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What Name?
Posts: 1994
   
| So, I'm sitting here on ebay browsing all the beautiful headstalls and breast collars in all their beautiful Turquiose glory. Of course, there's a lot I love on there.
But I came across a couple of what look to be very well made saddles ( everything from bland to ostentaciously and brightly colored) Normally I'd never consider purchasing one off ebay. They're cheap, in the sense of what people seem to averagely spend on saddles here and elsewhere. 400-800 saddles. Oddly, I bought one that cheap, still have it and ride in it. but it was at a local tack store and I know it fits my horse well.
Just curious, what do you spend on your saddles? Besides fit what determines you purchase? I just got to thinking how much we spend on nice saddles and what we use to determine them to be 'nice'. You generally get what you pay for, but sometimes I feel like a $400 saddle can be just as good as a 1500 saddle. We put so much stock in names, brands, weather is croc or ostrich. Granted.. materials will change a lot of things price wise. But if it fit the horse, and you liked it, would you pay the 400? or would you spend more on a 'better saddle' because you worried about what people would think of your cheaply made saddle. |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | 1) Horse fit
2) My fit
3) Eye appeal
4) Resell ability
I don't mind spending a few thousand on a saddle if I know it will fit me and my horse. They're not something that are really intended to be replaced every couple of years, so it's more of an investment.
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| My requirements are it absolutely has to fit my horse and not make me hurt riding or when I get off. I don't care if it's used or new. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1898
| After horse fit and feel/position, tree material and leather quality are the next on my list. |
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 Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | The only way I would pay $400 for a saddle is if it is used. I would never purchase a brand new saddle for $400. Materials alone that go into a nice well made high quality saddle cost more than that not including labor. Quality of leather, tree, and horse and rider fit are what I look for. After that I look at what I find appealing aesthetically. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | Horse fit, my fit, then resale value.
I'm not into anything flashy or any extras, just looking for a nice, solid, handsome saddle. I'd rather buy used than new. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Any saddle that is brand new and cost 400.00 is not going to be any kind of quality, I dont care what anybody thinks, but a saddle of poor quality well never be in my tack shed, if I was going to spend 400 to 600 it will be on a good use saddle. I believe on what you spend is what you get. Alot of the cheap saddles will have leather like cardboard. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| Used saddles I look for deals
Custom ordered saddles 2500-3200
If I have never seen the brand in real life, I will not buy
I want longitivtiy
First, I look at the tree, is it rawhide covered, if so I ask what lacing was used on the rawhide, as if the lacing is synthetic, it will break down faster then authentic cat gut.
I have a billy cook from sulphur Oklahoma, this was my first barrel saddle and it is 20 yrs old, if I lift up the fender and look at the tree, I can see the lacing has dissolved, broke down, etc, and I have wood exposed which is now exposed to the elements and has an increased chance of the wood warping, or busting.
If the tree is covered with Fiberglas then I know the tree won't break down as the above.
Then I look at the quality of leather, is it going to break, is it soft, are my knees and ankles going to kill me when breaking it in.
I look at the quality of craftsmanship is the saddle straight, are all the nails nailed in, screws tight, how does the sewing look.
I look at the warranty of the saddle, does the tree have a year, 5, 10 year warranty?
If the saddle passes all of that, generally I am looking at a higher priced saddle |
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 Veteran
Posts: 146
| Personally, I would not buy one that was priced that low; however, my recent experience with a very pricey saddle made me think I would have been much better off having bought one of the cheap ones!
I think it's a matter of what you expect to get for that amount of money. If you don't have high expectations and are willing to take a risk on how good the tree may or may not be and what kind of durability the materials will have then really up to you. I have seen a few out there on websites that look very nice in the pictures, I always wonder how good they look in person or if what you order will be the same as what's in the pictures.
Not everyone has a big budget for saddles and a fair few have become priced out of reach for many of us, so it's a matter of getting the best for what you can afford and not worrying about what other's think. I try to buy the best quality I can afford but it really about what will work best for the horse and myself.
