Passier
PS Baum jumping saddle with knee and calf blocks
Jumping Saddles
Manufacturer: Passier
Model: PS Baum jumping saddle with knee and calf blocks
Category: Jumping Saddles
Purchase: I bought this saddle back in 1967. A friend of mine was going to Germany so I had the measurements made and the saddle was to be made for me and ready when she arrived (about 6 months lead time). I paid a whopping $167.00 for this custom made jumping saddle. That was a time when the dollar was strong and the Deutschmark was weak. I would guess it was comparable to about $250. US
Likes: I think I've had horses do just about everything you can imagine while riding in this saddle, including standing sideways to a large jump and then simply rearing and popping over it with no warning. I honestly feel as though I can't fall off. The blocks just lock me into place and yet I'm not stuck and can easily lift my 30+ years of development out of the seat for the larger fences.
Dislikes: Although it's been re-stuffed several times (it's outlasted a lot of horses) the seat is still extremely hard. The deep cut-back pommel makes it suitable for most equine body types. This is a no-nonsense saddle that, although you are anchored well and jumping is easy, it is not for the comfort minded equestrienne who likes that "sofa" feel. It has a fairly forward flap, which can make it a bit difficult to sit down in for long cross country jaunts.
Quality: Construction is excellent. I've ridden hard and shown a lot (was a catch rider in the 70s) in this saddle for 40 years and it's still in great shape. That makes it one of the few good investments one can find in the horse world. I haven't encountered loose or broken stitching and the tree is perfect. As I age I'm spending more time in my dressage saddle, but I'd never part with my Passier and use it for trails and training the young horses, where getting off their backs can become essential.
Summary: The bottom line is that I have never regretted buying the Passier jumping saddle. It looks a bit aged (as do I) but it still does the job well. I've tried some of the new modern saddles and agree that they are more comfortable, etc., but keep going back to the old Passier and honestly feel that it is irreplaceable. I would never part with it - not that anyone wants a 40 year old saddle anyway. I've owned, over the years, at least 9 different saddles by as many different manufacturers, and do not feel the same about any of them.
Rating: 4
Author: Jeff
Date: 2007-11-06
Usefulness Rating: 5 out of 5.
8 reader(s) voted.
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