County Dressage Saddles

[Filly85']

Will anyone that has one tell me what you like/don't like about them? Thanks!

[Lisa Holman]

Nice saddle, nightmare service.

[MaresNest]

I have 2 old County Competitors and I love them. They are considerably different from the new ones, though. Very close contact, no bulky knee rolls/thigh blocks/etc. I've not ridden in any of the new County's. I don't know whether I would like them or not :(

[rothmpp]

Ditto on having an old County Competitor. Loved the way it fit me - does not fit my new horse at all. Hence the new *used* saddle sitting on my rack. FWIW - I did have a fitter tell me that the old CCs are not likely to fit very many horses. While this was not a County fitter - she was not even trying to sell me a saddle, so take that for what it's worth.

[Somantu]

I have an older County Eventer (AP) made in '99 which I bought used. It's extremely comfortable; fits my horse perfectly. I'm 5'2" and heavy set, our part-boarder is almost 6' tall and all legs, my coach is 5'6" and very slender. We all really like the saddle. Several others have ridden in it -- and love it as well.

I had an older (1997) County Competitor w/Flair panels on trial for a month. Again, it was super comfortable and although my horse went well in it, I decided not to buy it because I didn't love the Flair panels.

Last month I ordered a new Competitor, which although different from the '97 model, still feels fairly close to the horse. It's deep but doesn't lock me into place and allows me to move my seat. My flaps will be shortened and set forward to accommodate my 28" inseam (My part-boarder will be out of luck, unless she wants to rub her knees against the horse's sides :lol::lol:)

My saddlefitter likes the County's for my horse and she says they are very well made and enjoys working on them.

What I don't like about County is that they're not easily available. If new, the saddle must be purchased through a rep, and that can get tedious. The rep for my area is in the next province, so distance can be an issue. I also don't think that their people at corporate in Maryland are very well informed about the Canadian market. It took me almost 6 months to be able to get an appointment -- because they directed me to a rep in the U.S., instead of Canada.

[camohn]

I like my OLD Countys ( have a Competitor and a WB) which have the flatter seat and less knee rolls. I don't like the new ones which have the deeper seat and more blocks n stuff. The XW fits my very wide mares well and the the moderately wide stallion that I had did well in a "regular wide". I have long legs and long thighs and it fits me well. I tried a Vega for example that a friend raved about and hated it....she has much shorter legs so it was better for her. The flaps and blocks hit me in all the wrong places. The seat on the old ones are hard but I can live with that. I bought mine off ebay for under 900.00 since I knew exactly what I wanted.

[onetempies]

Avoid the 2000 models... major tree peeling away issues!

[stoneymeadow]

I have been riding in County saddles since 2003 when I bought my first on on ebay. Since then I have had 3 custom County Saddles made for three different horses - a 2005 County Connection, a 2006 County Connection and a 2008 County Fusion. All came out of the box fitting each horse like a glove.

My rep lives in Ind. and comes to KS about 3 times a year. Great service and concern for getting the right saddle for the horse and rider. I call my 2008 County Fusion the magic saddle as it made all the difference in the world for me and my horse....we just completed our Silver Medal with our first two PSG rides :) . Yet I love my 2006 County Connection with my other horse. I can go back and forth between the horses and the saddles feel just perfect even though they are very different.

Advice - ride in as many different makes and models as you can until you find something that you and your horse love. Every time I was getting ready to buy a new custom saddle I rode in at least 5 other makes/models to make sure of what worked best for me. I had ridden in the County Perfection several times and hated it, and thus was hesitant to even sit in the Fusion....but when I did the change in my horse was dramatic! So keep an open mind. It's a $4K decision so not one to rush or make on just what someone else tells you.

[TBrescue]

Huge County fan!!! Love the older models, don't have the $$$ for new!

[merrygoround]

I think I got my first County in 90-time flies-it is still in use, as a spare or lesson saddle, altho I bought a new one in 2001. My horses have all had similar builds, so I've been fortunate.

[royal militron]

I agree, great saddles... I had an issue w/service. My County Connection is AMAZING though and I would not trade it for the world!

[indyarab]

I like my Connection for my gelding and love my Competitor for my stallion. Would love to have the new Perfection, but will never pay that much for a saddle LOL! The service in my area is outstanding. However, having had an opportunity to ride in a Hennig last week, that will be my next purchase (used, of course!).

[LisaB]

I have a competitor wb. It's great but doesn't fit us anymore. I need a shallower seat and bigger knee roll. But it's been wonderful. Now, to get off my butt and take pics and go through saddle selling hell...
Anyway, I still recommend them even if it doesn't work for us anymore.

[Perfect Pony]

I have a 2003 Stabilizer for jumping, and recently found a 1999 County WB in exactly the right size for myself and my horse for $1500 :) I am sold on the saddles, my mare goes so much better in them than anything else.

[lalahartma1]

Do they fit true to size for the rider? (Competitor)

[Trevelyan96]

I have a Dresprit and love it, as the shorter flaps work much better with my 4'11" body! Bought it used in brand new condition, and it fits my TB's great!

[Equus_girl]

I tried all the models and the one which would fit me the best had to be ordered with different flaps and different leather to make the flaps softer to make them move forward, but even with all that it didnt fit the horse, and saddler insisted on using thinline or mattes pad to balance it out at which point I decided to keep looking. Another thing, both me and my trainer found all twist in all models to be way to wide (I think fusion was the most narrow of them all) and I could feel the stirrup bar clearly and painfully.

[indyarab]

I have a Competitor and it does fit true to size, as does my Connection. I just purchased (stole, really) a Perfection but unfortunately, it also seems to run true to size as it's a 17" and I need a 17 1/2". I could almost cry as it puts my leg in exactly the correct position.

[everyequine]

Avoid the 2000 models... major tree peeling away issues!

Tree peeling away?? what happens? do they warrantee this?

I have had about 3 older ones, and sold them all to people who love them I have 2 now, I won't ever part with. Both were custom made for other people, but fit me and my horses great. One is a custom color, and a xx-wide tree which I didn't even know was available. It fits my pony perfectly. He's a picnic table.
the other has SHORT flaps! fits my other horse, and has leather that we call "football leather" Count calls it "bull hide"~ it feels just like a football, though!~
I have a friend in Australia that will ride in nothing else. She loves the old style County Competitor.

[lalahartma1]

I have a Competitor and it does fit true to size, as does my Connection. I just purchased (stole, really) a Perfection but unfortunately, it also seems to run true to size as it's a 17" and I need a 17 1/2". I could almost cry as it puts my leg in exactly the correct position.

Arrgh, I hate when that happens! :)

[Somantu]

Today at 5:30 pm the UPS driver dropped off a big box with my brand spanking new Competitor in it.

It was too late to ride in it, but I did manage to speed back to the barn just to see how it fits Dobbin.
(It's perfect.)

I am sooooooooo excited to ride in it tomorrow!!!


:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

[gladys]

Just got a County Fusion a month ago. It's quite a nice saddle and worth checking out. Service is difficult to get though, so make sure there is a saddler/rep VERY close to where you board.