Pessoa Legacy XP3 XCH saddle

[lphoeb]

I have owned a few Antares now and I'm looking to get a new saddle. I've looked at the Pessoa Legacy and I like it. Has anyone had any experience with it? Love it, hate it, etc?
Thanks!

[mvp]

If you have seen one "in the flesh" and don't mind the overall drop down in quality from an Antares, I'd say great! And take someone out to dinner (for the weekend) with the money you saved on this saddle.

Pessoas are remarkably well designed for horse and rider. I'd certainly try one on your beast, but if you like the thin panel kind of saddle the shape/thickness of the Pessoa panels may fill the bill. The material foam they use is reputed to be better than that filling panels in most off-the-rack saddles. I/my horse need wool, so I might not be best qualified to rule on this point. Even for my horse, these flocked panels were better than most.

You should also ride in it. But I think you will find that the Pessoa's know how to build a balanced, helpful saddle.

Their gullet plate system is easier to use than the Bates one, but works along the same lines. That won't make this saddle universal for all horses, but it will help you with one whose back it generally fits. It may make the saddle a bit more versatile if you aren't hoping for perfect fit on a wide variety of horses.

You shouldn't also have a hard time finding a "test drive" one from Dover or somewhere else.

[superpony123]

Well, in general i would NEVER buy one of the new pessoas. if you could find a real old one in good condition, that would be another story. but really, the drop in quality from an antares to a pessoa would be quite large. the new pessoas are absolutely NOT durable. ive seen them get worn down in a matter of 2 yrs, even with the best of care. they're not worth the money, in my opinion. look for another nice saddle of antares quality, but look for a used one--it will be slightly more or less expensive than a new pessoa, but you'll be getting a LOT more years of use and much more quality.

[IsolaBella09]

My friend and barnmate won a brand new Pessoa at a local circuit finals in April. It's so nice! The leather quality is great and it puts her in a great position. I've heard great and horrible stories about Pessoa saddles, but I've always liked them. I've ridden in a handful of them and have never seen any problems with the quality of the saddles.

[lphoeb]

Thanks for the input. I'm getting married in 2 months so going to buy a new Antares just isnt going to happen :( Although it might not be too bad since I have one to sell. I used SmartPak to get the Pessoa and they send it for a five day trial so hopefully it will work when it gets here. My Antares is just too big now and I feel a little "lost" in it, it doesnt help my position at all....but I have also lost 15lbs with wedding planning, so i think thats it. Thanks again.

[Movin Artfully]

I had a 2008 Legacy XL briefly (on resale) and was very impressed with the quality of the upgraded leather. It was higher quality than the A/O line imo.

There was a period where quality seemed to suffer between 1996-2003ish. However, it is much better now- like they are making different saddles!

[Outyougo]

I currently ride in a Pessoa Legacy but not the adjustable tree one.

My guy for a very kind fellow is QUITE particular about his saddle--go figure-- he picked this saddle out over a Vega, an Antares and a Devacoux ok he also does fine in my kids PJ Delagrange

I event --I lent my saddle to a pal of mine--a real saddle "snob" and was sure when she came off course she would be negative about it but admitted she liked it a lot--but bought a VEga she got a great deal on!

Did not care for the adjustable tree one and Frankie (horse) gave it a clear hoofs down!

[LARGEBORE]

The new Pessoa's are truely amaziing bargains, prefer them to the older ones any day.

[hollyhorse2000]

I traded my Antares for a calf-skin Black Country Quantum (called the Maelstrom). Leather is as good as the Antares, but I got quite a bit more flexibility (wither gussets, etc.) and wool panels for my hard-to-fit gal. They aren't cheap, but maybe you could find used. Or, if you can do without the calfskin, go with the Quantum. Trumbull Mountain saddlerly usually has used ones for sale.

[Pirateer]

Could you just sell your Antares and get a different one used?
I'd look at the many, many used ones listed on the CWD used saddle website, ebay, etc.

I saw a new Pessoa recently and it wasn't as bad as I've heard them made out to be. Not sure of the model, but I'm sure it was no Antares. :)

[NZEVNTR]

I've had one for about 2 (?) years. I imported mine after looking at many saddles in ALL price ranges. It has wool flocking with gussets which I prefer. I've been really happy with it and it seems to have a good, reliable fit with most horses I've tried it on. Mine has upgraded leather and it has certainly held up well and is really comfortable.

[mvp]

No way! That might just be *the* saddle for me as a great deal about Pessoas work for me and Horseling, but he draws the line a foam panels. How did you rig that up?

TIA-- from both of us

[acoustic]

I don't know, I wasn't impressed with this saddle. The panels don't seem right. I sold a horse of mine over a year ago and still visit and ride him once in a while and his new owner has that saddle. It rides nicely, but the horse hates it. He had even started refusing fences because of it. It seems to concentrate all the weight on the very end of the panels and the weight bearing area is only an inch or so large because of this. This horse has a normal enough back, although a bit short, but it just seemed the way the panels were almost peaked, that it would cause problems on many horses.

Just a one horse observation though, so I don't know. Just try and get one on trial before commiting.

[broughton_sporthorses]

I had one, and I HATED it! I found the seat a little too deep (I have two Rodrigo's that I like much more), I felt too "locked" in- there was too much padding. That is a personal thing though I guess.
I also felt that it looked and felt "cheaper", not as good quality as older Pessoa's. I have sold it to a friend and she likes it :)

[broughton_sporthorses]

Oh yeah and mine had wool flocking too, unlike my other two Pessoa's.

[mvp]

I think that's the name of Pessoa's particular foam.

I find it quite hard, so yes, the material in these panels impose some requirements for fitting.

1) On a horse who widens below-- as in the aging horse who is losing some muscle up top near this spine but is still wide deeper down behind his shoulders, you will feel more pressure against his little (or big) body lower down on the panels.

2) If you get a really forward and/or long-flapped saddle, and the saddle isn't wide enough And/or your horse hates having the muscle behind his scapula messed with, these comparatively stiff, unyielding panels will create a problem.

That having been said, the Pessoa designers have done a very nice job of creating a general shape and wide panels (especially behind) that allows these saddles to make many horses pretty happy for the money you might spend.

For some horses and riders otherwise in love with a Pessoa saddle, you can sometimes feasibly correct the poor panel fit in front by choosing a slightly wide tree or gullet plate and using a half pad. I have "cheated" this way on some occasions, and it was not a bad solution.

Any half pad will, of course, narrow that crucial space between the points of the tree. But, if the saddle fits everywhere else and the tree plus the waist of the saddle (that hour glass section of the panels) are otherwise both wide enough for those parts of your horse's back, it's a good time.

[Personal Champ]

I have a Pessoa Millenium that I really like - it fits me and a wide variety of horses, and was a good deal for the price. Well wearing leather, too. I ride everyday in jeans and no wear on the pommel or anywhere. It's pigskin, though.

Regarding flocking - I think the AO Baluobet is wool flocked.