Buying a second hand saddle?

Question

There is an auction tomorrow thats selling horses, saddles and general horse gear.

So I thought this might be a good opertunity to pick up a spare saddle at a good price.

My question is, what should I be looking for? I know how to check that the tree is ok, but what else should I look for to make sure the saddle is worth paying for?

Being an auction once I win a bid, there are no returns and the item is bought 'as is'.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Check leather is not dried out, now straps can be replaced but if leather is dried out it is no good.

Answer 2

Make sure leather isn't cracked or worn out too much =]

Answer 3

Aside from the leather and the stitching I would also take a look at the gullet and make sure that it is not too narrow, because there is really no easy way to fix a too-narrow gullet (padding can help a bit with a too-wide one, though).

Answer 4

Check the quality of the leather and if any of it is cracking or overly dry looking.  Check any stitching, rivets, conchos and fittings.  Sometimes used saddles are dirty and dusty and have been stored so the leather skirting curls up.  That is not necessarily a reason not to buy the saddle (once the leather is properly cleaned and moisturized and the saddle is put back in use the skirting will often straighten out again.)

Answer 5

Give it a good inspection - look for split and cracks in the leather, check under every flap and examine the stitching. Don't forget to check the girth billets. Turn it over and check the underside, again look for splits and cracks but also watch out for lumps or hollows in the stuffing.

Good luck.