Saddles: Sport Saddle and DeSoto

[Tina Hicks <tina@autoairbagcovers.com>]

I have sort of mixed feelings about the SS. I had one, rode in it and loved 
it for about 3 or 4 months. Then I began to have crippling pain in my knees 
after about 35 - 40 miles in it. By the end of a 50 I was in bad shape.

After talking to Genie at Horseworks, we came up with two probable reasons: 
stirrups not back far enough or to wide of a twist. Like Karen S., I almost 
6' tall but only had the stirrups set back an inch - I think they needed to 
be back farther - hindsight being what it is. The other possibility was 
that the twist was too wide which put my knees out too far from my body so 
my lower legs were sort of falling in towards the horse. I really think it 
was stirrup placement rather than the twist that was the problem.

I found the saddle very comfortable but it did take some getting used to. 
Sorry SS fans but it's not as pretty a saddle as some others :) - I had to 
get past that and those cheap-o wrap things they send to go around the 
nylon stirrup leathers. The wrap thing kept getting all bunched up - they 
went in the bottom of the tack trunk after about 2 rides.

  I found it to be *very* stable on my Arab with nice withers. I found it 
to be very unstable on our other two with very round backs and little to no 
withers. We used cruppers and breastplates and the centerfire rigging to 
make it more stable but no luck. On Tony however, I think I could have 
ridden it with no girth - never moved an inch. Same thing on Hank, my 
current ride who has a nice flat back and nice withers. I used it with the 
Toklat pad and some with a Skito pad but never got to do any rides in the 
Skito.

I also found the saddle to be very long on any horse that wasn't pretty 
decent sized. I found out after I had mine you can have them shortened a 
bit front to back. Again, hindsight....

I found it another home and would actually consider another one but would 
make sure to move the stirrups back more an shorten the saddle overall 
about an inch or so. Overall, no complaints at all as my problems were more 
to do with my long thighs and the stirrups than the saddle itself. I do 
like how they hold their value - first saddle I've sold that I didn't lose 
a ton of money on :).

I have also used a DeSoto (two actually) which I loved till it eventually 
gave me some sporadic knee problems. Who knows why I used it for 2 years 
with no trouble and then began having some problems the 3rd year. As far as 
workmanship goes, I doubt you'd find a better made saddle - in *any* price 
range. Marilyn does quality work - the saddles are beautiful! If you ride 
in the SE, any given ride has about 50% DeSotos it seems so there is ample 
chance to try one out :) That too found another home which may have been a 
mistake :( - I would get another one if I had the chance and try some more 
things to get around the knee problems. These also hold their value well - 
the saddle sold within 15 minutes - literally- of posting on the RC 
classifieds. I had 5 people in line for it - maybe that's why I can't find 
another used one :)

I am currently riding in, of all things, a cordura endurance saddle- abetta 
or big horn or one of those. The amazing thing it's probably the cheapest 
saddle in 3 states but it fits the horse and is comfortable so <shrug> it 
gets used till I decided what my next saddle will be or it gives me or the 
horse problems.

The problem with this sport and saddles is the saddle works until one day 
it doesn't :)

Tina Hicks -
tina@autoairbagcovers.com

At 03:26 AM 5/23/01, you wrote:

>Karen Sullivan wrote:
>
>As I have mentioned before, I have had great luck with these saddles.  I
>have been riding them for 7-8 years, with only occasionnal minor back
>soreness (more later).  I have three endurance models (one with reiner
>pommel), two training and schooling, and one
>Western.  Two are Circle Y, and the rest are from Sport Saddle Inc.
>
>I am almost 6 ft., thin, and very long-legged.  I find the stirrups must be
>back at least 2", or I am not balanced.