[moonriverfarm]

Looking at an older one on ebay. Anyone want to give opinion on them, how they ride, how they fit, etc? Positive or negative?

[caffeinated]

I like them, and would pick one up if I was looking for an extra saddle. They're pretty no-frills but I find them comfy And value wise, you can typically sell them for the same price you buy them for, or close to it, even after using them for a few more years.

If you're really used to knee rolls and blocks and such, it will feel awkward, though.

[AmmyByNature]

Nice, solid, old-skool flat saddles. I believe that's what my trainer had as lesson saddles when I started riding.

What are you looking to do with it? I myself prefer a little more built-up saddle these days due to lack of, um, desire to work that hard? but if you want a flat saddle and it fits your horse you can't go wrong, especially for the price.

Or were you going to cut off the flaps and make yourself a Beval Practice saddle and save yourself $2,600? 'Cause it'd be perfect for that!!

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=325009

[moonriverfarm]

Ha ha! I have a Stubben Parzival and a HDR CC. Some days I feel like there is too much saddle between me and the horse especially when I ride my further-along TB and not the green beans just off the track. This one looks like it has years of serviceablilty left and in good shape with the model name stamp on the flap still easily visible. Just wanted some opinions as it looks more like a racing saddle than what I'm used to!

[danceronice]

I love them. Got one for Lucky when I decided my old AP was too wide and too heavy for him right off the track and realized the evil H/J trainer may have had something beyond style in mind putting all her OTTBs in them ages ago. Much more like sitting ON the horse than perching in a saddle.

Yeah, it's kind of hard on the rear end, but I figure it's more about his back than my butt. And I feel like it's easier to use my legs and seat.

[AmmyByNature]

Dear god. I just googled the saddle I had when growing up. I bought it from my trainer. It was one of there:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jimmys-20th-...-/160647133627

It was like 30 years old 20 years ago... As far as I know it's STILL in the lesson program, as I donated it back to my trainer when I bought my first *new* saddle.

My butt hurts just looking at it. I think I would LITERALLY die if I tried to sit in one of those now...

[bits619]

I have two :-) love my PDNcakes (pancake flat). I have two, ones too small but I don't intend to sell it either :-)
But I do have to work harder at keeping my thighs on without pinching at the knee, and concentrate on keeping my lower leg still. I only ride in the pdn occasionally but I'll probably never get rid of it.

[alto]

Ask for gullet channel pics & how firm (as in rock hard?) the o.l.d foam panels are?
They do fit on the narrow side re current saddle widths.

[BeeHoney]

Just be sure to pick up a pair of padded underpants to go with it!

No, seriously, I have a couple of these old saddles and they are excellent extra saddles. They tend to fit fatter horses better where the slightly narrower gullets they have sit "up" over the spine a little better. The trees run a little wide IME even though the gullets are narrow. They can easily tend to not have enough pommel clearance over the horse's withers. The panels are smaller with a smaller weight bearing surface on the horse's back. The seats have very little padding for the rider. Personally I love the lack of knee and thigh rolls. They may not be comfortable, but typically they are well balanced and they won't "put" you into a bad position. In a bare bones saddle you are what you are . They are very durable and well made.

An older saddle may need to be reflocked, and that is a good opportunity to make slight fit adjustments.

[MMorgan]

Crosby Prix de Nations has been my favorite saddle for years and years, even though it's gone somewhat out of fashion. I find it hard to ride in anything with padding, comfortable or not, because I like the sense of contact with the horse. I do think that the Sovereign is slightly more comfy than the regular bridle leather, though, and there are several listed right now on ebay.

[lily pony]

I ride in my trainer's old, old beval [not sure what model] and her crosby PDN. I've never ridden in anything but pancake flat, plain flap saddles, so the lack of padding, knee rolls, blocks, etc. doesn't bother me in the slightest. That said, I hear it's quite a change for some people. You'll probably need to have it reflocked and possibly put new billets on, depending on how old and worn it is. Otherwise, go for it! Especially if they'll refund.

[Dewey]

I had a PDN back in the 70s. I owned it for several years. It's the only saddle I've ever owned that wasn't a Stubben. I admit that I bought it because Katharine Burdsall had one, and I thought it looked cool. Of course, mine wasn't able to make me ride like her!

My PDN was a nice saddle, comfortable and well-made. I liked it, but I got rid of it finally because it was not a great saddle to ride cross country in or to school green, unpredictable horses in. There's nothing to hold you in if things don't go according to plan. However, for developing an independent seat and leg, there's nothing better.

[Appsolute]

In my experience, they fit on the narrow side, and do not have a very wide / high gullet. They fit low and close contact.

I had one that I liked a lot, but it started not to fit my TB any more. The panels became to flatted right under the stirrup bars and would cause too much pressure / not enough spine clearence.

I like the old "flat" saddles, but I do much prefer the panels on todays saddles, as they give much more clearence for the spine etc.

[trina1]

Still love my Sovereign. I guess being older now, those of us who used to ride in a PDN didn't know how hard and flat those saddles were! I guess my butt is not as fit as it used to be, sigh...

[M. O'Connor]

Rode in our Crosby Sovereign this morning...love it, and you can't beat those old saddles for value.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Regarding the reflocking comments, I had an older one (PDN Soveriegn) and I recall it as being foam flocked, not wool??

[enjoytheride]

The fit a little narrow, and I probably wouldn't pay more then $200 for one right now. I sold one a few years ago for $250 but the market sucks right now.

[Lynnwood]

I have an old think Crosby Sovereign that I got used as a teen. So that puts it in the 25-30 year old range and it is by far my favorite saddle. I've had it re stitched re seated X 3 and re flocked more times then I care to admit. Love love love.

[Opus1]

When I first learned to ride in the late 90s, my old trainer pretty much forbid us from riding in anything other than a pancake saddle. As such, when I started to take lessons again (12 years later) I went out and bought a Crosby PDN to re-learn everything. (The school saddles all had blocks and/or knee pads)

It sucked for about 2 weeks. Then it got easier -- and easier. Now, I can't stand to be in a saddle with any padding at all.

I LOVE mine. I do need to pick up a pad to help it fit my current schoolie better, but for right now, he's OK.

[Zenyatta]

Rode in one for 20 yrs., bought a Bevel and never going back.