Paris Tack (Derby Originals)
Lafitte Close Contact
Close Contact Saddles
Manufacturer: Paris Tack (Derby Originals)
Model: Lafitte Close Contact
Category: Close Contact Saddles
Purchase: I purchased this saddle for $339 at Tackwholesale.com because I needed to move up from my wintec AP saddle but didnt want to spend a lot of money at the time.
Likes: The saddle is balanced, has a clean show-ring look and the seat is well-padded. The panels are nice and cushy. It fit my horse's wide shoulders well and the seat size fits me well. It really helps you into a solid jumping position. I also like that the stirrup bars have a little flip-up thing at the end to keep the leathers from falling off, which is especially helpful for adjusting your stirrups while riding.
The leather on the seat, knee rolls, and panels of the saddle are very soft
Dislikes: The saddle was advertised as chestnut and it arrived brown. I ordered the matching bridle and girth which matched each other, but the saddle did not match. The tag even said "brown" on it, so I called tackwholesale but they said that the manufacturer misprinted the label and told me they would not do anything for me. In the sunlight and when on the horse, the difference is not noticeable.
Quality: The leather on the seat, knee rolls, and panels is VERY soft and supple. The seat is very well padded, and the knee rolls have just enough cushiness. The knee blocks are placed appropriately, though there are no rear thigh blocks. The stitching is an attractive white and shows no flaws.
The leather on the rest of the saddle is clearly where they cut the price. It's rather stiff, but gets softer with every conditioning. In the ring, the leather looks attractive and functions well. On the plus side, the flaps do not wear easily with regular riding.
Summary: All in all, it's a great saddle FOR THE PRICE. You get what you pay for. But if you're on a budget, it's definitely a good investment.
Rating: 3
Author: Tiffany P.
Date: 2010-12-25
Usefulness Rating: 3.18182 out of 5.
22 reader(s) voted.
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