Edited by 4Horse 2015-04-13 5:53 PM
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 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | I would never ride a new saddle that was that cheap. There are also $1500 saddles that might be all jazzed up but are crap saddles. Find a good quality saddle used. You're horse will appreciate it. |
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 Fact Checker
Posts: 16575
Location: Displaced Iowegian | I feel like a $400 saddle can be just as good as a 1500 saddle.
My husband is a custom saddle maker and with the cost of good saddle trees running from $200+, sides of leather running 250+ and up, plus the cost of hardware, etc, no way would a $400 saddle be anywhere near the quality of a $1500 saddle...... UNLESS it was a good used saddle. Those $400 saddles are, more than likely, built "out of the country", have cheap hollow fiberglass trees or unseasoned wood trees covered with a thin "fiberglass cloth" that will break or warp and the leather used is "pressed" leather where they take scraps, grind it, glue it and press it into sheets........Buy one at your own risk....... |
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Location: Texas | Longneck - 2015-04-13 4:18 PM 1) Horse fit
2) My fit
3) Eye appeal
4) Resell ability
I don't mind spending a few thousand on a saddle if I know it will fit me and my horse. They're not something that are really intended to be replaced every couple of years, so it's more of an investment.
This!
If it doesn't fit the horse(s) it's intended to then it's out of the question.
If it does, then I want it to fit me, ride good and comfortably.
If it fits us both, then it depends on if I like the leather, shape and style.
Lastly, I think about resale value. If it's a good saddle I like, I may never sell it. (Yes, I have hoarding tendencies.) But, if I chose to sell it would anyone else buy it or would it even still be a solid saddle once I was done with it.
Saddles are more expensive than they use to be (what isn't?), but a well made, solid saddle is worth every penny and WILL last a lifetime. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | A plain high quality saddle will always look better than a cheap colorful one. Even if they look fine online, it is impossible for those sub $1000 saddles to hold up to those in the $1500+ category. When companies make those cheap saddles, they have to cut corners to turn a profit. They means the saddles are going to be made in India or China, so getting one that isn't crooked or messed up is just luck. They also use inexpensive leather. Sure it's leather, you can use it, but it's plastic-y to the touch and never breaks in or feels good like a good saddle. They're not going to use good exotic hides or bling either. It won't sparkle like swarovski's and that ostrich seat is gonna look grody and worn in a year. Then there's fit. They put NO thought into the design of the tree. If your horse has a cookie cutter back you might just get lucky, but they really don't care if your horse has big shoulders or high withers or is wider than an army tank. I've seen enough of these saddles in person at tack stores, barrel races (my sister's first barrel saddle was even one of these. It had a putrid pistachio "ostrich" seat. ) to know this is the universal truth to the cheap saddle be it a barrel saddle or dressage or roper or endurance. My personal saddles average around $2000 new and have been relatively plain. One had a blue suede seat but my new Meleta Brown is as plain add you can get.
Edited by cavyrunsbarrels 2015-04-14 12:47 PM
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Longneck - 2015-04-13 4:18 PM 1) Horse fit
2) My fit
3) Eye appeal
4) Resell ability
I don't mind spending a few thousand on a saddle if I know it will fit me and my horse. They're not something that are really intended to be replaced every couple of years, so it's more of an investment.
Ditto, last year I paid $4800 for a new Caldwell with matching breast collar and back cinch, liked it so much I paid 3K for a year old one for my other horse. |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| rodeomom3 - 2015-04-14 12:47 PM Longneck - 2015-04-13 4:18 PM 1) Horse fit
2) My fit
3) Eye appeal
4) Resell ability
I don't mind spending a few thousand on a saddle if I know it will fit me and my horse. They're not something that are really intended to be replaced every couple of years, so it's more of an investment.
Ditto, last year I paid $4800 for a new Caldwell with matching breast collar and back cinch, liked it so much I paid 3K for a year old one for my other horse.
