Zaldi Saddles and Bridles

I was looking for a double bridle in which to school my Arabian. He is trained to fourth level dressage but has not been ridden at that degree lately. With spring coming, I wanted to get ready to do some remedial work and get him back to his old self. As I said before, I am a huge fan of Passier and County saddles. County does not make a bridle and although I like the Passier line, I really didn't want to spend a lot of money for a schooling bridle. On the other hand, I had tried the very cheap ones I had found on Ebay and regretted the decision. If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is. After a little research, I found the Zaldi which is a Spanish manufacturer. The price was good but not overly cheap so with tax refund in the bank, I placed an order from Equus Libris.

The bridle came very quickly from halfway across the country. Holding my breath, I unpacked it and was thrilled at what I saw. Every bit the quality of Bobby's -another mid-range manufacturer- and a wee bit less expensive. The leather was supple but sturdy. The connections are all with buckles rather than the tight studs. A great school bridle and quite possibly suitable for show. Zald also makes regular bridles and ornamental Spanish style.

Buying the New Tack-Saddles, Bridles and Accessories

I certainly recommend buying the new tack if one can afford it. Keeping in mind that I would rather buy good used tack as opposed to cheap new, the novice horse person can decide for themselves. When buying new, the novice can often rely on the expertise of the vendor to guide them through the process. There are two directions one may go with this. Purchase can be made from one of the larger , general vendors of horse and riding products such as Dover, State Line Tack, Schneider's and Dressage Extensions. The other alternative is to buy directly from the manufacturer or their designated representatives such as County or Passier.

Before any decision is made, DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Check out all the options. Find out what other people in your barn or riding club do or like. Ask your breeder what works best for the specific breed.

Shopping from a general vendor gives you a broad range of products to select from. They also have helpful customer service representatives. Often, they have demos, slightly blemished or used products that can be had for very reasonable prices. I have never gone wrong with Dover.

I love the County Saddle and visit their website often. I have had Passier for over twenty five years and study their websites as well. The Duett site gave me much information toward finding a saddle for my Haflingers. They will teach you how to measure your horse, offer suggestions for your saddle fit and again, help with any questions. I have learned much from these folks.

Whatever you decide, TAKE YOUR TIME! Patience is a virtue!

Saddles On Ebay

I have bought saddles on Ebay with great success as have some of my knowledgeable friends. I do know of some people who have wasted some money. The same people may have wasted money had they bought from a reliable dealer as well. You must know what you are looking for or you will get something you might not be able to use. With that being said, I have got some GREAT BUYS from Ebay and you can as well.

I ama single parent and do not have the money to buy "brand new". With a son in Pony Club and my won horsey habits, it is important that I find great buys.

The first step that need sto be taken is to identify what you need. What style riding do you prefer? What size seat so you require and finally, find out what size saddle your horse requires. Keep in mind that different brands of saddle tend to do better on different types of horses. For example, I have Haflingers. They are a very hard horse to fit as are Fjords. The have broad, flat, backs. A poorly fitting saddle will be difficult to tighten and could be dangerous. I found that the Duett saddle is a good fit for Haflingers as it was designed with them in mind. i found this out by joining a Haflinger Yahoo group. I couldn't afford a new Duett but found a gently used saddle on Ebay that was about half the price of new. I ended up with a saddle that looked new and fit my FAT , FLAT BACKED horses!!!

I found wonderful County and Passier Saddle dirt cheap. they were old but had been loved. Quality names such as Passier, Stubben, County, and Albion wear well and will last. Look for products that have been kept oiled.

Finally, do not buy no name products. there are a lot of new things that are not quality made and will not last. they could be unsafe. If a price looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Do your homework, and you will bring home good buys!

Saddle and Bridle selection for novices

Welcome to my blog! I'm not the greatest rider but I do have thirty years experience with tacking horses -primarily English seat which I would like to share with others. A person who is new to the equestrian world can waste a lot of money on their first tack. I did. Hopefully, I can share some information, answer some questions and maybe save others thousands of dollars which they will of course share with me! Kidding! Got your attention! I have a variety of horses from a skinny Arab to a giant Percheron. There is no such thing as "one size fits all" and bad fit can upset your horse, harm them and certainly not provide a good ride!

My son is in USPC (United States Pony Club) and has been in for 5-6 years. I've noticed as new parents and children come and go, they are a litttle shy about asking tack questions and can often make costly mistakes (I did). USPC teaches an awful lot about how to tack the horse/pony but they are not in a position to opening recommend brands.

I see two common errors. those that but expensive tack that does not fit and those that buy tack that is too cheap and won't last or also doesn't fit.

I have several particular brand names I like which I will discuss in a later blog but some of this is particular to the horse you own. some tack is just better with certain breeds.

I will be posting blogs o saddle fit, saddle selection, bridle sfit and selection as well as other topics that readers might have an interest in.

For now, Haapy Trails!