I’m not sure there’s anyone in the world who has shopped for a saddle more than one time and been excited about literally any subsequent time. It should be exciting, theoretically, (the word “shopping” is in it, after all) but finding something that fits you and your horse seems to turn into a headache at the best of times and a nightmare at the worst. So when I realized that Presto’s old Custom Saddlery Wolfgang Solo did not fit him anymore in a way that no amount of re-flocking could fix, I truly felt nothing but dread.

My first instinct was to go back to Custom. I liked my previous saddle just fine, and they have lots of options. But cue headache number one when not a single rep I contacted ever got back to me. In a fit of frustration I reached out to my Arion rep, Kristin (who I got my jump saddle from and have remained in contact with), knowing that she had some used saddles of various brands and thinking one of them might work. Mostly I reached out to her because my experiences with her and my jump saddle have been so overwhelmingly positive… she’s great at fitting saddles, she communicates, and she actually cares very much about getting it right. Qualities that have proven over the years to be difficult to find.

Kristin came out and confirmed that my Custom really really truly did not fit, and asked if I wanted to sit in the Arion dressage saddle demo.

I’ll admit that despite loving my jump saddle, I originally wasn’t really interested. I’ve sat in something like seven different French dressage saddle models across 3 different brands and didn’t like any of them even a fraction as much as I’d liked my Custom. I truly thought I just did not like French dressage saddles, period. But then again, I figured since she was there already, so I might as well sit in it, confirm that it was a pass, and at least have more info to go off of for my shopping journey.

I was entirely shocked when I sat in it and loved it. And even more shocked when I cantered and found that I wasn’t actually struggling to keep my butt in the seat. I genuinely thought I just couldn’t sit my horse’s canter that well, y’all. You hear people say all the time that the right saddle can make such a big difference, but… it’s true. And if it can instantly manage to make me feel marginally more competent, even better. I felt so much closer and more connected to his back through my seat, and like I was sitting much more balanced overall.

I was like 2-3 strides into canter when I whipped my eyes over to Kristin and was like OH MY GOD. She chuckled. Evil woman knew exactly what she was doing to me when she had oh-so-nonchalantly asked if I wanted to sit in it. I can respect that.

So anyway, I ordered one. Mainly because I know Arion fits my horse well, I trust Kristin, and I trust the brand. I’ve had nothing but good experiences with them and so have the friends I’ve referred, so if I love the saddle, there’s not much more to discuss really. Why put myself through the torture that is saddle shopping if it could be as easy and beginning and ending there? The thought of trialing, shipping, returning, fitting, etc etc however many saddles it would take to find the right one… hard pass. That stuff adds up quickly cost-wise anyway, and I needed something sooner rather than later.

Was it more than I wanted to spend? Yes. Isn’t everything, at this point? (cue deranged perpetually horse-poor-girl laughter) But there’s a lot to be said for ease and peace of mind, and the fact that I really fell in love with the saddle.

Plus she has glitter on her butt. Did I mention that? I feel like it’s important.

Anyway, after the impulsive saddle ordering, I only had to wait about 5 weeks for it to arrive. Would have been sooner if not for UPS customs being backed up, but such is life at the holidays. Either way, it was still hella fast for a fully custom saddle from France. IMO Arion has done two key things that really set them apart from all the other French brands (aside from make great saddles, of course): 1) super customer service. 2) quick turnaround time. Some brands are operating at like 16+ weeks for a new saddle, which is just ABSURD to me.

I had it in time for the December POP show, as in it arrived to Kristin the night before. She drove out to the show to bring it to me, ensure the fit was good, and watch me ride in it so she could give it her seal of approval and make sure we liked it. We were all pleased. It was perfect.

The more I’ve ridden in it, the more I love it. The balance is just chef’s kiss, and several of the things I’ve been struggling with for years have magically improved. Which kinda just annoys me to know that a better saddle could have helped a long time ago, but ya know… here we are now. We live and we learn, right? Hopefully?

As far as the customer service aspect, I really can’t recommend Kristin and Arion enough. My experiences with other saddle companies have ranged from fine to horrific, but for me Arion just stands head and shoulders above the rest. Having a company that really cares about getting it right makes all the difference in the world. The horror stories you hear about other saddle companies are just absolutely insane (which is why I steered entirely clear of them for both of my more recent saddle purchases). If you find yourself in any of the territories Kristin covers (she was originally in the midwest, now in north Florida, but I think she still makes regular trips to the midwest? I dunno, just ask her… if not her, she can recommend someone), definitely give her a shout. She’s the best.

And for the record, I’m not the only one that loves it. Presto had a training ride on Monday with Ellie and one of the first things she said when she got off was how much she liked the saddle and how nicely it sat on him. It’s winning everyone over, one booty at a time.

I also feel like I need to give a quick shoutout to the accessories too, while we’re on the subject. The girth is one of my new favorite things, I’ve not seen one quite like it. It’s quite thin, soft, flexible leather that molds right to the horse, and is nicely padded in the middle. Even Presto, who is typically a sheepskin princess, seems to really like it.

I also nabbed some of the mono dressage leathers, which are just as stunning. I have so much Arion tack at this point and have yet to be disappointed by it, so why not add more? In for a penny, in for a whole bunch of pennies. (that’s totally how the saying goes)

Overall, I once again have no regrets in going with Arion again and I’m glad to be able to add a seemingly rare positive saddle shopping experience to the interwebs. Big thank you to Kristin and Arion. I didn’t even dare to imagine that I’d end up with such a nice, beautiful, high quality dressage saddle, but here we are. It’s perfect, I love it, Presto loves it, and I can’t wait to actually crack on with our training in a saddle that is helping us rather than hindering us. Magical.