter]

Im looking at Close Contact saddle. I have been having trouble fitting a saddle to my guy because he needs a wide tree and i need a 17.5 or even 18 if i can find one.

 

[upnover]

At that price range I"d highly recommend trying out some used high end french made saddles. Antares, Devoucoux, Delgrange, Butet, CWD, etc. Once you ride in one of these you won't want to ride in anything else!

 

[Polaris]

I am a fan of the Bates saddles (I own an Innova dressage saddle and a Caprilli Close Contact). Both have the adjustable gullet with the interchangable plates....that is a big plus for me. Both also have the CAIR system (air panels vs. foam, wool, or a combination of the 2). Some people like the air panels, some don't.

The Innova was close to $3,000.00 and the Caprilli was $1,600.00...both purchased new. If your budget is as high as $2,600.00, you may want to consider the high end french saddles...but you'd have to purchase used vs. new in that case though.

Saddle preference is a very personal thing, with many options available. Just be sure that what fits you also fits your horse.

 

[mudypony]

This site might be very useful for you...
Fine Used Saddles | Best French, German, & English Saddles for Sale | Current Availability

Good luck finding a saddle that fits!! I know it can be a painstakingly long process.

 

[eventerdrew]

I have had very good luck with Prestige saddles and Courbette saddles. I currently have the Courbette Vision Close Contact and I love it! I also the had the Prestige Red Fox Close Contact for a long time and it worked great.

Just shop around. You'll find some great deals on some awesome saddles. Ebay is your friend!

 

[ScharmLily]

I think the Barnsbys run wide, which would be good for your horse. If I remember correctly, they are pretty comfy as well. Having just gone through the saddle fitting process with my horse, my best advice is to try on a bunch and pick the one that fits best on your horse and also fits you regardless of brand. My budget was not nearly as good as yours, but even so, I went for wool panels over foam or air (had a wintec before and it was the panels that didn't fit but they couldn't be adjusted because of the air) because they can always be adjusted as your horse changes shape over the course of his life. Good luck with your search!

 

[StormyBlues]

I am a big fan of stubbens and I am in the process of getting one to try right now. It is the roxanne S. Good luck!

 

[Tack Collector]

Is your horse wide and curvy or wide and table backed?

County, or is it Black County? is a good brand for wide and flat horses.
Duett caters to wide breeds
Thornhill -- wide breeds
Crosby wide
Colegiate wide
L&R Lovatt & Ricketts
Arabian Saddle Company -- a subset of L&R
HDR (certain models Henri de Rivel)
Ashley & Clarke Ayr
Northrun Ashland wide or XW


The Barnsbys I've seen are not particularly wide. I think #4 is the widest standard tree, and it's not all that wide. The Crosbys are the ones that I thin tend to run wide.

Some of those brands named above, are curvy (the tree has rock or rocker to it, not good for a flat table back horse.)

Check over at Horse Grooming forum for threads on saddle fitting, if you can't find info here. I hope it's not against policy to mentions that. Why reinvent the wheel? COTH (Chronicle of the Horse) is another good one.

 

[heyycutter]

i have a beautiful circuit a/p saddle that is the most confortable saddle ive ever used, and its alittle less than 1000 dollars new

 

[gypsygirl]

Is your horse wide and curvy or wide and table backed?

County, or is it Black County? is a good brand for wide and flat horses.
Duett caters to wide breeds
Thornhill -- wide breeds
Crosby wide
Colegiate wide
L&R Lovatt & Ricketts
Arabian Saddle Company -- a subset of L&R
HDR (certain models Henri de Rivel)
Ashley & Clarke Ayr
Northrun Ashland wide or XW

there is a brand county & a different brand called black country. they are both good brands IMO

 

[Tack Collector]

Yes, I bothered to go look that up but not post a correction, lol.


sstack.com sells Phillippe Fontaine Diane and Renee for $895 new. The last time I pricechecked, they were the lowest online.

 

[HalfPass]

Hi there.
You can check these folks out. Sometimes one can find an OFS or a pre owned for a wonderful price and all the employee's are great to work with. Some will work with you long distance also....
www.mysaddle.com
hp