DefinitelyDressage.com

I'm saddle shopping. Miss Ariel has a Wintec but like all school tack, it sometimes wanders. I could indeed buy another Wintec, but if I wanted a leather a/p,saddle, what brand should I look at that is under 4 figures? No Butet or Beval. I don't want knee rolls or a ton of padding. Suede front flaps would be nice but not a must have. My dressage saddle is a Passier and I love it.

I'd look for a used County Eventer or something like that.

I was quite surprised at the quality and feel of the Thorowgood saddles - I tried the T8 general purpose on my guy, and it was quite nice (the T8 has leather seat and rolls). They're less than $900 new on smartpak's website, and also have adjustable gullets as well as wool flocking that can be tweaked for a customized fit. I also liked that the billets themselves are also adjustable - you can swap the rear gullet to anchor the back of the saddle (so four billet points total, rather than three).

I would look for a used Albion. There aren't tons of AP Albions, but I had a Legend CC and an SLK dressage, and they both had excellent balance and seem to fit a lot of horses.

It's kind of hard to recommend for someone else though - I tried a horse out in a Devacoux (sp?) or some other high-end CC saddle like that, and couldn't balance for the life of me, but it worked great for the owner.

If you like the Wintec, you might be able to find the Bates leather version of the same saddle.

My Crosby Equilibrium DSL has served me well and is nearly 20 years old; I love it. I would seek out used saddles of well-known make. Maybe look for something on consignment in nearby tack shops, where you can test out the fit on you and your horse. Have you checked Craigslist? I know folks turn their nose at CL, but I've found, at least in my area, that the equestrian folks are square-dealers and the English riders, for the most part, take good care of their tack. It is worth taking a look and asking about try before you buy.

I admit I have done nothing at work except look at used saddles. The local saddlery has a 17" Passier PS Baum and I will be checking that Saturday. I'd love a County Eventer. I'm old school and remembered Courbette, a brand I love. There are a few Courbette Combinations on eBay for around $400. I think I will buy a flexicurve at the saddlery and do a wither tracing. Ariel doesn't have shark fin TB withers,thank goodness, and has rather a broad back for a small TB.

I was so lucky with my beloved Bob. First saddle I tried (Passier GT) fit him like a glove and I never had to saddle shop.

P.S. Not one, but 2 Crosby Equilibriums on CL! $500. Does that sound reasonable?

On the Crosby Equilibriums, I'm honestly not sure what is appropriate value for them these days, sorry. You might have to do some Googling. Like any pre-owned saddle, it depends on their age, current condition, and presuming they haven't been dropped off the top of a barn or stomped on . Are you close enough to the sellers to take a look?!

It really depends on what your horse's needs are. There are a lot of all purpose saddles with pencil blocks that are reasonably priced.

What about a used Stubben AP saddle? Make sure it is not too narrow for your girl.

http://www.straffordsaddlery.com/produc ... hgod-SQMnA

Josettte, that's a beautiful saddle and I'd buy it in a minute if I knew it fit. It says it's a wide.

Lookup the sizing for Stubben saddles because the older ones ran quite narrow IMO. Narrow gullets too. This saddle might be considered a medium width by another saddle maker. Besides you can inquire for a test/trial ride although you would pay shipping/return. I would avoid some of the really old ones you still see posted around. Museum pieces IMO.

http://www.trumbullmtn.com/store/demo-a ... le-18-adj/

adjustable gullet

I have a used HDR on trial. Old school, pencil knee rolls. Did a quick barn visit, put it on Ariel and girthed it. So far so good. I will ride Tuesday and fingers crossed it rides well.