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  Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
   
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | barrelracr131 - 2014-02-23 7:08 PM Nevertooold - 2014-02-23 4:40 PM cheryl makofka - 2014-02-21 9:00 PM I can understand customer service problems with factory made items, as I do believe you get what you paid for. If I was dishing out 3k+ if I have a concern with the craftsmanship I want them to honor it. I paid 2300 for a crown c brand new and the saddle was so crooked, I sent it back and they fixed the problem no questions asked, no belittling, great customer service. That's not true as there is no way the Circle Y saddles of today are worth $2,000.00. I paid $2500.00 for my Caldwell almost 8 years ago and it still looks great and I can still get what I paid for it. There are other junk saddles commanding high prices on the market today. Yup. Paid 800 bucks for a new circle y on ebay 10 years ago. Now they are all 2000+ and are lesser quality IMO.
If I were going to spend mega bucks on a saddle, and I wanted good quality, I would start looking at Caldwells first (after my Meleta Brown of course since I'm head over heels in love with it). Just because Charon treated me like crap and refused to even look at the stupid saddle doesn't change that fact that the saddles are very well made. |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | missroselee - 2014-02-23 7:25 PM barrelracr131 - 2014-02-23 7:08 PM Nevertooold - 2014-02-23 4:40 PM cheryl makofka - 2014-02-21 9:00 PM I can understand customer service problems with factory made items, as I do believe you get what you paid for. If I was dishing out 3k+ if I have a concern with the craftsmanship I want them to honor it. I paid 2300 for a crown c brand new and the saddle was so crooked, I sent it back and they fixed the problem no questions asked, no belittling, great customer service. That's not true as there is no way the Circle Y saddles of today are worth $2,000.00. I paid $2500.00 for my Caldwell almost 8 years ago and it still looks great and I can still get what I paid for it. There are other junk saddles commanding high prices on the market today. Yup. Paid 800 bucks for a new circle y on ebay 10 years ago. Now they are all 2000+ and are lesser quality IMO.
The Meleta Brown is well worth the money. Mine was very well made and was worth every dime and it held it's value. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Nevertooold - 2014-02-23 7:34 PM missroselee - 2014-02-23 7:25 PM barrelracr131 - 2014-02-23 7:08 PM Nevertooold - 2014-02-23 4:40 PM cheryl makofka - 2014-02-21 9:00 PM I can understand customer service problems with factory made items, as I do believe you get what you paid for. If I was dishing out 3k+ if I have a concern with the craftsmanship I want them to honor it. I paid 2300 for a crown c brand new and the saddle was so crooked, I sent it back and they fixed the problem no questions asked, no belittling, great customer service. That's not true as there is no way the Circle Y saddles of today are worth $2,000.00. I paid $2500.00 for my Caldwell almost 8 years ago and it still looks great and I can still get what I paid for it. There are other junk saddles commanding high prices on the market today. Yup. Paid 800 bucks for a new circle y on ebay 10 years ago. Now they are all 2000+ and are lesser quality IMO.
I so wish I hadn't sold my Meleta saddle just because it didn't fit that one horse I had bought it for. |
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Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | Nevertooold - 2014-02-23 8:34 PM missroselee - 2014-02-23 7:25 PM barrelracr131 - 2014-02-23 7:08 PM Nevertooold - 2014-02-23 4:40 PM cheryl makofka - 2014-02-21 9:00 PM I can understand customer service problems with factory made items, as I do believe you get what you paid for. If I was dishing out 3k+ if I have a concern with the craftsmanship I want them to honor it. I paid 2300 for a crown c brand new and the saddle was so crooked, I sent it back and they fixed the problem no questions asked, no belittling, great customer service. That's not true as there is no way the Circle Y saddles of today are worth $2,000.00. I paid $2500.00 for my Caldwell almost 8 years ago and it still looks great and I can still get what I paid for it. There are other junk saddles commanding high prices on the market today. Yup. Paid 800 bucks for a new circle y on ebay 10 years ago. Now they are all 2000+ and are lesser quality IMO.
Jeanne Lindblom had met with me in Nebraska after Meleta hooked us up so I could try the saddle. It didn't fit my horse. It wasn't the worst fit, but wasn't his fit either. I then spent the next several months trying five different double J saddles and Crown C's on him and a few others and they fit worse.
