Posted 2010-11-10 8:16 AM (#126896 - in reply to #126608) Subject: RE: abetta saddle
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342
Location: Ohio
We talked to one of the rangers that patrols the campground and 4 days after this happened, they still hadn't got a plate number or anything other than what they were wearing and they had a red stock trailer.
Ranger acted pretty non-chalant about it and didn't really act like they were going to do much more than throw some lye on the corpse and let it decomp where it died (which was about 15' off the trail apparently). He said by the time they found the horse, it had swelled to about 2 1/2 times it's normal size and didn't see them being able to get it out of the woods.
I never saw or smelled it so they must've done a good job.
Posted 2010-11-11 10:22 AM (#126941 - in reply to #126686) Subject: RE: abetta saddle
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 373
Location: Texas
Originally written by Penejoe on 2010-11-05 9:10 AM
Thanks guys for all your responses....I'll keep doing my research and try and figure something out. My budget is gonna be in the 500 to 600 dollar range,if that much, might even try and find a good used one. BTW there is no way I could justify paying $2000 for a saddle to trail ride in!!!
Trail riding is where the fit of the saddle is more important than any other disaplain. Long hours on the trail, you need a quality saddle, that fits both the horse and rider. Cheap, lower quality saddles are just that. If you spend long hours in them, you will usually find end up hurting the horses due to poor fit, or the saddle breaking down. I used a Big Horn endurance for about 3 years, until the tree cracked just from normal use, and started to damage my horses back. Usually, it is a case of getting what you pay for, and spending more, to get a GOOD quality saddle, will last you for years, and you will not be out saddle shopping again and again. My horse carries me mile after mile down the trail, so I figure he is worth spending the money to make it as comfortable as possible for him.
But, I'd also guess that more casual trail riders choose a saddle first by looks, then how it fits them, and then how it fits the horse. Many just don't know what to look for in fit. I know I didn't for years
Posted 2010-11-20 12:45 AM (#127308 - in reply to #126608) Subject: RE: abetta saddle
Elite Veteran
Posts: 610
Location: Northern CA
Ok guys, I have ridden in an Abetta endurance saddle now for years. I used to do endurance. I have used this saddle on about 6 different horses now. I have friends that do long distance trail and endurance riding that have switched to the Abetta. Mine has held up for over 10 years of hard riding. The only con; the d-rings that you attach the breast-collar to, pulled out.Other-wise, this saddle has really held up. It sits me in the correct position and sits correctly on the horses back. My horses have never gotten sore backs from this saddle. I just purchased the new "Serenity" endurance model with the memory foam seat. LOVE LOVE LOVE this saddle. SOO comfy. Long hours in it too. I have ridden in Big Horn and a lot of the other synthetic saddles. Abetta is by far the best out of the synthetic saddles. Can't beat the price either. I have had $2000- dollar saddles that were not as good to ride in as the Abetta. It just depends on what discipline of riding you do and how you are built. Also, Abetta is made in the good ol' USA.
Posted 2010-12-08 9:27 AM (#127880 - in reply to #126608) Subject: RE: abetta saddle
Member
Posts: 48
I just read reviews yesterday of their endurance version. Most were 4 or 5 stars out of 5.http://www.horsetackreview.com/review-database-search.php3I ride endurance in my $3800 dressage saddle right now. After reading the reviews, I'm ordering a $500 to ride hundreds of miles in. I'll let ya know how it goes ;)