[MissCriss]

Yeah, I didn't really like the Passier I rode in one time. I do like the Hermes brand. And I do like the Jaguars and Advantage Custom saddles. And then...there is one whose name I cannot remember...had a green and red logo I think? Geesh I need to start looking at saddles again lol! Been too long since I've had my own horse to ride.

I'm not a big fan of Courbette at all. Even though I can understand how zorse's post was considered rude and forward, I do definitely understand where she/he is coming from. I really do.

Personally I think since they've sold Collgeiate, it's become a better sadle. Maybe I'm wrong, but the one I was in was actually pretty nice.

[zorse]

Originally Posted by GingerSnap

hmmmm...sounds a bit rude don't yah think! I actually have ridden in a very "GOOD" dressage saddle I have ridden in Passier and while it was comfortable and went well with the Grand Prix level Trakehner I was riding at the time, it's not something I would have personally spent my money on. But it's all a matter of priorites. I don't compete so the Wintec serves my purpose just fine!

The OP gave a price range not very fair to dangle what you deem to be "better" when it's more expensive than they can spend!

How is it rude to say, truthfully, that a cheap saddle (like a Wintec, Collegiate, Courbette) is not a good saddle? I don't understand why people get offended by comments like that. I've had collegiates, I've had HDR, etc, and I've known that they're cheap saddles. Why is it somehow offensive to say common knowledge? Why should I skirt around and pretend like a $600 saddle is just as "good" as a $4k saddle when it is obvious that it is not by the mere difference in price? And cheap saddles are not merely cheap because they're made out of cheap materials: they're mass produced, like any other cheap product on a Walmart shelf, and are not designed with care and attention and expertise and therefore are not "good".
It's like a shoe. An athlete, let's say a soccer (football) player, buys a pair of cleats. He can either pay $20 for a pair of synthetic (plastic) cleats with no support, no proper structure, and he's going to make himself run in those things, sprinting after a ball, and probably stress a few tendons from having crummy-made shoes, and he's going to have little to no ball control so he's going to be flailing around. Or, he can buy a pair of $150 kangaroo leather cleats that are MADE to be ran in, stopped in, MADE to be handling a football, and he's going to be faster, more in control, and more healthy because he isn't going to be pulling muscles and rolling ankles.
Obviously we would call the $20 shoes "bad". And the $150 shoes "good.
A saddle is the same.

[Dawn]

It's rude simply because of the fact that the op clearly stated the price range. Though I'm not sure I'd really call it rude, just uncalled for maybe? They asked for good saddles within their price range. Not good saddles above their price range.

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by haunani

Yup, it's 100% leather. I picked mine up (barely) used on ebay for $600 (they sell new for $850-1000).

It has a medium-wide twist to it which is perfect for me. From the first time I sat in it, it felt like it was custom molded to my body.

Here's a pic of it on one of my boys when I was checking to see if it fit them:

Does it actually have 'wintec' anywhere on it? If so can you get photos for us?

[zorse]

Originally Posted by Silverwings

I have to agree. I do appreciate your opinion and input Zorse, I really do. But right now I can only comfortably spend $1,000 on a saddle. The only reason at this point in time I'd go over that, is if I didn't find something that fit Belle and myself.

I'm buying this saddle before heading off to College in September, and Las Vegas in July, so I can't really spend much. I'm only buying a new one because mine doesn't fit her.

I never said don't buy a cheaper saddle. Like I said in my above post, I've had cheap saddles too (actually, most of the time), when I've needed something but didn't have money to spend on it. I don't ride in $5k saddles either.
I didn't tell the OP to buy a $5k saddle. I suggested she buy a well-used but "good" saddle rather than buying a new cheap saddle. I then went on to suggest a few brands that you CAN get for around $1k-1500 that are "good" saddles.

[MissCriss]

I get what you're saying zorse . And yeah, uncalled for is more the right way of saying it than rude. But, I know you're trying to give advice and a warning. I don't really think you were being rude, just forward, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

And you're right, the more expensive saddles really are, usually, much better. I personally would never buy a Wintec. I've sat in one and just did not like it at all. It made me feel really strange. I'm also not a huge fan of a lot of Stubben bridles and saddles, but some of their dressage bridles are quite nice. The KB bridles are growing on me.

Same goes with bridles. I see SO many just plain crappy bridles being used and it kind of annoys me lol, sorry to say. Wimpy leather that is dead cheap doesn't last nearly as long as good quality leather, like most German leather. My personal favorite bridles are the Otto Schumaucer bridles. They last FOREVER. AND, another major thing with the very cheap bridles is that the nose bands basically do nothing. It's like having a cloth wrapped around your horse's nose, and it's not as comfortable as a nice padded noseband with a crank.

I guess in the horse world, you get what you pay for . Uuuuggghhh.

[Dawn]

That's a very good suggestion. But it's doubtful that she could find some of the saddles you mentioned (even heavily used) for her price range.

These are the parts of your post that people could easily take offense to...

Um, ok. "Good" is an ambiguous term...The only reason people think things like Collegiate and Wintec are good is because they haven't sat in an actual good dressage saddle and so they haven't a clue what "good" should feel like

As you said good is a relative term. And she asked for the 'good' saddles within her price range. That's what was given, and there's no reason (imo) for you to point out that you don't think those are 'good' saddles and jump up to examples from a much higher price bracket.

I also think that sometimes people just take for granted that people realize that buying high quality used is perferable to buying a lower quality new saddle. Maybe we should make more of a point to say that when people ask for saddle buying advice.

[haunani]

Originally Posted by Dawn

Does it actually have 'wintec' anywhere on it? If so can you get photos for us?

You must have me confused with someone else, Dawn. The saddle in the pics and the one I described is a Thornhill, not a Wintec.

[Dawn]

Oh...now I am confused.

[Dawn]

Lol, I think I got this thread and a seperate one combined in my head! Sorry!