Saddles :$

Question
Hello Sarah :)

// thanks for ur previous help & for what u said about me :) , i'll try to be so :$



just one more question - i guess :$ -

about Saddles, and from your own experiance
is there a noticable diffeence - for the horse - between the very expensive saddles and the kind-of-cheap ones?

i'm speaking technically & physically
based on the material used.. if i'm using a good pading & a good fit saddle... would there be a huge difference?
and for a pleasure riding, do i need to buy a saddle $2,000 and up ?
or the ones under $300 would be fine ?


* do u think it is possible to get the right sized saddle if it would be bought online, or it's gonna be risky?


Regards

Answer
Buying a saddle online will definitely be risky.  Ideally if you could try one from your limited tack shop that would be best.  Each horse is very different through the back line.  Thus it is ideal to have a situation in which you can try a saddle on your horse to check for proper fitting.  That way if it doesn't fit you can take it back.  I understand you may not have that opportunity.  In your case, I would advise you to maybe place some local newspaper ads or ads at the tack shop regarding your needs.  That way someone could bring a saddle to you and you could try it on your horse before you purchase it.  

The folks of at Beval Saddlery are fantastic and always eager to try to help their clients purchase the right saddle.  If you go to their website and email them your situation, I am very sure they will get back to you within a few days with some advice.  Perhaps you can take a few measurements of your horse and they could guide you to a saddle that would have a higher probability of fitting correctly.

As for saddle prices.  This is a tricky answer.  Truth be told, you get what you pay for in regards to purchasing something new.  When a saddle is more costly it is generally because of the attention given to selecting quality and consistent leather, the craftsmanship, and the overall longevity of the saddle.  Comfort also starts to really make a difference when you get into the more pricey saddles.  Now, with all that having been said, you can still find a fantastic saddle for a low price.  Generally speaking, to accommodate this you will want to look into purchasing a used saddle that has been well cared for.  Things to keep in mind when buying a saddle are:
 Does it fit my horse?
 Does it suit my discipline of riding?
 Is it comfortable for me when I ride in it?
 Is the leather of good quality?
 Is the stitching in good shape and sturdy?
 Was the tanning process consistent?
 Is the tree of the saddle intact and in good shape?

After that everything else becomes a personal preference for each individual.

I think your situation you might do best to talk to a few saddle shops (via email or phone) and try to get a consensus on proper size and from there see if you can buy a used one locally that you can try before you buy.

I hope this helps you!