New or used saddles?

In my first blog entry I would like to talk about the topic that i`m encountering in my saddler`s work every day. Doing saddle fitting, repairing saddles in my workshop and giving them back to customers, almost everyone has the same question – should I get a brand new saddle for my horse, or should I look for a used one?

Before we are getting deeper in this conversation, I would like to say that this will not be sponsored content or advertising of saddles that i`m distributing and selling. For those who don`t know me – i`m an official distributor and salesman of Kieffer saddles in Baltic states, but that doesn`t keep me away from working with old saddles and customers, who can`t or don`t want to buy brand new saddles. My goal is to see happy, satisfied customers and their horses – helping them with brand new Kieffer saddles or fitting an older, used saddle it`s up to the customer. Only thing that matters is the comfort of the horse and the rider.

There`s only one thing to consider – your budget. I strongly disagree that every rider/horse owner must buy a brand new, premium level saddle, but there definitely are more benefits if you`re purchasing a new one. You should never consider your riding schedule as an argument to save money on saddle purchase. If you don`t ride much, that doesn`t mean, that you should get a bad/cheap saddle for your horse. Even if you`re riding only once in a week, your horse and you will feel much better with saddle, that`s fitting nice and is in a good condition.

Brand new is brand new  - you should always remember that almost all used saddles will require some sort of repairs or maintenance jobs. Beware – almost any used saddle needs to be re-flocked, if we want to compare overall panel condition to a brand new saddle. Before purchase I suggest to always check the condition of the flock and the panel shape. You will find some small bits, such as worn out girth straps or some stitching that`s loose or tearing apart on old saddles and while it`s an easy thing to repair, you should remember that it will still cost you time and money.

Serious and often quite invisible damage to untrained eye may be broken saddle trees, twisted and unsymmetrical saddles, cracked panel and seat leather. You should show your desired saddle to a saddler before buying it, if you lack a skill of noticing these flaws. I`ve been in a lot of situations when customer is asking me to repair his newly purchased saddle and after a close inspection, flaws and defects are so serious, that the cost for repairs is even greater than the price of the saddle. Ask your saddler before buying!

Cheap & new or expensive & used?

Think a little – why new, good leather saddles are priced as they are? Yes, some part of it is a brand name and advertising, but a lot of premium saddle makers are in business for decades. Think about it. If you`re on a budget and riding only few times in a month, maybe it`s a good idea to consider a saddle with fake/synthetic leather. “Wintec” saddles are good example.

Quite a lot of premium saddle manufacturers are offering to make a saddle to fit the horse`s back. That`s the most important benefit you can have when buying a new saddle, since finding a used saddle that fits is sometimes very annoying, especially, if there`s no qualified saddle fitter in your area.

Don`t pay much for an old premium saddles. There are quite a lot of people selling 10 or more years old, worn out and abused saddles for a few hundred euros, arguing that they`re from a good manufacturer. What good does it have, if the saddle is completely worn out? There are lots of things that can`t be repaired, for example a really hard and cracked leather, holes and tears in the panels or in flaps, etc. Be smart and before focusing on the brand, check the overall condition of the saddle and don`t buy one that may be sounding rich, but is far beyond it`s original condition. You should be riding in your saddle, not repairing it. I will repeat myself – if you`re lacking knowledge or are in doubt, ask your local saddler or me for an advice. It costs nothing but can save you a lot of trouble.