New saddle is bumming me out. . . now with pics!

[Equine_Woman]

So the minute AFTER my husband ran the credit card he goes, "You know that they have a no return policy on saddles right?" I said "No" And so of course the law of the world means the saddle we just bought (for my hubby mainly, but for me until I can afford the one I REALLY want) doesn't fit ANY of my horses. It measured at 6 3/4 gullet but I think it's closer to a Full QH than the Regular QH tree.

It's so wide on Sterling that I'm going to have to get a special pad to be able to use it. . . sigh. I'm so bummed. It's not the saddle I wanted at all but it was better for my hubby. I wanted a SRS barrel saddle and we ended up with an SRS Ranch saddle. IT's more manly I get that but my horses are NOT manly. They are thin backed, Arabian crosses. . . and Tav. Who is a thin backed mustang.

Anyways, here is a photo of the saddle. I don't have photos of anyone wearing it yet because I was too disgusted with it when I put it on a horse. I'll get some tomorrow I guess. Going to try it on Sonora and Sunny. I haven't tried it on them yet but I know it will be the same. . . sigh.


http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs242.snc6/179044_495198033268_673398268_6198797_2902814_n.jp g
Does anyone know of a really great pad that would help with the wide tree? It lifts off the back in the rear but when I used my friend's reverse wedge it fixed the front but the back sat up too high, it's like I need the reverse wedge then NOTHING in the back. (I double pad. . . Sterling has to have her sway back pad at all times).

It's not this clean anymore. . .Robert laid Tav down in it so it's on it's way to getting worked in. . . and there is some sort of glue residue coming off the back of it. It's not a cheap cheap saddle, (around $900 which is somewhat cheap I know. . .)

So I guess I just wanted to come be bummed in public. Maybe someone has some good advice lol. OR anyone want a nice working saddle for $895? lol

[WashingtonBay]

Bummer it doesn't fit. After seeing them on, there may be padding options we can find...

But you probably ought to think about selling it now for as much as you can get... it's as clean and nifty now as it's every going to be!.

[Equine_Woman]

I'm actually thinking I need to buy a bigger horse. . .lol

[Equine_Woman]

I'm thinking maybe we can get one of those heavy duty stands and just put it in the living room as extra seating. It's pretty darn comfy. . . costs the same as a couch. . .

[WashingtonBay]

:)

[vicklynn]

Well bummer. I hope you get pics of it on the horses for some possible help.

[Equine_Woman]

But in the meantime. . . until I turn it into a couch. . . I'll get photos of it on Sonora or Tav or Sunny. Would be hard to get them on Sterling without pads because without her sway back pad it wouldn't be a fair fit. . .I can get some with just the sway back pad on Sterling. . .Anyways, either way I'll be back with photos on an equine tomorrow. . . unless I find the perfect bulldog qh on craigslist for $100 in the next hour. Gotta be dead broke, sound, around 10 years old, doesn't require food and about 16 hands. K. Off to shop lol.

[zoel_222]

I bet you could get back what you paid for it. It might have to sit around for a bit, but it won't cost you anything to hold onto it.

[Equine_Woman]

I think (after talking with Robert who tried it on Tav) if I just get a reverse wedge it'll work for the occasional use of my hubby. I'm just REALLY bummed that I can't use it as my saddle in the meantime. It is my husband's saddle. . we should have just bought me a saddle first lol. Aren't I spoiled! Anyways, hopefully I'll be able to buy something in the next 6 months that will make me less pouty! In the meantime I have my endurance saddle that fits Sterling great. . . I'm not planning on riding Sonora anytime soon so who cares if anything fits her right now, and Tav can go in the new saddle. . . once I buy the new pad. Still will get photos tomorrow of Sterling or Nora or Sunny or Tav in the saddle. . . see what ya'll think. Maybe I'm completely over reacting.. .

[Bessie13]

But in the meantime. . . until I turn it into a couch. . . I'll get photos of it on Sonora or Tav or Sunny. Would be hard to get them on Sterling without pads because without her sway back pad it wouldn't be a fair fit. . .I can get some with just the sway back pad on Sterling. . .Anyways, either way I'll be back with photos on an equine tomorrow. . . unless I find the perfect bulldog qh on craigslist for $100 in the next hour. Gotta be dead broke, sound, around 10 years old, doesn't require food and about 16 hands. K. Off to shop lol.


Hey if you find TWO OF THEM... please keep me in mind http://www.baywindfarm.com/forum/images/styles/beige/icons/icon7.png

[JackieB]

That's really a bummer. Sorry.

[Remali]

That's a real bummer.... yup, you're just going to have to buy another horse.....lol.... All my Arabians had really wide backs, so I had the opposite problem, I needed real wide trees on my saddles. Sure is a nice saddle, I wonder if you could get your money out of it, somewhat, on a trade-in for the saddle you want?

[Tiz]

No return policy? I wish you had canceled the sale right then and there! Store policies like that can mean bad, haha, gotcha products. I should say usually mean that.

I'd clean it up and try to sell it immediately. Take a loss now if you have to, instead of trying to make something that doesn't work work. Odds are that you'll wind up throwing good money after bad.