I just out of the blue saw a Meleta Brown on facebook for 1100 bucks and bought it because I loved how it fit me and I was confident that it would work if I shimmed it just right (and the fact that Meleta offered to buy it for what it cost me to get and ship it if it didn't because she's awesome like that). It was by far one of the best investments ever and I see myself ordering a new one in the next five years.
You made a comment about how well the saddle fit me.....I have always ridden 14.5 inch seats. This one is only a 14 inch. I just couldn't turn down the price. Now that I have ridden in it I do think the smaller seat is helping me a lot as well. |
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | So how did you shim it? Did you ever try her saddle with the new tree? |
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Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | Barnmom - 2014-02-23 9:39 PM
So how did you shim it? Did you ever try her saddle with the new tree?
Are you asking me? If so I have a corrector pad ( used to have several) that I have used on this same horse for years with other saddles. You can use three shims on each side in the front, and 2 each side in the back. With the Meleta Brown I only use two shims on each side in the front. |
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Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | missroselee - 2014-02-23 8:50 PM Barnmom - 2014-02-23 9:39 PM So how did you shim it? Did you ever try her saddle with the new tree? Are you asking me? If so I have a corrector pad ( used to have several ) that I have used on this same horse for years with other saddles. You can use three shims on each side in the front, and 2 each side in the back. With the Meleta Brown I only use two shims on each side in the front.
Yes, and thanks for the description. My MB is at the track with my husband but I love that saddle and I have a couple of horses I am having a hard time fitting, just interested in how you made it work for you. I really want to try her saddle with the new tree. |
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Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | Barnmom - 2014-02-23 9:57 PM missroselee - 2014-02-23 8:50 PM Barnmom - 2014-02-23 9:39 PM So how did you shim it? Did you ever try her saddle with the new tree? Are you asking me? If so I have a corrector pad ( used to have several ) that I have used on this same horse for years with other saddles. You can use three shims on each side in the front, and 2 each side in the back. With the Meleta Brown I only use two shims on each side in the front. Yes, and thanks for the description. My MB is at the track with my husband but I love that saddle and I have a couple of horses I am having a hard time fitting, just interested in how you made it work for you. I really want to try her saddle with the new tree.
Me too but money is holding me back :) |
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Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | missroselee - 2014-02-23 9:02 PM Barnmom - 2014-02-23 9:57 PM missroselee - 2014-02-23 8:50 PM Barnmom - 2014-02-23 9:39 PM So how did you shim it? Did you ever try her saddle with the new tree? Are you asking me? If so I have a corrector pad ( used to have several ) that I have used on this same horse for years with other saddles. You can use three shims on each side in the front, and 2 each side in the back. With the Meleta Brown I only use two shims on each side in the front. Yes, and thanks for the description. My MB is at the track with my husband but I love that saddle and I have a couple of horses I am having a hard time fitting, just interested in how you made it work for you. I really want to try her saddle with the new tree.
Me too, dang it! Ran a second and third today, really needed to win at least one, maybe next time. |
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Blessed 
Location: Here | daisycake123 - 2014-02-21 7:52 PM A friend of mine sold there caldwell as she went to a saddle fitting by another saddle maker and found that the caldwell was making her horse wither sore.
Then it was the wrong tree. Sounds like it was either too wide or too narrow. Hard to blame a company for not having the proper tree for a horses shape. |
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Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | SG. - 2014-02-24 12:21 AM daisycake123 - 2014-02-21 7:52 PM A friend of mine sold there caldwell as she went to a saddle fitting by another saddle maker and found that the caldwell was making her horse wither sore. Then it was the wrong tree. Sounds like it was either too wide or too narrow. Hard to blame a company for not having the proper tree for a horses shape.
Ditto. My Caldwell saddle sored up my horse really bad and left a permanent scar on him. My issue with Caldwell was the fact that they refused to let me ship the saddle back to them for a simple inspection to make sure there wasn't a screw loose or something. But I certainly didn't blame the quality of saddle on the soreness. What we thought fit him just plain didn't. I'm just glad we caught it before it ruined his desire to compete. |
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 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | SG. - 2014-02-23 11:21 PM daisycake123 - 2014-02-21 7:52 PM A friend of mine sold there caldwell as she went to a saddle fitting by another saddle maker and found that the caldwell was making her horse wither sore. Then it was the wrong tree. Sounds like it was either too wide or too narrow. Hard to blame a company for not having the proper tree for a horses shape.
I've never found Charon to be anything but completely helpful... I generally end up on the phone with her longer than I mean to! lol We talk saddles, cutting horses, and anything else that comes up. She's a super knowledgeable lady and provides a superior product.
