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I have my sawtooth saddle since 4 months and both Mona Tika (6 years
old
arabian mare) and I love it!
I like the comfy feeling and the secure position this saddle gives
you.
Particularly, the legs position is natural and yet very secure.
I love all the little plus of that saddle, the easiness of keeping it
clean,
i have been riding in the muddy trails of the spring season and my
saddle
was cover of mud,
have been rained on, but magically when you clean it, the leather looks
like
brand new again.
The design is also a plus, everyone is "jealous" at the barn,
one of my best friend keeps joking that she will knock me down on the
trails
and steal my saddle!
That's how beautiful it is!
Merci Gaston Mercier!
- Sandra Fretelliere
Gil met us in Eagle, Idaho and personally fit the saddles to our new horses.
Since than we have done 25 rides and have always appreciated the comfort of these saddles. We have never had a fit problem and would buy them again for Sure!
- David Heaslett
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My horse has tried to unseat me many times while riding in Nevada, Oregon, Idaho and California. I can say without a doubt that had I been riding in any of the other saddles in my tack room I would have come off. I have since sold all my other saddles and only ride in the Gaston Mercier. I especially like the luggage accessory for easy access to water and other needed items while on a ride. David and I are proud to wear our vests that say 2007 Western Region Senior Division Limited Distance 2nd place winners. We continue to ride in the Eastern Sierra's of Northern California while traveling to other states.
- Nancy Heaslett
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The Gaston Mercier saddle has worked out great for me! You remember how apprehensive I was buying it at the convention last year! It was really hard to spend that kind of money on a saddle, not ever having ridden in that kind of saddle; not knowing if I would even like it once I got it and rode in it. So, I’m happy to tell you my horse and I finished Tevis this year for the first time, and the saddle worked out great for both of us.
I received the saddle about six weeks before Tevis, and I was only able to ride in it a short time before the big ride. I never had time to get a fleece saddle cover for the saddle, which I was really worried about, knowing I had 100 miles of difficult terrain to cover and would be spending almost 24 hours in the saddle. I always rode with a saddle cover on my old saddle because after about 40 or more miles it would start rubbing on me. But with the Gaston Mercier saddle, after 100 miles I didn’t have a single chafe mark or sore spot. It was by far the most comfortable saddle I have ever ridden in, and now I don’t need to buy a saddle cover!
Another thing I was worried about when I ordered the saddle is the fit. Being very tall, (6’1” and having a 38 inch inseam) I was worried the saddle would not have the right dimensions. But, it fits me perfect and fits my horse perfect too.
The saddle pad is great too. That was another thing I was worried about when I bought the saddle. The pad appears to not have much substance to it. There really is not much to it. I am use to ridding with two big wool saddle pads which I though offered more protection and padding to my horse for long distance riding, but, Gil, you told me all I would need is the pad that comes with the Gaston Mercier saddle, so that is what I used. You were right! After 100 miles, my horse had no rub spots or sores whatsoever. His back was not sore in the slightest! The pad never slipped either. And…the best part about the pad is that it is so easy to clean.
The stirrups are another great feature. My old stirrups were wide with the foam padding and offered a lot of support, but they do not hold a candle to the stirrups on the Gaston Mercier saddle! Whoever designed those stirrups was a genius! With my old stirrups, I could not ride in my running shoes for more than 30 or 40 miles or else my feet would start going numb. On the longer rides, I always had to ride in my heavy hiking boots, which I hated to do because I like to get off my horse and run. Riding in the Gaston Mercier saddle, the stirrups offer so much support that I rode the whole Tevis ride in my running shoes and my feet never went numb.
Gil, I hope you set up a booth at Tevis next year. My horse and I don’t want to get mauled again this year. I had my horse saddled up at the pre-ride vet check the night before the Tevis ride, and I was waiting for my friend to vet in so we could go fro a short ride before it got dark. I must have had 15 or 20 people come up to me and admire the saddle and ask me where I got it. There was seriously a crowd around my horse with people touching the saddle. It was so funny!! But, you know, the saddle is sharp! It really is a good-looking saddle, especially with the saddle bags. Anyone who orders one of these saddles and forgoes the saddle bags is crazy!"
