Saddle shopping does not need to be such a hand wringing experience. A few guidelines can help facilitate the process and hopefully produce positive results or at the very least, educate you more in what you should ultimately look for.
We typically receive many emails and phone calls daily from customers looking to start or further their saddle search. For some folks, this is a familiar process and for some, a totally new venture. Some customers know exactly what they want down to the smallest details and some have no idea where to start. In either situation, here are some things to consider.
At Trumbull Mountain, we have found that the more information we have about your horse’s conformation and physical needs, the more successful we will be. Ideally, that information includes wither tracings that are current, a couple of conformation shots and our downloadable questionnaire. The wither tracing is far less complicated than one would think and we have a short video on our site, as well as, instructions, that explain the process. Four main markings of the tracing should be addressed including the spot where the tree points would be, number one, the lowest point of the back, number two, identifying where the last rib is, T18, and the topline. These measurements, if accurate, give us a baseline to measure or at least a point to start from. Not only do these lines give us an idea of tree width but also what tree shape would be best, what panel considerations might be necessary, and how long the saddle can be. When we are presented with just the tree point line, we are working with much less information and that can make the saddle suggestions less specific and the process take a bit longer.
Conformation shots, consisting of one of the entire horse standing square, naked, and one on a mounting block, behind the tail, looking down on the back give us another visual. One including a shot with the lines from the tracings is a bonus as that gives us an idea of how accurate the tracings are. If the side shot is angled, the topline is not represented well. This photo can provide info on the tree and panel types that would be most suitable, in addition to showing shoulder contour and so on. The one looking down the back provides us with longitudinal body shape, symmetry, and how angular or round the horse’s back is. Although we love casual grazing pasture shots or comical shots showing personality, they don’t give us the necessary information.
The questionnaire gives us more detail such as your preferences, if you have determined them, your horse’s preferences, price range, info to help determine seat and flap needs and so on.
We have found that the success level is higher with the above information versus a person that calls and asks for a saddle in, say, a 17.5″ medium. In days past, many saddles all had pretty standard features,medium width, narrow gullet channel, standard panel, minimum block and not many billet options. These days a medium in one saddle can differ wildly from a medium in another saddle. It can be like comparing apples and oranges. One medium saddle can be on a standard A shaped tree with options such as wither gussets and a K panel suitable for an angular horse or one that needs front panel support, while another can be a medium hoop tree suitable for a horse with a rounder frame. Add to that the many billet confirmations available and one can see why it is helpful to have the most information possible to pinpoint which saddles would be best. It saves time on shipping and expense. True, some horses and/or rider’s needs can be more complicated, but it narrows down the field.
We understand that price ranges vary wildly. There can b e some good saddles in the lower price ranges such as Thorowgood and Duett, but if your horse or your needs are very complicated, the choices can be far more limiting. There are many inexpensive older saddles available. Keep in mind that it is only a worthwhile purchase if it works for both of you.
Another issue that sometimes crops up is trying to replicate a trainer or friend’s saddle. Saddles that are “bench made” are hand crafted, often by different saddlers within a company and can vary slightly in fit. Year of manufacture can also affect how a saddle will fit. A good example would be if you were to compare Passier Grand Gilbert saddles from year to year. Their gullet channels, tree shape and panel shapes vary tremendously. Some may be very angular laterally and some are flatter. Although you may have ridden in your trainer’s and both you and your horse loved it, the one you see online may fit completely differently.
We have many articles written over time under “Articles” and in our general information on the site that might provide a lot of answers to possible questions but we are always happy to educate you in any way we can. We hope this will inspire those of you still looking for a saddle to be thorough when providing information so that we can do our job to the best of our ability.