Whether you are buying to buy a used saddle from an individual or from a retail store that sells used saddle, it is a good idea to do some research in some key areas of the used saddle market. This guide to buying used saddles will get you started on the road to buying a quality used saddle. The first thing to understand is what makes a ‘good used saddle.
Making sure the saddle tree is not broken
The first thing to look at a used saddle is the saddle tree, or the frame that the saddle is built on. A saddle with a broken tree is worthless and very seldom worth repairing the tree. So with this being said, ones decision can be made first step out of the box if the tree is broken. The saddle tree should be tight without any movement when pressure is applied during inspection. In the situation of not feeling comfortable checking the tree, one can make use of a trusted saddle maker to check it. Most shops will gladly check it for you at no cost and give you their opinion.
Knowing what brand the saddle is and whether they are worth repairing
If the saddle tree is good and tight, the next thing to look at is the brand of the saddle for sale. This is where a good amount of information can be found on quality and what the saddle may be worth. Usually if you do not recognize the brand name of the saddle, then it is probably a cheap lower quality saddle found on equitack.com. These saddles often are not worth a lot of money and will probably lead to issues with fitting one’s horse as well as increased repair cost down the road.
The price of the saddle compared to the market value
The final thing one can use to decide on whether a saddle is a good used saddle or not is the price. Pricing of used saddles for most people is more of a spit ball type of mathematics than an actual equation. Thus, the thing to remember here is that buying a good used saddle is dependent on your knowledge of the product. It is really easy to make a mistake and buy a used saddle for too much money with a broken tree leaving one with a worthless and not worth repairing saddle