When I finally decided to take the plunge and order a custom made saddle I was a bit nervous.  For the past 15 years I’d grown quite comfortable with my “bought used”, Circle Y, 14” barrel saddle but was finding that on long rides my feet and knees ached and I didn’t have a lot of wiggle room in the seat.

I ordered a custom made saddle from Synergist Saddles after seeing an ad for their family run business in my Trail Rider magazine and spending countless hours perusing their website. It was fun getting the measurements from both my horse and myself for the perfect fit. After I sent in our measurements and the “back form” taken from my horse, I got to go through the process of picking out the kind of saddle I wanted and with what features. I did this over the phone with owner CJ while sitting in front of the computer and using the website as a guide. When all was said and done, I just had to wait for my saddle to arrive!

Surprisingly, the saddle only took about 3 weeks to show up. It felt like Christmas morning when that big package arrived on my doorstep. With much gusto, I quickly tore into the box and gently extracted my new saddle. What a beauty.

The saddle remained in the house that day and night. I spent a lot of time checking it out and admiring it. The quality was exceptional and the craftsmanship superb.  I rubbed a little olive oil (as CJ told me to do) onto the mahogany colored portions of the saddle to darken the leather. I had ordered a two-tone saddle, mahogany and black, and I wanted to darken the mahogany so it wasn’t too much of a contrast to the black. The effect was beautiful and, while admiring my purchase, I felt I was the proud owner of a very beautiful and unique looking saddle.

The Friesian in the Synergist Saddle

The next day I was very excited to try my saddle out. Unfortunately, my own horse, which the saddle was specifically fitted for, happened to be at a friend’s house while I was spending two months training a Friesian mare. So, the Friesian got to wear the saddle first. My horse Hershey is a big boy, and taller than the Friesian, but her bulk is considerably more than his. I was half expecting my saddle to not fit her because of her massive shoulders and neck. Boy was I surprised. These Synergist saddles are made to not interfere with shoulder movement so there was ample room near the swell and the cutout of the skirt is more like an English saddle so it sets back from the range of shoulder movement. It fit her beautifully but even better was the amazing way it put me in perfect balance with her center of gravity.

Hershey - Reheers Horse Camp; Gail's Creek

Since that first ride I have now used my Synergist Saddle numerous times on Hershey. After long rides my feet and knees don’t ache, I’ve got wiggle room again in the seat and I feel like I am always in perfect balance with my horse – whether he’s walking, running or even trying to act up! I swear Hershey moves better and has more spring in his step due to the comfort and fit! And to top it off – he just looks darn good in his new saddle!

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Hershey - Flying M Ranch