How much would you pay for a saddle?

Question

i have 3 saddles right now(one is almost sold! wohoo so happy bout that) one english that fits most any horse that i've ever put it on and a western saddle that fits smaller horses. i am waiting to see if the english one will fit the next horse i buy, if it does i'll keep it if not i'll sell it.

anyway,my question is:

i want to buy an endurance saddle, and i found one i like that they let you test out before you buy. . . but this saddle is to say the least very expensive (meaning if i decide it's worth it i'll be saving for years but i'll still have my english one to use until i can get it). so how much would you pay for a good saddle for your sport? and how much is too much?

thanks! (i'll put the link up later once i dig and find it again)

Answer 1

I know a lot of people say custom. I would like to get a custom saddle, but in my opinion the cost of one isn't really justified for me. I am not a professional rider nor am I a working cowboy. I look at a custom saddle as a someday luxury. I have bought new and used saddles. I can't justify paying over $1000 for a saddle. I like to use synthetic saddles for starting colts, since they are much lighter and require less maintenance than leather.  As a matter of fact my favorite trail saddle is a synthetic. It fits my horse, is comfortable and doesn't rub any part of me raw. Unless you are doing heavy work in the extreme cold, fiberglass trees are just as good as rawhide covered trees. They are lighter and cheaper which I think is a plus. The only draw back to them is that they can become brittle in cold weather. I believe that there are suitable saddles in every price range. I have seen some nice endurance saddles priced in the hundreds. The big thing besides the fit on the horse is comfort and no places that can rub you leg raw when riding. For long rides I think this is important. A $7000 saddle will surely last longer and look a lot better, but I can buy quite a few cheaper saddles over a lot of years and not spend $7000. On thing is important though and that is fit. It doesn't matter how much it costs if it doesn't fit.

Answer 2

I have always been raised with the mentality that 'you get what you pay for'. How much I would spend spend totally depends on how serious I am about the sport. I think of saddles like shoes (human shoes, lol): You may want the Manolo Blahniks, but the shoes you buy for half price usually do the job just as well.

Good luck with your endurance riding!

Answer 3

A lot, depending on the saddle and it's maker, etc...

spent the most on my Aussie :0

Answer 4

You're going to get what you pay for. So if you buy cheap, it's going to be cheap. The saddle may last for years, but the wear and soreness that procures to your horses back because of the use of a cheap, ill fitting saddle may cost you thousands.

I purchase nice, custom fit and designed saddles that run me an upwards of $7,000, sometimes more depending the discipline. Needless to say, I've had less sore backs and more quiet rides.

However most people that just use their horses for pleasure or the occasional show don't have that kind of money to buy a saddle, so a nice custom fit saddle that is pretty plain is priced from $2-3,000 and could be the buy of your lifetime. The way I see a saddle purchase is the way I go when I buy a horse. Am I going to buy an unhealthy, sore horse? No. So why would I buy a cheaply made saddle that is going to make him unhealthy and sore?

EDIT: I didn't mean to make it seem that I shuck out $7,000 for every custom saddle I've had. There have been a couple saddles that I've paid that price on. Both were my reining saddles, one was a retirement saddle and the other a wedding gift. Both are treeless, but I did have a lot of detailed work done to the the leather, had the rigging specially done so my short stature would fit, and also had breast plates and matching bridle. With that price came a lifetime guarantee that if any of the skirting should tear or wear, any of the riggings come loose or bust that it would be fixed at no cost. It was a high price to pay, but as much as I use them, it was money well spent.

Answer 5

It depends on how much money you actually have to spend.  Can you afford to spend the money and not hurt from the spending?

Here are a few more options you might look at.

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?...

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?...

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?...

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?...

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?...

I myself do not have that much money to spend.  My family comes first.  But if you do then...hey go for it.

Answer 6

You can find good saddle pretty cheap. Sell your 3 save that money, if can.  Then look around, for a little bit. I have a friend who owns a saddle shop......

Answer 7

If it waz in medium condition. $200 -$300

Answer 8

Unless you are going to be VERY active in endurance competitions, then I'd say YES, that's a LOT of money for a saddle.  (You can have a Western saddle custom made at Broken Horn for less money.).  Of course buying a Hermes would be comparable in the huntseat world...

Too much money is if you do not have it to spend.

Answer 9

If you can afford - that's a great saddle.  Don't rob a bank or have to put it on a credit card to get it.  Also - you can usually find saddles for much less on ebay, tacktrader.com, or other websites if you already know that they'll fit your horse.

I usually spend $1000-2000 on my saddles.  A good saddle can last you a life time.  I have one saddle that I've had since I was about 8 - and it was my grandma's saddle before that.  It's atleast 60 years old.  I think it's the most comfortable saddle I've ever ridden in - but it's ugly, so it doesn't work for shows - but it's my first choice when riding young horses.

Best wishes...

Answer 10

i payed $200 for my used jumping saddle but that was rlly cheap... so if ur buying a new one probably like 500 max... idk

Answer 11

Would you maybe have the option to buy a used saddle? They can save you a lot of money. That being said I paid around $550 for my barrel racing saddle. I also agree with what a previous poster said that a good saddle can last a life time!

Answer 12

#1 is fit the horse. #2 fit the rider. Maybe #1 and #2 are actually equal in ranking, but I would compromise myself to some degree to fit the horse right. I had a terrible time fitting my horse and so by the time I got to the fifth saddle, a (western) McCall Lady Wade (though I am an english rider), that fit him perfectly and me as well, I went the BIG $$$ route and bought it. Same price range as you're looking at. I would never have invested that kind of money to buy a saddle w/o the specific horse I planned on riding for a lifetime, which I have and fitted accordingly. But that's just me.

Answer 13

haha oh my gosh! i saw this site the other day!

i'm saving up for the dune!

i think it's totally worth it!

I really want to get into this endurance riding and compete alot and i want my horse to be comfortable and i'm not going to do it if i'm not comfy either

i'm glad you saving and not just buying it with credit or what not like all my other not so smart horsey freind do

any horse person would say it's worth it

any normal person would think your crazy