Tag: demo saddle

Nothing worked for my hard to fit horse until the Steele Mountaineer Trail Saddle

My story is bittersweet.  I tried EVERYTHING – NOTHING WORKED until I purchased a Steele Mountaineer Trail Saddle about 8 years ago or so for my very HARD to fit Missouri Fox Trotter.  She was tall and lean and I couldn’t get a saddle to fit.  EVERY saddle I tried slid back at least 3 inches.  She had a very high wither.  I did 50 mile Competitive Trail Rides with NATRC and I could not afford to have this horses back rubbed or injured by poor fitting equipment.  I reluctantly contacted Steele Saddles (I say reluctant because nothing ever worked!) and they were extremely kind and very encouraging.

I did everything they instructed me to do, to the letter, I received a demo saddle.  I used it, testing it to the extremes of hills and hard terrain.  Oh my gosh!  I used it completely without a breast collar or crupper and it didn’t move an inch, then I used it with my crupper to see if it really didn’t move…it didn’t!  I didn’t have to re-tighten my crupper at all!  Not even an inch!  I didn’t want to send the demo back I offered to pay full new price!!!  But it wasn’t mine.

I actually was sick sending that demo back, but in return, weeks later I got the neatest saddle I have ever owned.  I loved my saddle, I showed it off all the time!

robinSadly to say I decided to sell my Missouri Fox Trotter, with her went my lovely wonderful saddle.  It was honestly her saddle.  No other saddle ever fit, it wouldn’t be fair to my sweet horse to have a new owner with an ill fitting saddle.=

My story is bitter-sweet.  I love and miss my horse and my prized Steele Saddle, but there is one heck of a happy horse out there!

— Rochelle Gribler,  Sugar-N-Spice Kennels
www.cattledogsulove.comrobin2

I am so impressed with this Steele Saddle.

I put 14 miles on my Steele demo trail saddle one day in the High Sierra’s in some pretty rugged terrain and this saddle stays put with no breast collar or crupper.  I can mount and dismount without it shifting and I ride with a fairly loose girth.  I was having issues with my Gaited mare not gaiting anymore. Since using this saddle she is back to her normal smooth gait, with no encouragement.  And if this isn’t enough, it is also extremely comfortable for me.  All this with just the demo saddle!  Got my final one ordered today and can’t wait for it to arrive.  I highly recommend this Steele Trail Saddle to everyone.
– Helen Temps of Placerville, CA

I can’t thank you enough

The demo saddle is on it’s way back to you…  I can’t thank you enough for allowing me the
extra time to ride the demo saddle at our field trial event this last weekend!!! THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH!!!  I rechecked the saddle one last time before shipping it back to you for bridging in the area of concern… I still did not see or feel any major gaps.  There is a good chance that I still don’t have the saddle moved back quite far enough and by moving it back a touch more maybe it will fix the contact in that area. My only concern in the final fit of the new saddle is if it will still tend to roll from side to side like the demo saddle would
do if my weight shifted. I played around with tightened the cinch on the demo & it did helped some, but the more I tightened it the more it seems to drive the “U” shaped piece of the tree bars down into her more. I know you said the new design has the “U” shaped part of the tree shaved down… do you think that will help with stabilizing the saddle better on her back?

I am in no rush to receive my new saddle, as our field trial events won’t resume again until the spring. If you think it’s worth having me purchase one of your mold kits or ride the tree itself, I am open to whatever you feel is necessary to ensure proper fit & I completely trust your judgement on this!!!

I had several people at the field trials ask me about the saddle I was riding & what other models your company makes, so I gave them your website & contact info. I also made a point to show your saddle to our farrier as well as one of the TWH trainer/judges here in Utah and gave both of them your website info. as well… I really hope it helps to brings new business your way! Your saddle is like none other out there both in quality & design &
both you & Fred have been really great to work with! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! 🙂

Warmest regards, Denise Barnes