Whether for economic or practical reasons, buying a horse saddle on the internet has become very common in recent years. Indeed, on the internet you can find everything (new saddles, used saddles, special saddles…), at all prices, and sold by everyone. Considered by most riders as a “big purchase”, it is therefore important to choose it well and of course to know where to buy it online! We will give you some personal tips on how to choose your saddle and find your way through this jungle.
Tips for buying a horse saddle
First, you should know that when you want to buy a saddle online, you should already know what you are looking for. As we have already told you, you will find everything and there is no shortage of “false bargains”. Here are the different elements to know before your purchase.
Your saddle sizes
Indicated in inches, it will be noted 17,5”… under one of the quarters of the saddle very often. If you don’t know your size, try the same saddle in several varied sizes (directly on the horse or on a saddle rack for example) and see how it feels. In theory, you should not be able to slide in it, i.e., when sitting normally you should feel the saddle around you, if the cantle is 1km behind you it is not good and on the contrary if you feel stuck it is not good either. It’s a question of feeling and morphology, if you can, spend some time in a saddlery to determine your size precisely.
The budget of your saddle
Very important, there are saddles at all prices (really!) depending on the materials used, the way they are made, the brand chosen, its specificities, and options… For a first saddle, I strongly advise you not to buy it new (a mistake I made…) because it won’t last you “long”, you’ll quickly realize that your needs on horseback will evolve, as it’s the first one, it’ll be subjected to all the baptisms, and you might even want to change it.
There are so many choices and innovations appearing every day that the time of the “saddle of my life” is well and truly over.
The use of your saddle
We will often talk about dressage, mixed, show jumping orientation. In fact, the shape of the saddle and its components can vary depending on the discipline you practice and the frequency with which you ride. You can see for yourself that a pure dressage saddle will be very different from a jumping saddle or a trekking saddle because the needs are different for each discipline. For example, in dressage you want to stay anchored in the saddle, which is why you need a very hollow seat and a high cantle to be well supported in the saddle, whereas in show jumping you need a very flat seat to be free to move and to be able to balance easily above the saddle.
Be careful with your level too, even if jumping is your biggest passion and you want to become the Kevin Staut of your generation, don’t throw yourself on the first pure jumping saddle you find when you are Galop 4… Better to take a mixed saddle at the beginning, you will be able to do everything with it and learn properly, if you burn the steps it might give you more defects than anything else…
You have the chance to own your own horse, you must take him into account too. The saddle must also be adapted to his back, his morphology. So, take the time to observe his back and especially his withers, take measurements if necessary and get advice from a professional. Indeed, all horses are not identical (made the same), and saddles can be adapted to them, for example, you can change the tree or adjust its size, or choose adapted accessories that will compensate for certain characteristics of the saddle (withers pad, saddle booster, etc. …).
Again, be careful if you are buying your first saddle, we strongly suggest that you ask your riding coach/instructor for advice on your physical needs. A saddle can help to correct some of the rider’s positioning deficiencies on horseback. Even if it doesn’t solve everything we agree, it can be a precious help not to be neglected.
Once you know all this, we have already made good progress and we can move on.
Where to buy your horse saddle online?
Depending on whether you want to buy a new or used saddle, I made you my top 5 (non-exhaustive list of course) of sites based on my personal experience or on their reputation.
Attention nuance, I will not speak here about specific saddlers, i.e. if you really want such brand of saddle (Antarès, Butet, CWD, Childéric, Devoucoux, Equipe, etc…), I advise you to contact directly the salesman of your area, you will find his phone number and/or his email – directly on the official site of the brand most of the time. You will just have to contact him or her and tell him or her what you are looking for, and if he or she has it, he or she will come directly to your stables for a test ride (yes, this requires to have a horse at your disposal and an arena or at least a field to ride and try the saddle on).
Buy a new saddle online
This essential saddlery is also online of course, convenient when you are not lucky enough to have one near your home. You will find saddles (classic and “western“) but also everything you dream of to equip your Tornado.
