[TravelingGirl]

I've decided to get a trooper saddle for field trialing. I don't have a ton of money so originally I thought I'd try to find a used one. I send an email to my field trial list to see if anyone had one for sale and got several responses. Here are my choices:

1. A refurbed 1950's Trooper in like-new condition for $350
2. A heavily used but in good condition tucker trooper for $400 (no shipping charges...she's local)
3. A brand new and in good quality M&W copy for $450
4. A very lightly used Haggis trooper for $475 +/-

All saddles come from reputable sources. Oh, and the new one (#3) I saw in person a few months ago as they're raffling off a duplicate. It's a very nice quality saddle even though it's a copy.

[aBreeze]

can you explain what a "trooper" saddle is? pictures possibly?

[TravelingGirl]

Sure! Most or pretty lightweight and have a suspended seat to provide greater comfort for long hours in the saddle.

Here's a pic of a pretty new Tucker on ebay:




And here is the Haggis that's for sale (this is the actual saddle)

[Lacys Mom]

Not being familiar with the other choices, I'm not qualified to comment on them, but I CAN tell you without hesitation (and I've said this recently in another thread so please forgive me for repeating) that I love my Tucker!
That said, I think what it comes down to is which one best meets YOUR needs, and ideally, you should be able to try it out to make sure it both fits your needs AND fits your horse. Difficult decision, I'm sure... good luck!

[aBreeze]

hmm, thats a tough one. I was thinking S#2, but you can get a new one for just $100 more. Is like new worth $100 over heavily used?

[TravelingGirl]

That's the thing. Haggis and Tucker are both great names in troopers. The M&W copy is also a well-made saddle (especially for the money). The 1950's refurb I'll have pics of tomorrow, but it was completely redone recently so is like new. I'm not sure what the seat is like on this one though....could be unpadded.

And then there's the fact that this is for field trials....it'll be covered in mud the first time I use it.

I never expected to have very many choices.

[luvs2ride79]

Originally Posted by TravelingGirl

I've decided to get a trooper saddle for field trialing. I don't have a ton of money so originally I thought I'd try to find a used one. I send an email to my field trial list to see if anyone had one for sale and got several responses. Here are my choices:

1. A refurbed 1950's Trooper in like-new condition for $350
2. A heavily used but in good condition tucker trooper for $400 (no shipping charges...she's local)
3. A brand new and in good quality M&W copy for $450
4. A very lightly used Haggis trooper for $475 +/-

All saddles come from reputable sources. Oh, and the new one (#3) I saw in person a few months ago as they're raffling off a duplicate. It's a very nice quality saddle even though it's a copy.

If your horse's back is narrow, then I would go with the refurbished old trooper. There is NOTHING like a good quality old-time saddle! The old trooper saddles just tend to be built for a more narrow horse, like a small TB. So, they won't always work well on today's horses.

If your horse's back is moderate to wide, I would go with one of the newer ones.

~Barbara

[TravelingGirl]

Originally Posted by luvs2ride79

If your horse's back is narrow, then I would go with the refurbished old trooper. There is NOTHING like a good quality old-time saddle! The old trooper saddles just tend to be built for a more narrow horse, like a small TB. So, they won't always work well on today's horses.

If your horse's back is moderate to wide, I would go with one of the newer ones.

~Barbara

Great information Barbara! I had no idea. My current saddle has a McClellan tree, which I believe translates to a regular/medium tree. I will measure the gullet today and compare to any I am considering.

[MyBelgianAzzy]

I picked the Tucker, having no previous knowledge, as it looks to have a squishy seat!

[Little Red Dun]

Those are neat-looking saddles. I've never really heard of "trooper saddles" before. I'll have to do some research into them. They look like they would be excellent for trail riding.