Tex Tan
Flex Pleasure 16" Seat 08-TF404P6
Trail Saddles
Manufacturer: Tex Tan
Model: Flex Pleasure 16" Seat 08-TF404P6
Category: Trail Saddles
Purchase: Purchased from Ebay at the end of 2006 for $750; saddle manufactured 06/05 so it is now 3 years old
Likes: Beautiful saddle; really looks nice; leather is soft and good quality. I like the 3 way rigging.
Dislikes: I've been riding in this saddle for a year now in an attempt to like it. It is very uncomfortable for both the horse and myself. We are both sore after each ride. I ride with a Prof Choice 20x Air ride saddle pad and it's not enough. I thought there was something wrong with the tree because when you sit it down on the fork and press the cantle, it does flex a little which usually indicates that the tree is broken or cracked. I called the company and they gave me the name of their authorized repair person in Yoakum to speak to. The lady was very helpful over the phone. I brought the saddle to a local repair person who has been repairing saddles for 25+ years and he said the tree was thin but not cracked or broken. He fixed nylon strap that attached the stirrup fender to the saddle - it was overlapped too much and created a bulge on the bottom of the saddle which could have been part of the problem. There were also screws on the top part of the tree that were sticking up and would have damaged the leather fender it left there.
Quality: On first glance, the quality looks great but when you look closer, the quality is fair. The screws under the fender did not have the beveled top part to where they would be recessed and not create a pressure point for the rider. The nylon fender attachments were doubled over creating bulk and they were bolted together in the middle (instead of at the top) where they were supposed to be to hide the bulk. I don't know what to think about the flexing when you press down on the cantle - the lady from TexTan said that she didn't think the saddle was supposed to do this and the repair person said things were fine.
Summary: All in all - The saddle probably doesn't fit the horse as good as it needs to (yet flex tree's claim to fit just about all) but the issues I have had with the saddle to me deal with poor workmanship and/or quality. The looks and leather are a 5 rating, Quality a 1 for an overall 2.5.
Rating: 2
Author: dg
Date: 0000-00-00
Usefulness Rating: 3.70588 out of 5.
34 reader(s) voted.
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