Advantages: Specialized – professional – secured – loyalty program – satisfied or refunded – possible return – choice – trial (long term on some models) – public customer reviews – site classification
Disadvantages: Delivery time (depending on the products ordered)
It’s a private sale website, all the items are new and provided directly by the brands at low prices, often they are old collections. I’ve been using it for more than 2 years now and I’ve never been disappointed so far. All the items are new and well packaged, the conditions of sale are clear. It is not a site specialized in horse riding but there are sales of big equestrian brands very regularly (CWD, GPA, Equipe, Animo…) so you can find saddles there. Attention, being a private sales site, you have a limited time to make your purchase (usually 2 weeks).
Advantages: Professional – loyalty program – price – sponsorship program – secure – possible return – payment in several times
Disadvantages: Choice – delivery time – not specialized – no trial possible – limited sales time – no classification (only search bar)
Although Fouganza products are often first price and associated with bad quality, I have noticed huge improvements in the brand in the last years. The products are more technical and resistant and always at the best price. This is normal since their goal is to democratize the practice of horseback riding, which I completely defend (by the way).
Advantages: Professional – specialized – secure – price – public opinion – loyalty program – payment in several times – return and exchange online and in store – site classification
Disadvantages: Unclear online trial conditions
Online saddlery through which I order a lot, there is not only saddles but a large choice of products, a great customer service, and often promotions/offers on some products.
Advantages: Professional – specialized – secure – site classification – referral program – exchange – return possible – fast delivery
Disadvantages: Refund time – trial policy not indicated
Equestrian site very well known for its large choice of products, its often low prices, and its numerous promotions throughout the year! Moreover, it has a lot of – products that you can’t find elsewhere.
Advantages: Professional – specialized – secure – choice – price – public opinion – free return – exchange possible
Disadvantages: Trial policy not indicated – delivery time – customer service not very available (restrictive hours)
Buying a used saddle online
This is a site for selling and buying used riding equipment, meaning that the site acts as a trusted third party between buyers and sellers. You post your ad as you would on a classic ad site or on Facebook f-, it is validated, you wait for the sale, then you just must send the item. The site secures the buyer’s payment until the product is received, to avoid frauds that are very present on social networks.
Advantages: Specialized – professional – secure – choice – price – responsive customer service – public reviews – return possible – site classification – 7-day trial – satisfied or refunded
Disadvantages: Delivery time – problem with some sellers (but that’s human unfortunately there is nothing to do…) – shipping costs
- Social Networks: (Facebook Groups mostly)
It’s just a way to get in touch (like leboncoin.fr). You will simply contact a stranger who has posted an ad to sell a saddle. Facebook doesn’t manage the purchase, it’s you who sets all the conditions of the sale with the seller. So of course, there are some very good people, but you don’t know who is in front of you. I have already bought and sold on Facebook groups, and it went well. But personally, we don’t recommend doing business in an unsafe environment, especially when buying something as important as a saddle. It’s a specific and expensive item that you should be able to try and return if you’re not satisfied.
Advantages: Choice – price – ease of use – specialized (depending on the group)
Disadvantages: Not secure – not professional – non-existent sales conditions – not orderly
- Advertising sites: (Chevalannonce, Equirodi, annonces.ffe …)
They are all the same
Advantages: Specialized – classified – choice
Disadvantages: Not secured – unclear conditions of sale
Precautions to take before buying a horse saddle online
Despite these few tips and all that you may hear (or even see on some sites), we strongly advise you to always read the conditions of sale before buying a saddle on the internet. Especially the conditions of exchange and return, and the possible associated fees because not all sites have the same standards. This will save you a lot of hassle,
Finally, if it’s your first saddle or if you are a beginner, don’t hesitate to ask professionals for advice! Nowadays, more sites are equipped with an online chat with which you can communicate directly with the saddlery advisors, do not hesitate to ask them all your questions and do not be embarrassed, it is their job to answer you and there are no silly questions! It is a very practical tool when you need information right away.
Finally, buying a saddle on the internet can be a long and arduous search (especially if you have specific expectations) but the price difference you will find is often worth it. So have courage and good research!