So sorry though, EW. That's a chunk of money. I get a yucky feeling in my stomach just thinking about it.

[TLC97]

. unless I find the perfect bulldog qh on craigslist for $100 in the next hour. Gotta be dead broke, sound, around 10 years old, doesn't require food and about 16 hands. K. Off to shop lol.

I have one of those---- easy keeper, 15.3, DEAD BROKE, but he is 15 and not for sale.

Take the saddle clean it up and sell it or you can see if they will let you trade it back in for the barrel saddle that you want, worth a try.

Don't keep something that is not what you want and is not going to work on any of your horses. I know it is a HUGE bummer, but cut your losses now while it still looks new.

[Gem's Mom]

If I was closer I'd bring hubby and his horse down to try it on both of them. But I'm really far away lol. Hubby will have to keep riding in his semi comfortable saddle I got for $60 on craigslist. I also think he'd have a cow if I spent that much on a saddle! So far we've been lucky and have gotten good used saddles under $200. And OMG I have two English saddles, he can't understand that one lol. And the one that fits my horse is more black than brown so I'll need a new bridle to match if I want to show right?

At least I'm not into shoes, I'd rather have tack and wear the same boots all the time :-)

[3equines]

I have soooo been there before, how disappointing, and really the best thing to do is sell the saddle at a loss and keep looking. But I know how it is, and you might be able to get the saddle to work with a good pad.

Try the SMX Ortho Sport pads, they have been infinitely useful to me when a saddle runs a little too wide or bridges behind the shoulder. You may need to use it as a 2nd pad. Also, Cashel has some more affordably priced pads. If you give us some pics of the way the saddle fits, it would help. Cashel's pads can fill in at the shoulder (reverse wedge), at the loin (wedge) or over the back (swayback).

Good luck!

[Equine_Woman]

I have one of those---- easy keeper, 15.3, DEAD BROKE, but he is 15 and not for sale.

Take the saddle clean it up and sell it or you can see if they will let you trade it back in for the barrel saddle that you want, worth a try.

Don't keep something that is not what you want and is not going to work on any of your horses. I know it is a HUGE bummer, but cut your losses now while it still looks new.

May sell it, going to wait and see. If I keep it clean it won't matter in the long run. I mean after all they won't have to pay taxes on it. . . And lucky girl with the horse!! I found a prospect this morning. . .(actually Madi did) She's almost 16 hands, mustang mare with title, and on top of that she's BLACK. Wonder if they'd take a saddle in trade. . . . She's already had 60 days training. . . I'd ride her bareback. . . and feed her my own lunch.

http://images.craigslist.org/3k43pf3l85W25P65R3b1gaabf700ac3361595.jpg

No return policy? I wish you had canceled the sale right then and there! Store policies like that can mean bad, haha, gotcha products. I should say usually mean that.

I'd clean it up and try to sell it immediately. Take a loss now if you have to, instead of trying to make something that doesn't work work. Odds are that you'll wind up throwing good money after bad.

So sorry though, EW. That's a chunk of money. I get a yucky feeling in my stomach just thinking about it.

Yeah I REALLY considered it. But I wanted an SRS and they are the ones who make them. HARD lesson learned. Won't repeat that one again. . .

If I was closer I'd bring hubby and his horse down to try it on both of them. But I'm really far away lol. Hubby will have to keep riding in his semi comfortable saddle I got for $60 on craigslist. I also think he'd have a cow if I spent that much on a saddle! So far we've been lucky and have gotten good used saddles under $200. And OMG I have two English saddles, he can't understand that one lol. And the one that fits my horse is more black than brown so I'll need a new bridle to match if I want to show right?

At least I'm not into shoes, I'd rather have tack and wear the same boots all the time :-)

Yeah, tack is far better than shoes!!!

[Equine_Woman]

I have soooo been there before, how disappointing, and really the best thing to do is sell the saddle at a loss and keep looking. But I know how it is, and you might be able to get the saddle to work with a good pad.

Try the SMX Ortho Sport pads, they have been infinitely useful to me when a saddle runs a little too wide or bridges behind the shoulder. You may need to use it as a 2nd pad. Also, Cashel has some more affordably priced pads. If you give us some pics of the way the saddle fits, it would help. Cashel's pads can fill in at the shoulder (reverse wedge), at the loin (wedge) or over the back (swayback).

Good luck!

Cashel is who will likely make me a pad. . Robert is sponsored by them so I'm going to call them after I get some photos. First time it sores a horse up though it's on craigslist. So going to take it slowly.

[Kara]

I have a sorrel horse named bud that needs a good home! hahah

[moka]

Can you not even get a store credit? This happened to me one time so I know how you feel. But at least I got a store credit for the value of the saddle.

[Equine_Woman]

Hmmm. That's an idea! I'll have my hubby call and see!

But in better news it mostly fit Sunny my bulldog horse. However Sunny is old, arthritic, and lame.... so she really doesn't need a new saddle. Lol

[Equine_Woman]

Just in from using in on Sonora. Think it fits the old Sass!!! She moved really well in it but that's without a rider. . .(cause I didn't want it to be a bronc saddle) Now that we have something I can safely use on her it's time Sonora gets the bronc out of her!

