Category: Testimonials

I can’t tell you enough about how happy I am with my new saddle! I got to take it on our first trail ride through the snowy woods yesterday. I was waiting to do that before writing to you. Both my mare and I love this saddle. I had fallen under the “flex panels are best for your horse myth.” How wrong I was!

After the second saddle failure where the whole thing slid off with me on it while going at a good clip, I wasn’t willing to risk riding in that saddle anymore. That saddle is of a known and adored brand. It shows you what I knew. After researching thoroughly, I picked your saddle.

Many reviews talked about not being in pain after riding. I thought that would be great, but I doubted it would work for me as I have degenerative disc disease and my lower spine is bone on bone. Well, boy was I wrong. I am riding without pain now, and I feel more connected to my horse than with any of my older flex panel saddles. I feel like a teenager on horseback again which is pretty exciting for someone in their mid-sixties.

Not only is the saddle comfortable for me, but I can tell my mare likes it too. She is moving more freely. It is very stable on her. Every other saddle I’ve ever used on her has slid back further than I’d like. I’ve had her for fifteen years and used multiple saddles, so I figured that’s just the way it is with pasos. Your saddle stays in place, and I have no fear of it falling sideways. It’s like sitting on a couch.

Several people at my barn have tried the saddle. They are primarily dressage riders. They have commented that the saddle is not only comfortable but that they felt closer in contact with the horse than on their saddles.

Thank you for your wonderful craftsmanship, fine product and for a new lease on riding! I do extensive trail riding and horse camping. Due to pain, I was thinking I had to curtail my riding or even give it up. Not anymore. I’m driving my friends crazy talking about how much I love this saddle. (Sadly, many are still following the flex panel myth.). You’d never get a break from saddle making if people knew what a fine product you make.

– Review from Nancy B.

I have had my saddle for a few years now and it is the most comfortable saddle I have ever sat in! My trainer makes a comment every time she sits in it. This saddle I will have a lifetime and then some. The try before you buy is a great way to see for yourself before making a purchase. I also added the wider stirrups for trail riding- can ride for hours!
– Robin N. of West Greenwich, RI (purchased Mountaineer Saddle)

I bought a Missouri Fox Trotter mare, and my first ride on her in my old saddle (a very expensive big name saddle) she bucked me off because it didn’t fit her short curvy back.   Fast forward many saddles, trainers and months later, I found and built my dream saddle, a Steele Mountaineer, custom built to fit my horse and I.  The saddle stayed put and my horse was free moving and comfortable carrying me.  The seat was so comfortable and I love the endurance stirrups, my knees didn’t hurt after the ride.  Thank You!!

I bought a pad and saddle from you a few years back. First of all, they are absolutely fantastic. It took a few tries to fit my Tennessee Walker but the end result is perfect. I was resigned to having to deal with pads to
get any sort of a fit. Neither the trainer I work with nor any of my friends thought it was even possible to fit Jake. Everyone was in awe that you built a saddle with an absolutely perfect fit. Everyone, and especially
me, is impressed with the quality of the saddle and pad as well, and how reasonably they were priced.

Thank you so much – and Jake thanks you even more. We are walking ambassadors for you, singing the praises to anyone who will listen.

It was just this past weekend that I got to really try this saddle out on a camping trip, we rode about 15 miles for 5 hours on Saturday and 18 miles for 6 hours on Sunday. The saddle stayed put and did not slide forward or back when going up or down hills, I was able to walk when I dismounted both days, neither I nor my horse had a sore back, or sore anything else.  I had the most enjoyable weekend that I’ve had in a long time. Of course, good friends and good food helped too.

Thank you, Eric, and everyone at Steele Saddles!