Berney Bros. or Smith Worthington saddles?

[tpup]

Any opinions or experiences with either of these brands? I am looking at them used, both A/P saddles. Both very comfy to sit in. Using them mostly for flatwork, low jumping. I took pics of the saddles on my horse today and will upload later. Haven't ridden in them yet. I have them on trial for a few days :)

[jrrider]

I was a working student for a lady that loved Berney saddles. She actually still uses her Berney that she rode in, in the Barcelona Olympics! I actually used it a couple times if I was working her horses and it was quite comfortable and seemed to put you in a good position.

[Anglo-Trak]

Liked mine, but had to stop using it when the horse I bought had the typical shark-fin withers and I no longer had enough clearance. They tend to run a bit wider in the gullet, so just confirm fit on your horse carefully. Was a very comfortable saddle, though!

[llsc]

I have a Smith Worthington, S Bar W, and I love it. The leather is fantastic and it is holding up very well. It puts me in position and fits my horse perfectly. I needed an extra, extra wide tree and Smith Worthington was one of the few places that makes a saddle that wide.

[jen-s]

I borrow a SW dressage saddle on occasion for my Appendix gelding. It's older, but amazing--great leather (I mean GREAT--soft but durable enough that it's not going to fall apart if I ride in jeans occasionally), very comfy, and seems to fit every horse I've tried it on. I'd love to find a good used CC SW one day to replace the A/P Thornhill that I currently use on my fella.

[OneFineMess]

I used to have a berney bro close contact saddle that I loved, unfortunately my chestnut mare did not. Too much arch in the tree.

[RolyPolyPony]

I have a SW Avalon that I've had for about 17 years now, and it still looks and feels fantastic. If it ever dies, or can't be made to fit my next horse, I'm definitely buying another SW. They're fantastic saddles.

[hollyhorse2000]

I did not find the Smith Worthingtons to be remotely comfortable. But they are a well-made saddle with a good reputation.

It's all how you're built and how your horse is built as to whether or not either of these two saddles will work with you. Remember, too, that if the saddles doesn't fit your horse correctly, it might not work for you, but that it's the fault of the bad fit as opposed to the saddle inherently being wrong for you. (If that sentence made sense.)

In other words, if the saddle tree is too wide and the pommel is too low related to the cantel, you'll feel pitched forward while if the saddle was temporarily padded up in front or a different tree size was tried, you might be quite balanced.

So check fit for horse first, then put your butt in it and ride! Good luck. Saddle fitting is a fate worse then death . . .

[Long Shadow Farm]

I have two Berney Bros... the International that I use for Stadium and Cross country and the Dressage. I loff both of them. I am even going to look at buying a Dublin CC from them once my grey horse sells. They fit my very broad shoulder QH guy but also do good with my narrow little rail of a TB if I pad them up a bit.

Bobbi

[tpup]

Thanks everyone! I am keeping the Berney Bros saddle. It fits my horse well (but I'll still get the saddle fitter out for a more custom fit). Rode in it today for my teacher and she liked it - it put me in a great position, close to my horse and I love it SO much more than my dressage saddle. I was able to post and sit the canter better without working so hard on my position.

Now off to shop for bridles and stirrup leathers - my old tack was black and we are now havana!