I don't know how ya'll find the money for that. LOL. I'm still trying to find money for a horse trailer, much less a saddle... |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 507
Location: Lost in the corn of Iowa. | NJJ - 2015-04-13 6:26 PM
I feel like a $400 saddle can be just as good as a 1500 saddle.
My husband is a custom saddle maker and with the cost of good saddle trees running from $200+, sides of leather running 250+ and up, plus the cost of hardware, etc, no way would a $400 saddle be anywhere near the quality of a $1500 saddle...... UNLESS it was a good used saddle. Those $400 saddles are, more than likely, built "out of the country", have cheap hollow fiberglass trees or unseasoned wood trees covered with a thin "fiberglass cloth" that will break or warp and the leather used is "pressed" leather where they take scraps, grind it, glue it and press it into sheets........Buy one at your own risk.......
I remember going to your shop and listening to John's rant about people bringing in cheap saddles to fix and not understanding that he just couldn't make bad quality, good quality. It was what it was. And having him actually show me what he meant by "cardboard" leather. Very memorable moments for me. |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| SOOOO what qualifies as a GOOD used saddle to ya'll? |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | americanpride08 - 2015-04-14 12:59 PM SOOOO what qualifies as a GOOD used saddle to ya'll?
It's not so much about the fancy extras - BUT a good tree and quality leather are 2 things you can't compromise on.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Shiloh, Ed Wright, Caldwell, Double J, NRS Pro, Ammerman....but I wouldn't buy one from a company that I didn't know their reputation. There is no comparision in the saddles in the $400-$800 range and something $2k and up. I don't give a **** about what anyone else thinks of my tack, but I won't have something that isn't good quality.
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Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | Girls_Gotta_Jet - 2015-04-14 12:57 PM NJJ - 2015-04-13 6:26 PM I feel like a $400 saddle can be just as good as a 1500 saddle.
My husband is a custom saddle maker and with the cost of good saddle trees running from $200+, sides of leather running 250+ and up, plus the cost of hardware, etc, no way would a $400 saddle be anywhere near the quality of a $1500 saddle...... UNLESS it was a good used saddle. Those $400 saddles are, more than likely, built "out of the country", have cheap hollow fiberglass trees or unseasoned wood trees covered with a thin "fiberglass cloth" that will break or warp and the leather used is "pressed" leather where they take scraps, grind it, glue it and press it into sheets........Buy one at your own risk....... I remember going to your shop and listening to John's rant about people bringing in cheap saddles to fix and not understanding that he just couldn't make bad quality, good quality. It was what it was. And having him actually show me what he meant by "cardboard" leather. Very memorable moments for me.
This is sooo true!!!! Quality leather is not cheap! Neither are trees! |
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Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| americanpride08 - 2015-04-14 12:49 PM rodeomom3 - 2015-04-14 12:47 PM Longneck - 2015-04-13 4:18 PM 1) Horse fit
2) My fit
3) Eye appeal
4) Resell ability
I don't mind spending a few thousand on a saddle if I know it will fit me and my horse. They're not something that are really intended to be replaced every couple of years, so it's more of an investment.
Ditto, last year I paid $4800 for a new Caldwell with matching breast collar and back cinch, liked it so much I paid 3K for a year old one for my other horse.
No way we could at your age either. I am way older that you are. We were broke for years but my husband worked his way up over the years and now makes quite a bit of $$. |
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What Name?
Posts: 1994
| rodeomom3 - 2015-04-14 1:13 PM americanpride08 - 2015-04-14 12:49 PM rodeomom3 - 2015-04-14 12:47 PM Longneck - 2015-04-13 4:18 PM 1) Horse fit
2) My fit
3) Eye appeal
4) Resell ability
I don't mind spending a few thousand on a saddle if I know it will fit me and my horse. They're not something that are really intended to be replaced every couple of years, so it's more of an investment.
Ditto, last year I paid $4800 for a new Caldwell with matching breast collar and back cinch, liked it so much I paid 3K for a year old one for my other horse.
