Such A Deal…Or Is It? Used Saddle Safety Check

 I see a lot of saddles come across my bench.  Sometimes they’re in for a flocking adjustment, sometimes for a strip flock and sometimes for a repair.  Occasionally, though, they’re in for a safety check.  Here’s the scenario:

Customer brings me the saddle s/he bought used.  “I got SUCH a great deal on this!” I often hear.  “Do you know what this saddle sells for new?”  I often do.  “Can you believe I got it for $______?!?”  I often can, because the next thing I often hear is, “But it makes this funny noise / does this funny thing / has this funny way of sitting on my horse / has this funny part hanging off.”  And unfortunately, it rarely is funny … Sometimes, it’s repairable – a matter of new billets, new flocking or a new line of stitching – but I’ve seen broken tree rails, broken spring bars, cracked head plates, twisted trees and other issues that make the price – real deal steal though it seemed – far too high.

Now, let me be very clear:  I’m not suggesting that these saddles were sold with malice aforethought – sometimes people just don’t know they’re selling a compromised saddle.  Nor am I suggesting that used saddles are a bad thing – just the opposite, in fact.  A used saddle is usually a win/win situation: the buyer can get the saddle they want without paying the full retail price, and the seller can get a decent return on their initial investment (for saddles, unlike cars, don’t depreciate at the speed of light the moment you take them away from the shop). But how can you be sure you’re getting a safe and sound used saddle?  Here is the list of things we check whenever someone sends us a saddle for consignment (along with the feasibility and approximate cost of fixing it if it’s broken).

1)      The condition of the leather.  A saddle that’s clean and conditioned always makes a better impression, but as long as the leather’s in good shape – no cracks or tears – that’s what matters.  If it’s a bit dry, a couple light coats of conditioner may be all it needs, but if the finish has been worn through, it will affect the useful life of the saddle … and if the leather is worn through or torn, it will need to be replaced if it can’t be patched or sewn. (No fix for compromised finish … though worn flaps can be replaced, cost will be between $200 and $400, depending on the type of flap.  Matching flap color to the saddle may prove difficult.  Patches vary in cost depending on location and size of patch, and as for replacing “holy” or torn/ripped leather, cost depends on the part and the labor needed to replace it.)

2)      Condition of the stitching.  If there’s a loose line of stitching, it may be a simple fix – or not.  If the lacing that attaches the panel to the saddle has come loose, or if the panel point has come loose from the sweat flap, that’s pretty minor and is usually under $100 to repair.  But if the stitching between the seat and jockey is gone, you’re looking at around $300-$400 to re-sew, since the entire saddle will need to be disassembled.

3)      Stirrup bars.  Grab them and do your best to make them move.  They should be absolutely rock-solid, with no play or wiggle in any direction, and there should be no creaking, clicking or grinding when you pull/push on them.  (They can be replaced, provided the tree is sound.  Cost around $200-$250.)

4)      Breastplate dee.  This is known as the “falldown staple” in saddler’s language, and is one of the major components that keep flap on and hold the front of your saddle together.  Make sure it, like the stirrup bars, is rock solid.  (Can be replaced, providing the tree is sound.  Cost around $75-$125.)

5)      Condition of the flocking. Flip the saddle over and run your hands firmly over the panels.  The surface should be resilient and free from divots or lumps.  Keep in mind that you’ll probably have to have a used saddle flocked to your horse’s back, same as you would a new one, but if the panels are hard as cement, or if you feel lumps, knots or dips, the saddle may need a strip flock.  Compromised foam panels may need to go back to the shop for replacement.  (Can be fixed.  Flocking adjustments run from $60 – $150, strip flocks are around $300, and replacing the panels will run in the $500-$700 range.)

6)       Billets.  They should be free of cracks and the holes shouldn’t be stretched or torn; the stitching that holds them to the webbing should be unbroken, and the webbing to which they’re sewn to should be whole and sound.  (Billets run about $25 each to replace or about $10 each to re-stitch.  Point billets can be more expensive to replace, and if the panels need to be dropped to reach the billet webbing, add another $40-$60.  If the webbing is shot, it can be replaced, but may not be cost effective, especially if it runs under the seat.)

7)      Tree.  Brace the pommel of the saddle against your stomach or thigh, and grab the cantle with one hand while placing the other on the seat.  Pull the cantle toward the pommel.  Don’t worry if there’s some give – most spring trees (and many modern synthetic trees) are designed to flex.  However, if you hear clicking / grinding / crunching / snapping / groaning / squeaking, or if the saddle gives more on one side than the other, the tree may be compromised (and if you can almost fold the saddle in half, it’s almost guaranteed).  But the only way to know for sure is to drop the panels, peel off the gullet cover and expose the tree – squeaks and pops can be due to a loose rivet, leather rubbing on leather or even a ridge of varnish on the tree, and sometimes, a broken tree won’t make any noise at all.  Most tree breaks aren’t easily repaired, and few saddlers will even try, due to safety and liability issues.  Saddles can be re-treed (provided the model is still in production and the appropriate tree is available), but it’s not cheap – labor is between $300 and $600, plus the cost of the tree (usually at least $200-$300).

8)      Tree, part two: straightness.  Put the saddle on a buck or rack and look at it from the back.  The center of the pommel should line up with the center of the cantle.  If they don’t jive, the tree may be twisted.  This can be difficult to determine for sure without stripping the panels and flaps off the tree, because misaligned saddle nails or a slightly crooked seat seam can give the illusion of asymmetry even when they really aren’t.

9)      Head plate.  Stick the saddle between your legs with the pommel arch or area around the stirrup bars between your knees.  Squeeze knees inward. There should be absolutely no movement in the pommel area, no squeaking or clicking.  Any of the aforementioned can indicate a broken head plate (or plates).  It’s a rare saddler who’ll replace head plates, and if you can find someone, it will usually run $300-$400.

If you’re dealing with a knowledgeable fitter or shop, these safety checks will have already been done.  But if you’re dealing with a private sale, it’s always good to have this checklist so you can do an evaluation on your own.  Better safe than sorry!

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