03/06/2026
This saddle is 17 years old.
Seventeen years.
It’s spent every one of those years on the same horse, who was just four years old when it was first fitted.
Over the last 17 years, this little saddle has backed a baby horse, carried her around event courses, taken her on countless adventures, and now happily bimbles along on hacks and fun rides with her fave human.
Over those years, it’s been tweaked, adjusted and lovingly maintained as the mare’s shape changed with age, fitness, seasons and life.
Is it a modern ‘adjustable’ saddle with interchangeable gullets, gadgets and lots of bling? Nope. No sir-ee.
But here it is, seventeen years later, still fitting the same horse throughout her entire ridden career.
Today all it needed was a little extra flocking in the rear gusset where the mare has lost a touch of muscle. The buffalo leather is still incredibly hard-wearing, the stitching remains immaculate, and the panels are in beautiful condition.
Personally, I think that’s something worth celebrating.
In a world that increasingly encourages us to replace rather than repair, there’s something rather special about a saddle that has quietly done its job for nearly two decades. No drama. No fuss. Just quality craftsmanship, good maintenance and regular professional fitting.
This is a beautiful English leather saddle, handmade in Walsall 🇬🇧
The British saddlery trade is famous throughout the world for a reason. Generations of skill, knowledge and craftsmanship go into creating these saddles. They aren’t designed to be disposable. They’re designed to last, to be cared for, and to serve horse and rider for years, sometimes decades.
Seventeen years later, this one is still doing exactly that. And I think that’s pretty flippin’ impressive. ❤️🐴🇬🇧
saddle
