Forestier Saddles

[foxhuntingkiddo]

Hi,
I am wondering if anyone has any experiences with Forestier saddles. Share good, bad, excellent, and just plain ugly.

Thanks

[Blackeventer]

I have a Forestier Boekelo single flap saddle. Have had it for over 10 years and it hardly shows (I ride practically everyday). I love my Boekelo and vouch for Forestier quality and longevity. Can only hope that the saddles they make today are as good as they were back when I bought mine.

[eventer_mi]

Yup, also have owned a Forestier Boeckelo monoflap, and it was wonderful. Super well-balanced, wonderful quality, and really held up well to wear and tear. I sold it on Ebay for basically what I paid for it, and the new owner loves it, too. Only reason I sold was because it didn't fit my new guy. Mine was foam paneled, though - don't know if they wool flock or not.

[lisagore]

I have a Forestier Atlanta....bought it over 4 years ago. I absolutely love it. It fits a broad range of horses although I have used it mostly on thoroughbreds myself, inlcuding a senior thoroughbred with a pronounced wither. It looks in my opinion, as good as the day I got it despite pretty continuous use in some pretty nasty weather conditons. I highly recommend them:)

[clivers]

I have a forestier Saumur (dressage) and absolutely love it. Fits all my (four) horses quite well too!

[Romany]

I have a Forestier Atlanta. I absolutely love it. It fits a broad range of horses although I have used it mostly on thoroughbreds myself, inlcuding a senior thoroughbred with a pronounced wither. It looks in my opinion, as good as the day I got it despite pretty continuous use in some pretty nasty weather conditons. I highly recommend them:)


I also have a Forestier Atlanta (18", xw tree, xlong flaps, chestnutty colour) - I absolutely LOVE it for hunting, as it puts me comfortably in a 2-point (pretty much aka a "forward seat" for the non-colonials) when hunting - I can stay up there, perfectly balanced on an otherwise moderately unbalanced draught-x over fences and crappy footing - all day, and ride home afterwards with no ouches.

The flaps are solid old-fashioned tough leather - the type I saw 30 years back on saddles. The seat is soft (calf hide?) which is comfy, and has worn well so far (two seasons).

Minuses - foam-flocked (I think all Forestiers are - it's a very generic, therefore old-fashioned, French brand, which realised it was better than all those other currently facionable French names, but didn't have the equivalent marketing skills :rolleyes: ) so harder to adjust than wool flocking.

The foam flocking has hardened with extended use - I do accept that foxhunting, which means me (heavier rider) riding a hot sweaty horse over extended periods of time, hardens the foam, and we're working on that.*

It's also narrow between the panels underneath (ie the span/space over the spine itself), which may be a problem for some (I can ride my toughie old hunt horse using a saddle stuffed with steel jacks, so not an issue for us, and we use a decent thick saddle pad, just to be sure).

The leather on the underside panels has stained quite horribly, despite my best Pony Club efforts at cleaning and maintenance. The website says to oil regularly with Neatsfoot; just how much Neatsfoot is this darned thing going to drink up, anyway? Can we say Neatsfootaholic?

There's a seller on Ebay that lists them regularly; personally, I've been lusting over their blue trail saddle (twould scare the snot out of the neighbours).

A great Forestier saddle to deal with is Sandridge Saddlery in upscale horsy Quebec: www.sandridge.ca I think - Tracy is the woman to deal with.

* Myself, I'm hanging on to that saddle for all I'm worth, and about to have the expert re-fit it - with wool, so it's more generous for the new horse.

I forgot to mention - the RRP on Forestiers is horrendous; given the strength of the $, I think you might find it useful to shop European websites, if you know just which size/model you're interested in; try Forestier's own website for links.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this saddle - mine is worked HARD, and apart from the sweat stains, it's working really well, and I love it, and would buy another in a heartbeat.

[lisagore]

There are several distributors of Forestier saddles in Canada....I'm not sure why there weren't more in the USA. I got mine form Maple Springs Saddlery in Langley BC. I have used the Sandridge website for info on models and I regularily look at them on Ebay ( that blue one is cool!) Let me know Romany if you have any luck getting a saddle fitter to restuff your Atlanta with wool. The foam panels are in my opinion the only downside.

I have a 17" with a short flap and it does fit my short stumpy legs very well. The calf skin seat is wearing well after 4 years of use and it has been soaked at times...both with rain and with water from my butt when I got back into the saddle after falling in the water. I used the Forestier saddle oil for conditioning mine...it stinks but it seems to work. I also used Passier leather balsam on it. Love it!

[Roseladay123]

Vraiment bien!


Merci, c'est justement ce que je cherchais


Merci beaucoup



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