I've seen too many people trying to fit a Caldwell to a horse that it's just not meant to fit....or simply just don't know how to place the saddle, or pad it. I've been able to ride my Pro Max on everything I own with just a pad change. None of them have ever gotten sore from it. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | rachellyn80 - 2014-02-24 7:51 AM
SG. - 2014-02-23 11:21 PM daisycake123 - 2014-02-21 7:52 PM A friend of mine sold there caldwell as she went to a saddle fitting by another saddle maker and found that the caldwell was making her horse wither sore. Then it was the wrong tree. Sounds like it was either too wide or too narrow. Hard to blame a company for not having the proper tree for a horses shape.
I've seen too many people trying to fit a Caldwell to a horse that it's just not meant to fit....or simply just don't know how to place the saddle, or pad it. I've been able to ride my Pro Max on everything I own with just a pad change. None of them have ever gotten sore from it.
She was extremely nice to me over the phone. She talked with me for a really long time and I am pretty sure she knew I was not going to be able to afford to order a new one right now. She still spent a lot of time explaining everything and what not.
We did email back and forth and she usually sent one or two sentences. I guess maybe it could have been taken as being "short", but she wasn't intending it that way. I think some people, especially people who did not grow up using technology, are not as eloquent over email as some of the younger generations. Also, some people just don't like email. She asked me to call her, and when we spoke on the phone, she was very nice and helpful.
If anyone has questions for her, I definately recommend calling her. She was more than happy to talk to me at length. I'm not trying to say no one has ever had a bad experience with her or something, but mine was very positive and she was in no way pressuring me to buy from her (in fact, she told me just to buy something used in case it doesn't work out. LOL). |
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 Shipwrecked and Flat Out Zapped
Posts: 16390
Location: DUMPING CATS AND PIGS IN TEXAS :) | barrelracr131 - 2014-02-24 8:31 AM rachellyn80 - 2014-02-24 7:51 AM SG. - 2014-02-23 11:21 PM daisycake123 - 2014-02-21 7:52 PM A friend of mine sold there caldwell as she went to a saddle fitting by another saddle maker and found that the caldwell was making her horse wither sore. Then it was the wrong tree. Sounds like it was either too wide or too narrow. Hard to blame a company for not having the proper tree for a horses shape.
I've seen too many people trying to fit a Caldwell to a horse that it's just not meant to fit....or simply just don't know how to place the saddle, or pad it. I've been able to ride my Pro Max on everything I own with just a pad change. None of them have ever gotten sore from it. She was extremely nice to me over the phone. She talked with me for a really long time and I am pretty sure she knew I was not going to be able to afford to order a new one right now. She still spent a lot of time explaining everything and what not. We did email back and forth and she usually sent one or two sentences. I guess maybe it could have been taken as being "short", but she wasn't intending it that way. I think some people, especially people who did not grow up using technology, are not as eloquent over email as some of the younger generations. Also, some people just don't like email. She asked me to call her, and when we spoke on the phone, she was very nice and helpful. If anyone has questions for her, I definately recommend calling her. She was more than happy to talk to me at length. I'm not trying to say no one has ever had a bad experience with her or something, but mine was very positive and she was in no way pressuring me to buy from her (in fact, she told me just to buy something used in case it doesn't work out. LOL ).
Edited by LRQHS 2014-02-24 8:38 AM
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | HAHAHA, yes, I kind of was
it was very informative, and I love talking horses with someone like that to boot. |
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 Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | My personal experience with Charon has been great but I have not bought a new saddle from her. She has helped me with used ones and offered trade ins with what I had at the time.
I can say, she is very smart and confident and we know that some are offended by those kind of people. She knows what she offers and is firm in her beliefs.
But I do have a friend that ordered a $4500 new saddle and has bought over 6 in the last few years. She is 6' tall and this saddle had short fenders. When she asked to have them changed out- Charon told her that they would stretch. When they didnt, she told her that people were riding them shorted these days and to stick with it. Then when that didnt work, she wanted $150 more to swap them out. So that is maybe where I would have an issue.
I know on new ones, sometimes people dont get what they ordered- or so that have told me. So that is why I was told to buy used, you know what you are getting. But also because I didnt have the money to risk on new if it wasnt as ordered.
But I do believe they are unmatched in quality of the trees and the craftsmanship.
And alternative that I have been very impressed with is the H3 or PSC. Kari offers superior customer service and a comparable saddle. |
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