Quest for a Saddle

 "Bring your leg back!"

I hate that phrase. Why? Well, because I hear it all the time and can't do a whole lot about it. My saddle has never fit me well and it pushes me back, thus causing my feet to come forward. Sometimes it is so bad that I kick Ruby's front feet when we are cantering! I finally got so tired of doing that, that I decided to stop being cheap and look for a new saddle. I am glad I did! I have learned a lot about how saddles should fit (both myself and Ruby), the effects a non-fitting saddle can have on both of us, and the difference a good saddle really makes. 

After spending months trying to find a manufactured used saddle that fit:
     a. My tiny butt but super long thighs and
     b. Short but round (and nearly wither-less) pony

I decided that it was time to bite the bullet and make in investment in a custom saddle. Here are my findings so far (I will keep out my negative comments so as not to hurt the company's sales; a saddle that may not have worked for Ruby and I might still work for you!)

Note: my budget for this saddle was $3000-3500; unfortunately, I am not a riding snob that had everything handed to me on a silver platter (damn). With my rent & living expenses+ Ruby's rent & living expenses+ student loans, I needed to find a saddle that fit in this price range (at the most).

I first met with CWD. The 2g saddle was my favorite, but a bit out of my price range ($6700 new). The wait time for one of these saddles is about 20 weeks, so if you know when you would like to have your saddle, get it well in advance! As an engineer, I was not sold on this company’s sell point for this saddle. However, the representative was very friendly and answered my questions. We did not go over the saddle fit on my horse, but compared the saddles on the ground. There was no travel charge for my consultation. My consultant told me that Antares and Devoucoux saddles are made the same way (and follow the same principles) as CWD, so if you like CWD, chances are, you will like those two brands. You can find Antares and Devoucoux saddles used on the CDW website, if you are looking to save some money.

Second was County Saddlery. The representative I had was very patient with me (and my million questions) and went through my saddle step-by-step (on my horse) to show me which points were causing issues with my current saddle fit (way more information than I could absorb at one time). She was very knowledgeable on fitting and (don’t quote me on this) I believe representatives have master saddler certifications (the US version). The saddle I liked was right in my price range: $3300. She was very honest, and even made critiques on her own saddle fits for myself and Ruby. There was no travel charge for my consultation. Wait time for these saddles are approximately 10 weeks. Saddles come with a warranty that states the the saddle can be re-treed or reflocked one year after you receive the saddle (there is still a hefty fee to have this done).

Third was Stackhouse. These saddles have a set price of $5500. They are hand made by David Stackhouse and his partner Lesley. Everything on this saddle is custom fit and made per your preference- tree, flaps, knee rolls, blocks, leather color…, even your keepers. Wait time for these saddles is unbelievable- you will get your saddle in a week (construction starts on Monday, completed Wednesday, and shipped by that Friday). A little over budget, but still in the running simply because I would get this saddle so fast.

Next up is Hastilow. The travel fee to come to my barn in Virginia was about $180, but still less than what I expected! My meeting is next Friday. So far, I have heard good things about this company (from this site), and the representative has been very helpful and super good about finding out exactly what I am looking for so I will not have to pay for any more trips here than is necessary. I am most concerned about saddle fit should mine (or Ruby’s) body change. I was assure that these saddles can be reflocked at any time, and some saddles have interchangeable gullets as well. I will be trying saddles that are within my budget range only. Wait time for these saddles is about 6 weeks.

Update: Hastilow performed a thorough check of my saddle fit (to show me what points were not fitting correctly), took an entire page worth of measurements for both myself and Ruby, fitted about a dozen saddles to Ruby, narrowed the pile down to the ones that fit the best, then decided on three for me to ride with. Wait time for custom saddles is about 6 weeks. The representative was very knowledgeable about saddle fitting, the engineering behind the saddle, and saddle quality codes (UK standards).  

I have spoken with Tad Coffin and Centaur Saddlery, but have not been able to schedule appointments. A friend of mine has a Tad Saddle and highly recommends it- you can get saddles from him within my budget range. However, other saddlers have stated that the Tad saddles are "one size fits all."

Update: Never did hear back from Centaur, but did get some information on Tad Coffin saddles. These saddles do not work for everyone- although you will have a very well made and very comfortable saddle, they are "on size fits all" for the horses. Tad Coffin saddles are "made" to fit by using saddle pads and risers. Unless your horse fits the description/shape for these saddles without the extra padding, you are better off going with a different company that will fit the saddle to your horse. Saddle price starts at about $2,800.