- Julie Breuer
First let me tell you that I love my saddle. Top quality beautiful leather. I have ridden in this saddle for almost one year. The horse I am currently riding has a 30 mile limit when it comes to competition so that is the furthest I have gone at one time. Over all miles in this saddle probably close to 300. I have not found anything negative to report at this time. The saddle, pad and girth have held up perfectly and clean up beautiful with little effort. I love the center balance point and the close contact feel is wonderful. I am only 5'1" and have problems with my knee. In the past the saddles I have owned have always had too wide of a twist. I was able to voice my concern and request a narrow twist my saddle is the only saddle that I can truly say has never hurt my knee and has offered me total comfort. I have owned many ortho flex saddles and feel the Gaston Mercier Saddle is a far better fit for myself and my horse. Let me also mention that at final vet checks my horse has never had a sore back or girth rubbing as the girth position is excellent.
- Cynthia Brown
LOVE MY SADDLE - AND MORE IMPORTANT SO DOES MY HORSE. WORTH EVERY PENNY. MY HORSE IS SMOOTH AND FLUID IN HIS MOVEMENT, THE SADDLE STAYS RIGHT WHERE IT SHOULD, IT FITS ME LIKE A GLOVE - I CAN RIDE IN IT ALL DAY. I EVEN TAKE DRESSAGE LESSONS AND DO ALL MY RING WORK IN IT. I'M GOING TO SPREAD THE WORD. I AM STARTING ENDURANCE THIS YEAR WITH EAGLE DANCE (MY HORSE'S NAME) AND I CAN'T WAIT.
NOT ONLY THAT - THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF SADDLES IS FANTASTIC. I WAS NERVOUS ABOUT THE PURCHASE AND YOU STAYED WITH ME ALL THE WAY. THE SADDLE ARRIVED WHEN YOU SAID IT WOULD (ON MY BIRTHDAY NO LESS!) AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THE TYPE OF SADDLE AND COLOR ETC.....WERE RIGHT ON.
THANK YOU - THANK YOU
- JEANINE STILES
Hi guys. Had a WONDERFUL ride today. I definitely felt very comfortable in
the saddle. The seat and the foam in the seat is great. The lightness is
also great- so much easier to put on the horse. The first horse I tried it
on - the horse I want it to fit the most- I'll send you a picture with it on
him. I think it fit well- and the pad didn't move an inch. However as
usual with this horse, I have trouble with the downhill as his withers are
not very pronounced. He is a tiny horse- probably would classify as a large
pony. I did a ride up the hill and back and the saddle did not move at all,
I felt very comfortable and secure with it, until the very end when I had to
go down a very steep hill and it moved forward, but once at the bottom of
the hill, it returned back. The second horse is bigger, but has huge tall
withers- and the saddle seemed to fit him well- didn't ride as long, but the
pad did not move and didn't seem to do much with the steep hill down.... I
compared the narrowness of the medium tree with the English saddles I have-
they seem to be much wide. However this seems to have a much different way
of sitting on the horse. Is there any way for you to describe to me how
close to the horse the saddle should fit. I will try to take some pictures
thursday- it's my day off- and I'll send you pictures of the horses. So now
it just seems that we just need to select the correct width for the horse-
it was a very comfortable saddle to ride in- and with the thin saddle pad, I
felt like I was one with the horse. Also noticed that with the thin saddle
pad, the saddle did not "spin" over when I got one either horse- with my SR,
unless I have the girth tight, the saddle will fall toward me when I mount
without a mounting block.
Sure glad to have met you guys. Merci Beaucoup
- Cynthia Peticolas
Just wanted to keep you updated.
The saddle is wonderful I rode two horses last night and placed it on another one. I am going to ride a couple of more times Wednesday and Saturday and get it back to you. I had one woman that came to ride with me that wanted to buy it on the spot. I really love it and Gene is really impressed by the fit on my horses. That particular tree is perfect. So what is next thing to do?
- Susan Nance
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