One day.. one day!!! lol I'll have that rainbow 5k Double J saddle  ... lol I have a dream! When I finish college. I'll get the things I've worked hard for. =) I'll settle on my little synnthetic for now, It fits my horse well. Though it'll never resell, and it'll never last more than 5 years. But for 500. It's alright I guess. I was just curious! If I get a couple grand together, it's going for downpayment on 3 horse w/living quarters! =P |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Look on the tack ads here on BHW you are not going to see any cheap China/off brands on here most of your horsemen/horeswomen will not put a cheaply made saddle on their horses, all your going to see is good name brands on these ads, if I were you I would not be looking on Ebay for a new saddle look on here you will find really nice used saddles like Martins, Double J's, Circly Y's is ok, Deb Sibleys, Caldwell's and the list go's on and on but no cheap junk saddles. If I were you I would just save up and get something of value that will have a good resell on it so if it dont fit for what you wanted it for at least you can get your money back out of it. |
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Husband Spoiler
Posts: 4151
Location: North Dakota | CYA Ranch - 2015-04-13 5:49 PM I would never ride a new saddle that was that cheap. There are also $1500 saddles that might be all jazzed up but are crap saddles. Find a good quality saddle used. You're horse will appreciate it.
Yep. I have not purchased a new saddle since my first barrel saddle when I was around 10 yrs old. That was just a cheap saddle but it was my first real barrel saddle and I loved it. Now all I buy are quality used saddles. Many of the popular saddles seen in tack shops that are priced $1000-$1500 new are not that great of saddles but they have a big name and look fancy. For me to buy a saddle brand new I will expect to pay at least $2k for a well made high quality saddle. But since I cannot readily afford that I usually buy nice quality used saddles for around $1k. I have a 30 yr old Circle Y Connie Combs saddle that will never leave my posession. I am not a big fan of Circle Y anymore but back in the day they did make a nice quality saddle. I bought that thing for $500 and I have put it to good use. I break out all my colts in it now so it gets thrown in the sand, bucked out, stomped on, etc and it is still going strong enough for me to feel perfectly fine throwing it on a good barrel horse and still making a run in it. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Just Bring It - 2015-04-14 1:27 PM CYA Ranch - 2015-04-13 5:49 PM I would never ride a new saddle that was that cheap. There are also $1500 saddles that might be all jazzed up but are crap saddles. Find a good quality saddle used. You're horse will appreciate it. Yep. I have not purchased a new saddle since my first barrel saddle when I was around 10 yrs old. That was just a cheap saddle but it was my first real barrel saddle and I loved it. Now all I buy are quality used saddles. Many of the popular saddles seen in tack shops that are priced $1000-$1500 new are not that great of saddles but they have a big name and look fancy. For me to buy a saddle brand new I will expect to pay at least $2k for a well made high quality saddle. But since I cannot readily afford that I usually buy nice quality used saddles for around $1k. I have a 30 yr old Circle Y Connie Combs saddle that will never leave my posession. I am not a big fan of Circle Y anymore but back in the day they did make a nice quality saddle. I bought that thing for $500 and I have put it to good use. I break out all my colts in it now so it gets thrown in the sand, bucked out, stomped on, etc and it is still going strong enough for me to feel perfectly fine throwing it on a good barrel horse and still making a run in it.
Circle Y was a great saddle 15 years back but now adays they just look cheapy made, I hate that their tooling is not detailed like it use to be. All stamped now  |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | americanpride08 - 2015-04-14 12:59 PM SOOOO what qualifies as a GOOD used saddle to ya'll?