I have asked each saddler I have met with about their opinions on the other saddlers I will meet. Everyone was very professional but honest about it- giving both pros and cons for their competition. Again, I will not share what I was told, as I consider this information confidential. Also, each saddler I have spoken with has been very gracious in terms of payment plans. Down payments are typically $1000, but if you need some extra time to pay off the rest, most saddlers will be more than happy to make arrangements with you. I also made a point to ask each saddler about the re-sale value of their saddles. If I find one I love but can’t afford right now, I can buy a similar saddle for less with the same saddler and resell in a few years, or trade in. Most saddles (if you take care of them) seem to hold their value pretty well (minus about $800-$1000).

Hope this helps anyone else who is looking! Any more suggestions/comments/arguments (for or against) are always welcome.

Update: I have chosen the Hastilow Saddle! Great price, lifetime warranty, exchangeable tree pieces, first re-flocking is free, fits Ruby perfectly, fits my awkward frame perfectly, reasonable wait time for custom saddles (6 weeks), many color and style options,  decent customer service, AND Hastilow is one of the few Master Saddlers in the United States- what's to dislike? Giving the saddle 90 days of riding to break it in, but so far everything has gone really well with this saddle.

Dan's First Lesson- Significant Others and Riding

"Did you ask him to trot??"

Honestly, I got lucky- I found a boyfriend who was at least a little curious about riding horses. Looking back at fellow barn girls, I can't say I remember seeing boyfriends/husbands on a horse except on a few rare occasions- if they came to the barn at all. I do know that a lot of my old barn buddies claimed that "riding is my thing and baseball/golf/hunting/whatever is his" but come on, I can't be the only equestrian female out there that fantasizes about horseback picnics... One little bit of interest and I am all for Dan learning how to ride!

I forced Connie to multitask today- I took a lesson with Dan so that he wouldn't be riding around with me staring at him and struggling to keep my mouth shut (yeah, I'm one of those people who twitches when I see someone else ride...sometimes I even "ride" for them by leaning or  pulling my invisible reins).

Anyway, I decided to stay occupied and keep out of his way. Connie's assessment was thus: "He is just like my husband! He has no fear and even sits the same way Jeff does!" This meant that when we were walking around the round pen getting used to the horses, Dan decided that walking was too boring and started trotting around. Ha. So cute. I ride English (obviously), but Dan wants to learn Western and be a "manly man" or whatever. I don't really care what discipline he chooses, as long as he can one day ride Ruby for me!

I love you Dan!!!

 Dan in his first lesson 

riding Jimmy!

 Thanks to my sister Julia for these pictures!

Trot Pole Exercise: Jumping on the Curve

"Ruby wants to be a barrel racer"

The exercise for this week was as follows (ignore my shoddy paint skills- I realized I couldn't draw this out using just 8's and o's like I usually do):

These started off as poles and were raised to crossrails as the lesson progressed. First, trot the pole/jump on the top rail. Next, trot the pole/jump on the top rail and then add the next pole on the side rail. Finally, do the pole/jump on the top rail, the pole on the side rail, then the bending line to your corner. Change direction. Pay attention to your diagonals, and try to keep your horse balanced through these turns (which were actually pretty tight in my riding ring). To keep your horse interested, make different patterns with these poles/jumps (if you do the same thing over and over, you AND your horse might get a little burnt out). This exercise is very simple, but is a great way to get your horse used to going over jumps that are not in a straight line. With Ruby, the challenge was to keep her calm coming out of the side jump going to the bending line (she will rush the bending line and lean through her turn).


You and your horse should both be relaxed when going over these poles. For over-thinkers/over-analyzers, keep looking up and ahead- the more you focus on the pole, the tighter you will get! You can tell here that I am a bit stiff and am not following with my hands. It is important to relax so your horse can do the same!








To the right is a great picture of Ruby- this is how I want her to look: she is relaxed, her head is down, and she is extending over the pole.








This lesson was uneventful (according to our standards). No lesson next week because of travel plans, but I'm sure Connie has another interesting exercise up her sleeve! As much as I hate trotting around all lesson (and trotting jumps- I find that very difficult as I want to get ahead of Ruby when we come up to the jump!), I know this is getting Ruby fit. She sweats less and less and is able to keep energy up longer now.