Crosby
Olympia
All Purpose Saddles
Manufacturer: Crosby
Model: Olympia
Category: All Purpose Saddles
Purchase: I had owned a very cheap saddle for the first 7 years of my riding career and decided to start look for something of higher quality when I found this saddle for $500 on Craigslist.
Likes: Comfort and quality. It is a very attractive little saddle that allows you to put your calf right on your horse like a close-contact, but with a more secure feel you'd find in an all-purpose. At first glance, the saddle appears to have a shallow to medium seat, but once you sit in it, it's shocking how deep it actually feels! It allows for a very comfortable sitting trot and canter, but gives you more than enough clearance to get out of the saddle for over fences.
Dislikes: The only thing I don't like is how the gullet channel narrows towards the back of the saddle. I can just barely fit three fingers in the channel (I have very small fingers so it might be closer to only two). Neither of the horses I use it on seem bothered by this (a 13.3 hh pony and a 17hh horse), however I always use a fleece half pad with this saddle in hopes of relieving any pressure points that may cause.
Quality: VERY NICE. This saddle is very broken in, but without the wear and tear. I think the old theory is true that with saddles, the older ones are often better than the newer ones.
Summary: I was lucky to have the opportunity to sit in a menagerie of different saddles while I was shopping for a new one. Even after sitting in a Butet, a Stubben Siegfried, and a Passier Paragon, I still preferred the Olympia.
Bottom Line: Everybody's butt is different! Finding YOUR perfect saddle is like finding your perfect pair of underwear. As soon as you put them on, you'll just say "ahhhhh...". That's how I felt with the Crosby Olympia. Happy saddle shopping!
Rating: 4
Author: Kate
Date: 2010-02-11
Usefulness Rating: 3.4 out of 5.
10 reader(s) voted.
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