These saddles are custom only insofar as the tree has been fit to the
horse's withers. If you have a horse with a #4 tree size (med-wide,
non-WB) normal withers, and that's what the saddle is, then it's OK & you
have to make the judgment as to fit for you and the horse.
Even when you get your very own "custom" saddle, there's no guarantee
that it will really fit the way you expect (my problem with the Albion).
The only true custom saddle may be the SR Enduro. You make a plaster
cast of the horse's back. Then the "tree" is hand laid up fiberglass
covered by the leather seat. The fiberglass can be reworked for a new
horse, or a changing horse's back. The fiberglass will also give, not as
much as a polymer tree, but it will conform and assume the shape of the
back with a certain amount of spring-back (memory retention if you will)
so that minor changes in topline will be accomodated. We've ordered
one for Kasey--it's due end of April. Stay tuned...
Anyway, a used custom saddle is a used saddle. Treat it accordingly and
if you find one that works then you've saved yourself big bucks. Smile!
Diane @ Safe Haven
On Thu, 7 Mar 1996, Tina Hicks wrote:
> How much luck have you guys had buying used *custom* saddles?? I mean the
> whole point of a custom saddle is it's made for a particular horse/rider -
> seems like they would not/should not do well on the being sold to another
> horse/rider team but I see them for sale all the time.
>
> Anyone on the list purchased a used custom? Did it fit well? Would you
> recommend doing it to someone else?
>
> Tina Hicks, hickst@nichols.com
> Andy (dal) (those were geese *decoys*???)
> Tony (Arab) (I didn't mean to run you into that tree, at a canter, head
> first.....)
> 8 fatcats (give us unlimited food & prime sleeping areas & noone gets hurt.)
> one husband
> Huntsville, AL
>
>
>
>
>