Fit, quality, and safety. Look at this saddle for example:http://www.ebay.com/itm/WESTERN-BARREL-SADDLE-15-RACER-RACING-LEATHER-PLEASURE-TRAIL-SHOW-HORSE-TACK-/161667063154?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item25a41b9d72
The leather is shiny and the tooling is shallow. It looks like plastic. Something I would have put on my barbie horses as a kid. The crystals look like plastic as well. No sparkle. And check out that rigging. It seems to have migrated a little out of place....it doesn't even mention what the tree is made from. My guess? Fiberglass. The underside has cheap fleece rather than real wool. It's so ugly. If the misplaced rigging doesn't create some weird pressure points, the cheap tree will. That is if the leather doesn't fall apart on you while you're trying to stay balanced in it. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | Southtxponygirl - 2015-04-14 1:40 PM Just Bring It - 2015-04-14 1:27 PM CYA Ranch - 2015-04-13 5:49 PM I would never ride a new saddle that was that cheap. There are also $1500 saddles that might be all jazzed up but are crap saddles. Find a good quality saddle used. You're horse will appreciate it. Yep. I have not purchased a new saddle since my first barrel saddle when I was around 10 yrs old. That was just a cheap saddle but it was my first real barrel saddle and I loved it. Now all I buy are quality used saddles. Many of the popular saddles seen in tack shops that are priced $1000-$1500 new are not that great of saddles but they have a big name and look fancy. For me to buy a saddle brand new I will expect to pay at least $2k for a well made high quality saddle. But since I cannot readily afford that I usually buy nice quality used saddles for around $1k. I have a 30 yr old Circle Y Connie Combs saddle that will never leave my posession. I am not a big fan of Circle Y anymore but back in the day they did make a nice quality saddle. I bought that thing for $500 and I have put it to good use. I break out all my colts in it now so it gets thrown in the sand, bucked out, stomped on, etc and it is still going strong enough for me to feel perfectly fine throwing it on a good barrel horse and still making a run in it.
It is sad. We have one of their JBN treeless saddles that we got used and it's not a bad saddle but I NEVER would have paid the new price. The quality is just not there. For $1200 barely used it wasn't too bad of a deal. |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | I didn't even ride while I was in college. The desire just wasn't there, and I can tell you that the money for sure wouldn't have been there.
I have been out of school now for four years, have a full time job, a husband that also has a full time job... and no kids. I might as well get a saddle that I love right now when I can afford it and know that I'll have it forever (I don't plan on ever selling it as it was a gift) and won't be trying to buy something a few years from now when I have kids... and probably no money! lol |
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 A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | I've tried several brands. And always go back to Pro Rider. Their base model starts at $750. My husband has one that's going on 10 years old and still looks good. I found a barely used one last year for $600 and snatched it up. Found another one this year in my saddle fit search and snatched it up also. I paid $800 and it was ridden in 3 times. Wasn't even oiled. That saddle ran about $1200 brand new. I LOVE the new tree style.
I've tried Circle Y. Sat in a Crown C. And I keep going back to my Pro Riders. They may not be a $5000 saddle but they're pretty awesome and a quality made saddle in my opinion and experience. I have yet to buy a brand new saddle. Love getting them used for great deals.
My main things when looking:
Fit to the horse
Fit to me
Reasonable price range |
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The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | I currently ride in a Caldwell. I basically forfeited my expectation of any gifts for any gift giving occasions for the next fifty years, sold anything I had that was unnecessary, and started taking on more clients (private tutoring) to pay for it. My gelding has a low back/high withers but MASSIVE shoulders - the Ultra Rocket was all I could find that fit him, so I ordered one with the assumption that I'd likely be buried with it someday.
A 5k saddle is the extreme end of the quality spectrum though. You can EASILY find a well-made, good brand, used saddle for 1k-1.5k. If I were shopping in that $800 budget area, I'd pass on the purchase for the time being, save a little longer, and bump my search efforts to that $1k range. |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8555
Location: sunny california | i sacrified many years of no riding and studying and then working hard, so i could afford the quality I have now. I will not ride a cheap saddle nowadays. My saddle buying days are almost over, I have been collecting Caldwells and have a nice selection of trees so i can fit most horses. I think i might only need one more tree to my collection but don't need it right now. I will get one if the right deal comes along though. Always try to make sure that whatever you buy has resale. that way as you get more and more money saved you can sell and trade up. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | I got a nice used Martha Josey for a little over 800 at Teskey's. It's an older saddle but still solid. I'd go with used and quality. |
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Saddles--- Your do's and dont's