Crestridge Saddlery
Crusade Elite / Supracor Seat
Trail Saddles
Manufacturer: Crestridge Saddlery
Model: Crusade Elite / Supracor Seat
Category: Trail Saddles
Purchase: I bought this saddle direct from Crestridge as a demo "damaged from handling" during shows, etc. I was attracted by the "this one fits" motto and paid approximately $850. I had previously tried approximately 10 other big name saddles, each with various shortcomings - like my rear end becoming numb after 2 hours riding, no matter how I adjusted them, and my walking horse indicating discomfort even though I was trying wide trees, etc.
Likes: I've had this saddle over three months and average about 8 hours riding per week up and down hills, on flats, and at all speeds. It's been a great fit for me and the horse from the start (I followed all the fitting instructions on the website - the best and most complete I've seen anywhere!) - not one minute of discomfort!!! The horse and I like the quality of the leather, the short skirt (my horse has a short back), simplicity of design, light weight, fit, and the plethora of attachment rings. I also appreciate that Crestridge tends to "over-deliver" with extra long straps, ties, etc. - It's certainly easier to cut unnecessary length than to extend a too short strap!
Dislikes: The only shortcoming was short-sightedness on my part - I almost chose a "hornless" saddle but decided to take the "non-working" horn that is clearly advertised as insufficiently strong enough for "dallying." Over the past 3 months, I've had at least 10 situations where I would have pulled a limb out of the trail, etc., but didn't have a strong horn. On my next purchase, I'll take the strong horn option.
Quality: This is a tough trail saddle with strong, top quality leather and hardware. I appreciate that the underside of the fenders and jockeys are left undressed or undyed so that I can better get oil into them! The fenders are very easy to adjust, not only for stirrup length but also to move the flare of the fender down to the stirrup to facilitate easy swing of the stirrups fore and aft. The "trail" stirrups are an especially comfortable option!!
Summary: I'm very happy with my Crestridge saddle due, in large part, to superior pre-purchase preparation and support! Extensive detailed information provided on the Crestridge Saddlery website (particularly the FAQ page) coupled with the incredibly patient and thorough customer service by whomever you get on the phone made this a 100% satisfactory experience! I've since purchased several accessories with equal satisfaction.
Rating: 5
Author: Bob McClendon
Date: 2006-12-14
Usefulness Rating: 3.48276 out of 5.
29 reader(s) voted.
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