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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
  
Location: Jersey Girl | Nice saddle? Well made? Junk?
Please share your opinion, thanks in advance!  |
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  A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | Nice saddles. Well made. Great people to work with. And the saddles last. They handle use & abuse very well, in my experience.
The only thing cheap is the price.
I own two of them. Both used. The first brand new saddle I'll buy will be a Pro Rider. |
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 Firecracker Dog Lover
Posts: 3175
| I have had the same one for 11 years or so now. I did have to get the tree fixed on it about year 6. Having said that though, I'd buy another as I think they are a good saddle for the price. What I like about them is they seem to have a flatter seat and I like room in my seat. If I could ever get my other saddle I have for sale sold I'd order another Pro Rider in a minute. |
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Veteran
Posts: 282
Location: MS | Love them! |
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 Crazy Chicken Chick
Posts: 36132
| I know this is an old post.........but I'm going to look at Pro Riders(only the ones made by Jerry Bethune) when we get to Perry for NBHA in a couple weeks. I sat in one and loved how it felt (and I have 2 Caldwells) just need to find a wide fit for my mare.
Looking for opinions about quality, fit, etc.
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Regular
Posts: 60
| I have ridden in a Caldwell and really wanted one but couldn't afford one. I did buy a used pro rider and I love it. Fits horse great. Doesn't make my knees and ankles hurt. |
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Expert
Posts: 1477
Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton | luvinrunnin - 2014-10-12 8:04 PM
I know this is an old post.........but I'm going to look at Pro Riders(only the ones made by Jerry Bethune) when we get to Perry for NBHA in a couple weeks. I sat in one and loved how it felt (and I have 2 Caldwells) just need to find a wide fit for my mare.
Looking for opinions about quality, fit, etc.
IMO it depends on if it's Jerry's or Jeremy's. I bought one from Jerry and hated it. It rode good but didn't fit anything I put it on. They changed trees a few years ago and the new tree fits nothing. The old one would fit anything which is why I bought one. I had been riding one that was several years old so I bought one. The new ones are not near the quality as the older one were. There made a lot cheaper now than they used to be. Jeremy's are 100% handmade by him not in a shop by other people and a machine. Jeremy told me that it take about 3 weeks for him to make a saddle but Jerry makes about 20 per week. Pro Rider doesn't have a very good resale value either. If you are deadset on getting a Pro Rider I would try Jeremy's first. If your interested message me and I can send you a number to get up with him.
Edited by TessBelle 2014-10-12 8:13 PM
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Crazy Chicken Chick
Posts: 36132
| TessBelle - 2014-10-12 8:11 PM luvinrunnin - 2014-10-12 8:04 PM I know this is an old post.........but I'm going to look at Pro Riders(only the ones made by Jerry Bethune) when we get to Perry for NBHA in a couple weeks. I sat in one and loved how it felt (and I have 2 Caldwells) just need to find a wide fit for my mare.
Looking for opinions about quality, fit, etc.
IMO it depends on if it's Jerry's or Jeremy's. I bought one from Jerry and hated it. It rode good but didn't fit anything I put it on. They changed trees a few years ago and the new tree fits nothing. The old one would fit anything which is why I bought one. I had been riding one that was several years old so I bought one. The new ones are not near the quality as the older one were. There made a lot cheaper now than they used to be. Jeremy's are 100% handmade by him not in a shop by other people and a machine. Jeremy told me that it take about 3 weeks for him to make a saddle but Jerry makes about 20 per week. Pro Rider doesn't have a very good resale value either. If you are deadset on getting a Pro Rider I would try Jeremy's first. If your interested message me and I can send you a number to get up with him.
Please send info. However, I MUST try the saddle on the horse. I won't buy anything that doesn't fit her. Didn't Gerald also make saddles??? I'd heard his weren't that great. |
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| I love mine... good saddle for the price and comfortable, too. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1076
Location: Winds-A-Blowen, Oklahoma | I love them, I have 3. I had 5, but my friends decided they needed one too. I just call and tell them what I want and they make it. It usally takes 4 - 6 weeks.
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 Expert
Posts: 1410
Location: Peach State | I've had a few trophy saddles that were proriders, they fit horses great but the insides of my legs always ended up bruised after I made runs. I've seen some nice ones like the Brett Monroe series that a lot of people around here order and they seem a lot better quality than the regular trophy models. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 550
| luvinrunnin - 2014-10-12 9:37 PM
TessBelle - 2014-10-12 8:11 PM luvinrunnin - 2014-10-12 8:04 PM I know this is an old post.........but I'm going to look at Pro Riders(only the ones made by Jerry Bethune) when we get to Perry for NBHA in a couple weeks. I sat in one and loved how it felt (and I have 2 Caldwells) just need to find a wide fit for my mare.
