I think we can blame this one on my derriere’s love for French saddles combined with my wallet’s general state of emptiness. It all started back in 2011 when I desperately wanted to get my hands on a CWD but, with two horses to pay for, had a tiny budget. I combed the internet for the exact configuration I was looking for and, miraculously, one popped up on a French classified site. Many awkward half French/half English emails and $1050 later, I had my unicorn saddle and a new internet obsession.
Once you get a taste of victory it’s hard to stop. No surprise, French saddles are just a lot cheaper in Europe. My Devoucoux Makila came from Germany; also a really good deal. Now that I’m super obsessed with getting a Loreak I find myself wandering around French classifieds at least twice a week. Not that I have the funds to actually buy one right now, but ya know… details. Despite taking French for 2 years, I really don’t speak much of it. I know numbers, colors, days of the week, basic food items and, now, literally every single tack related word you can imagine. If you need a sangle, collier de chasse, or some guêtres, I’m all over it.
I can read enough to decipher the classified ads, but I’m not so great at forming coherent emails. I got a fluent friend to help me out, and now I have a generic inquiry email saved, just in case I need to ask about a saddle. I also have a wanted ad drafted, for when I’m ready to actively seek out that Loreak. I’m not crazy or anything. I prefer the word “prepared”. And hey, my obsession served me well in Paris last year… I could read all the tags on everything at the tack shop.
I’ve spent enough time on Le Bon Coin (sorta like their craigslist) to where the search bar already knows what I want before I get more than one letter typed. Attractive Saddle is set to email me any time one comes up that meets my criteria. Otherwise I filter through all of my main sites and do general searches… Selle Expert, Equirodi, Selles Occasions, Notabene, Du Cheval, and a few others. I go hit up a French horse message board every once a while and page through their classified forum. I may or may not be a member of a couple difference French used saddle facebook groups (side note: super annoying facebook sellers are universal).
The real question is why do I do this? Some people like to window shop for horses, I like to window shop for saddles. I can’t help it. Just seeing them gets me daydreaming. You never know… the day might come where I finally find my unicorn Loreak or, my secondary pipe dream, a monoflap version of my CWD. Gotta keep on believing.
breedrideevent.com 
You certainly do apply yourself! I’ve found my dream saddle, which alas has been discontinued. It is the Hermes Essentielle and it is magical. I recently decided I should have a second one since they are discontinued and it’s not unlikely that at some point my baby horses will show in the same classes. I took to the interwebs, made an offer on one that’s been sitting untouched at Rick’s Heritage for YEARS. (I know because I’ve been stalking it for years.) They countered too high, so I passed. But then, I found a used one on ebay through an actual saddle consignment shop (slightly less sketchy, right?) for $1700. Which is about half of every other one I had seen at the time. I offered 1450, and they agreed. Woohoo! I can no longer saddle browse because I’m at capacity. If you know anyone looking for a 16″ older PJ with a short flap though, send them my way.
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One tack ho to another: I am impressed. That is how you get the deals.
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So fun. Keep hunting… My CWD is second only to my horse, but also ranked above my boyfriend because I love it so much.
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I love my current one. If I could magically transform it into a monoflap, it would never leave me.
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I am constantly happy that while I really would love a super nice French saddle, I haven’t sat in enough to know my exact specs. This comes in handy when I need to… ya know… NOT BUY A SADDLE. lol
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The internet is a dangerous and marvelous place.
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This is impressive and ingenius. I took several years of French, promptly forgot it, and am now trying to ACTUALLY learn it. I never considered combining the two though! 🙂
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French saddles are amazing, but thankfully for my wallet, they do not work for my horse’s back.
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You could probably even make a small commission keeping an eye out for saddles for other people if you wanted! I certainly admire your dedication, but I find the window shopping too tiring when I’m not actually looking for something (although it’s just as tiring when I AM looking for something).
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I would venture more tack guru than tackho with this post. Don’t be shy about hitting me up for français help and/or delivery alternatives.
Also care to share the french horse forum deeds 😉
#curiosity
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