[miatapony]

How much damage was done to it when Tav was laid down ???? just asking because that is going to affect the price and even if the store will give you any credit... im very sorry it dont fit your horse.

[Equine_Woman]

Fit photos. . .not sure you can tell anything from these. . . I was in a bit of hurry cause I needed to work 3 horses today and didn't have much time to get the right photos!! But here's what I got!!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs046.snc6/167613_496823638268_673398268_6218166_7261975_n.jp g
Sunny, fully tacked, with pad, already been rode

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs781.ash1/167096_496823688268_673398268_6218167_1408409_n.jp g
Sunny from the front

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs756.ash1/164703_496824588268_673398268_6218185_5120125_n.jp g
Sunny from behind, no pad

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs003.snc6/165314_496824648268_673398268_6218187_4070402_n.jp g
Another wither photo

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs043.snc6/167359_496824733268_673398268_6218189_4772468_n.jp g
With a pad on Sunny


Now for Sonora!
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs045.snc6/167507_496823793268_673398268_6218170_6517737_n.jp g
Sonora from the side, after her major work out. I didn't get any without the pad because she was a sweaty mess before I put the saddle on. . .

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1391.snc4/164353_496823923268_673398268_6218172_5426804_n.jp g

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs776.ash1/166616_496824023268_673398268_6218175_6006043_n.jp g

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs266.snc6/179479_496824398268_673398268_6218179_796185_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs020.snc6/167004_496824528268_673398268_6218181_467347_n.jpg
From the back it looks great!

So the good news is, I don't think the saddle will be a couch. . . and I don't have to buy a bulldog horse. . .just need to get the fat sassy mare in the photo directly above this going good lol, and a wedge pad for my skinnies. . . and a newer 1 inch pad for my pudgies.

[Equine_Woman]

How much damage was done to it when Tav was laid down ???? just asking because that is going to affect the price and even if the store will give you any credit... im very sorry it dont fit your horse.

No damage to it at all. Laying down usually doesn't hurt it, just got some mud on it. Made me like it better actually! lol. And now it fits 2 out of 4 horses pretty good so I'm feeling so much better!

[3equines]

Yeah, looks OK in those photos, maybe a tad wide on the front but nothing too serious, get some muscle built up there and it should do fine. Not a bad looking saddle, really, I like the way it is built.

[Tiz]

Are those some kind of magnetic or ? gizmos on Sunny's pasterns, E?

[miatapony]

No damage to it at all. Laying down usually doesn't hurt it, just got some mud on it. Made me like it better actually! lol. And now it fits 2 out of 4 horses pretty good so I'm feeling so much better!


good .. i like it and mud dont hurt it... nope .. i think it looks good.. hey i have a bulldog quater.. LOL but shes short.. LOL shes only like 14.2 on a good day .. lol

[natisha]

Are those some kind of magnetic or ? gizmos on Sunny's pasterns, E?They look like Easy boots or something like that.

[Equine_Woman]

Are those some kind of magnetic or ? gizmos on Sunny's pasterns, E?

They look like Easy boots or something like that.

Yes, those are easy boot epics. Nerdy huh? lol Sunny needs shoes to be ridden but she is so rarely ridden I don't keep her shod. So she gets to wear the easy boots whenever I do ride her for a brief time!

[Tiz]

Oh, geesh, I didn't even see the toes. Nevermind!

[Equine_Woman]

Thought I'd update!! Figured out a padding situation that makes this saddle fit all my critters!! Sterling needs her sway back pad plus a reverse wedge (turned backwards) (which yes is a wedge but since I will be using this saddle more on Tavaci, he needs a reverse wedge (thicker in the front) so I can just borrow his reverse wedge and flip it on Sterling! Win WIN!!! Anyways, I'm pretty excited now that it works out, I've ridden Sterling in it and she moves great, no shoulder interference and she can really move! So YAY for the new saddle!

[Bessie13]

Glad to hear it's all working out fine. Love the looks of your new saddle and it looks nice on your animals :)

[JackieB]

So glad you got it ironed out!

[mustangluver]

I have gone through 30 saddles on my mustang. Her shoulders are really high and she dips. semi, FQ and Q don't fit her at all. They either are to long, sit on her withers or pinch her shoulders.

I had a friend bring over her wintec and she is a medium wide, so I might have to go english, I got my eye on a saddle but waiting to see if I can afford the payments. I might even have to go treeless.

Poopy and no way in H E DOUBLE HOCKEY STICK am I riding on the trail bareback. She is to quick and 2 green.

I feel ur pain~!

[madelequestrian]

Mustangluver- The Cashel Reverse wedge PF Rider pads work really well for those high shouldered Mustangs. Might be worth a try for ya! Lots cheaper than a whole new saddle.

[Buckpoco]

So glad you got it worked out. Looks like a nice saddle. Over the years I have come to the conclusion that it's much easier to find the right horse than the right saddle LOL!!!