RE: Questions on the SOFT RIDER SADDLE

[Joy H Mahler <joym@visi.net>]

Linda,

The Sport Saddle was not the choice for my mare.  It is suppose to fit anything with four legs. It was long on the back, would not stay put, rode up so far on the withers that it was pulling the mane.  The stirrups were so uncomfortable that my knees ached.  The seat was great and I never had a sore bottom.  The girth caused my mare to gall everytime I used it.  I moved the stirrups to the girth ring and the girth to the stirrup ring,  That helped the knees but the thing would still ride up and get her galled. I tried a neopreme girth and a crupper and she almost ended over backwards even though if she flagged her tail it would have come off. She scooted and ran from the crupper, scared her to death.  I tried a saddle maker to move the girth back a bit, but was told that the saddle was glued together and then stitched around the edges for cosmetics. I was not impressed with the cost of this either. I consider it a throw away after a couple of years, or just a bareback pad, if it stays together. Over priced in my opinion.
Good Luck with your search.  Don't know much about the softrider saddle and it looks like the maker is putting the halts on anyone discussing it at ridecamp.  What a shame.
JM


-----Original Message-----
From:	Linda S. Flemmer [SMTP:bluwolf@earthlink.net]
Sent:	Tuesday, May 19, 1998 3:55 AM
To:	softride@cdsnet.net
Cc:	ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject:	Re: Questions on the SOFT RIDER SADDLE

Softrider Saddles wrote:
> 
> We, at Underwood Enterprizes, HOME of the Soft Rider Saddle, have no
> represenatives except for ourselves, Jack and Rebecca Underwood, Owners
> of the company! <SNIP> These questions
> should be directed to the ones that make the Soft Rider Saddle.

All in all, this sounds a little bit hostile?!  Ridecamp discusses
different experiences with tack all of the time.  It is one of the
beauties of this forum.  If you post here, you can expect that folks
will talk and share experiences.

If Sue Riegel isn't assocaited with your business, then I absolutely
agree she shouldn't speak for you.  OTOH, ride camp WILL discuss your
product if anyone on the list is using it.  The best idea is to
gracefully answer questions and learn from the <excellent> source of
feedback on your saddle.

Rule #1"The customer is always right."  
Rule #2  "When the customer is wrong, refer to rule number one."

Saddles for endurance are VERY customer driven!  If people expect this
sort of a reply when they speak to their experience with the saddle,
then perception is that customer service isn't very good - it doesn't
have to be a fact, but the perception can be just as bad and be very
hard to change.

I have problems with the Sport Saddle that haven't been addressed by the
maker - I'd be interested in hearing about the experiences of ANY level
of rider using a different treeless saddle.  I'm not currently in the
market for a saddle, but one never knows what the future may hold!

Linda Flemmer
Blue Wolf Ranch
Bruceton Mills, WV