Looking for opinions about quality, fit, etc.
IMO it depends on if it's Jerry's or Jeremy's. I bought one from Jerry and hated it. It rode good but didn't fit anything I put it on. They changed trees a few years ago and the new tree fits nothing. The old one would fit anything which is why I bought one. I had been riding one that was several years old so I bought one. The new ones are not near the quality as the older one were. There made a lot cheaper now than they used to be. Jeremy's are 100% handmade by him not in a shop by other people and a machine. Jeremy told me that it take about 3 weeks for him to make a saddle but Jerry makes about 20 per week. Pro Rider doesn't have a very good resale value either. If you are deadset on getting a Pro Rider I would try Jeremy's first. If your interested message me and I can send you a number to get up with him.
I have had them by Jerry & Gerald, I liked both personally.
Edited to add- Mine are all at least 8 years old, I don't know anything about newer ones if the tree has changed.
Edited by quikchik 2014-10-13 11:58 AM
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 The Famous Hot Wing Chicken Girl
Posts: 2964
| I have one that I bought 2 years ago brand new and I LOVE it. I have bad knees and it's the only saddle that doesn't make my knees hurt when I ride. |
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Expert
Posts: 1477
Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton | luvinrunnin - 2014-10-12 8:37 PM
TessBelle - 2014-10-12 8:11 PM luvinrunnin - 2014-10-12 8:04 PM I know this is an old post.........but I'm going to look at Pro Riders(only the ones made by Jerry Bethune) when we get to Perry for NBHA in a couple weeks. I sat in one and loved how it felt (and I have 2 Caldwells) just need to find a wide fit for my mare.
Looking for opinions about quality, fit, etc.
IMO it depends on if it's Jerry's or Jeremy's. I bought one from Jerry and hated it. It rode good but didn't fit anything I put it on. They changed trees a few years ago and the new tree fits nothing. The old one would fit anything which is why I bought one. I had been riding one that was several years old so I bought one. The new ones are not near the quality as the older one were. There made a lot cheaper now than they used to be. Jeremy's are 100% handmade by him not in a shop by other people and a machine. Jeremy told me that it take about 3 weeks for him to make a saddle but Jerry makes about 20 per week. Pro Rider doesn't have a very good resale value either. If you are deadset on getting a Pro Rider I would try Jeremy's first. If your interested message me and I can send you a number to get up with him.
Sent you a PM. Gerald's are Pro Racer I believe. |
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| I second that Jeremy's saddles are far more high quality then his dads. I have 2 of his saddles, and LOVE them both. I have one from Jerry and just use it as a colt saddle, it doesn't matter to me if that one gets beat up  |
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 Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | Jerry has made both of mine, only thing I suggest is get the equifit tree which is the better tree. I think they are wider too they fit both my wide high withered horses.
I would just check to make sure everything is even before using it. I would buy another in a heartbeat. |
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 I too, shall remain nameless!
Posts: 2248
Location: Wearing a winter coat...... | Ok help me out. I have a Gerald. I believe it is an a-1. LOVE IT! Are they all the same? |
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Expert
Posts: 1612
Location: Cocoa, Florida | A-1 is not the same as pro rider but I believe they are related |
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Expert
Posts: 1477
Location: In the land of peanuts and cotton | Jeremy makes ProRider. Jerry also makes ProRider but they are 2 different ProRiders. Gerald makes ProQualifier. Brett Monroe's saddles are Jeremy's ProRider. Carl and Kassie Wise and Kebo Almond also ride in Jeremy's ProRiders.
Jerry will be at world with his ProRider. Jeremy will not.
Edited by TessBelle 2014-10-13 3:45 PM
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Firecracker Dog Lover
Posts: 3175
| I sold a saddle and ordered another Pro Rider because I liked the first one so well. It fit everything and I loved how it rode. I ordered another and traded in my old one. Apparently the tree broke during the shipping process so I got nothing for it. I only asked for the stirrups back (the ones that come on it are plastic covered with rawhide) and I am still waiting on them, it's been 6 months now. The new saddles have a different tree (which I was unaware of) and had I known this I wouldn't have ordered it. It's a semi-QH bar with wide flare bars. Does not fit my horse. The old one did. I have made the new one fit okay with a pad for now. The seat is not flat like the older model either, which was part of the selling point for me. Also, the price I paid for a basic model (as I don't need fancy) is $200 more than listed on their website. When I inquired about that I was told those prices were wrong and that the base model was $100 more now. I am still wondering about the extra $100 I paid and heard nothing back about. Live and Learn. |
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