Courbette
Derby
Close Contact Saddles
Manufacturer: Courbette
Model: Derby
Category: Close Contact Saddles
Purchase: My parents bought this saddle for my 14th birthday. It had been used by another girl in my 4-H club. The price was $275 including leathers, stirrups and a fleece lined carrier.
Likes: My best guess is that is 15+ years old, but doesn't look half that age. It is a rich chocolate color. The stitching is completely intact, as are the original billets. The flaps are soft, give excellent contact, and allow your leg to fall right into place. The seat is just a bit deeper than some other close contact saddles, making it a little more secure without looking out of place in hunter/equitation rings. I love how deeply recessed the stirrup bars are-you never feel a bump under your thigh. The narrow tree fits most thoroughbreds without a problem.
Dislikes: I can honestly say I haven't sat in a saddle with a harder seat (that never stopped me from loving it :) Courbette's newer saddles have much softer seats, but mine is like a rock. Also, the billets are shorter than most other brands of saddles (most horses needed a 2-4" longer girth with this saddle)
Quality: Top of the line construction (especially the stitching) very high quality. Leather is extremely durable while being comfortable, grippy, and pliable. What I believe to be wool-flocking is in excellent condition and is nowhere in need of re-stuffing.
Summary: An beautifully made, well constructed saddle. Definitely worth the money. One of the best saddles in the price range.
Rating: 5
Author: Kate
Date: 2006-12-12
Usefulness Rating: 3.625 out of 5.
40 reader(s) voted.
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