Calling all horse riders...

[aefibird]

I'm thinking of buying a new GP saddle for my horse (12y/o 15.2hh IDx gelding).

 

However, I was thinking of buying a synthetic saddle instead of leather.

 

This is for two reasons:

 

1) cost - they're usually cheaper

 

2) my horse is a part-time riding school horse for the Riding for the Disabled Association. They are currently loaning both him and his tack. Most of their other school horses have synthetic saddles, which are better for disabled people (children especially) to use, apparantly.

 

I've ridden on synthetic before and found it OK.

 

I prefer leather saddles, especially the look and feel of them, but you can get 'leather look' ones now - they don't look half as cheap and nasty as when they first appeared for sale!

 

Does anyone here ride with a synthetic saddle? What do you think to it? Are they suitable for use every day or do they wear quicker than leather? Which brand(s) would you recommend? I was thinking of buying a Thorogood synthetic GP saddle.

 

I usually ride a couple of times a week and compete infrequently. The remainder of the time my horse is used as a riding school horse - about two or three lessons a day, for roughly 3 or 4 days a week.

[BlackBeltHorseRider]

Hey! A horse question! Right up one of three of my alleys

 

I don't have synthetic saddle, but Thorogood is a good name. So I think you're in good hands.

[aefibird]

Have you ever ridden with one?

[Kit]

power to the horse people. I'm glad i'm not the only one with these two passions (horses and MA) . Anyway in regards to your question. I've never ridden in a senthetic but i have heard that they do not last nearly as long as a leather saddle. yes they are cheaper and there are some really really nice ones out there but apparently they only last a few years. I'm not sure whether that is the case, but you might want to look into that.

[BlackBeltHorseRider]

Have you ever ridden with one?

 

No, sorry, but my best friend does...and we have to trust her because she is the horse person of both of us. I'm the Karate person, she's the horse person, but we're best friends. She tried Karate once, but it wasn't her cup of tea. I have always loved horses and riding, so she had no problems.

 

She says they're pretty good.