# HDR Fletcher thumbs up



## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

The HDR Fletcher is by far the most comfortable jumping saddle I have ever sat in. I've tried Antares, Pessoa, Stubben, County, Collegiate, Bates, Schleese... the list goes on. 

When I ordered it through my local tack store I was still iffy as HDR always seems to have mixed reviews. When I picked it up though I was floored at how beautiful this saddle is. I got it home and did warm olive oil to condition the leather and took it out to the barn the next day. It fit my mare like a glove. The leather is super soft, the seat is nice and deep, it has the front and back blocks on it to keep my leg secure and puts your leg in the right spot. I also love the changeable gullet system. It came with a medium which I was sure would be to wide but it fits her perfect. It also has a nice wide channel keeping it off the spine.

I can't say enough about how much I love this saddle. I know there are others looking for jumping saddles right now so I wanted to share my review. I am a Schleese girl but I just didn't have the $4000 to cough up for one right now and honestly I am glad I got this saddle instead as I find it far more comfortable then my Schleese. 

The only down side is the leather was a bit stiff but once I conditioned it with warm(not hot) olive oil and rubbed it into the leather it softened it up beautifully. Its now buttery soft 

This is a picture right after I oiled it. I will take pics of it on my mare next time i'm at the barn.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Beautiful! Looks uber comfy. Thanks for the review, I'm going to file that away for future reference.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Where did you get it?


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

I got it at my local tack store. It is discontinued so its really hard to find *sigh* I will look for you though and see if I can find one. What seat size would you need? I normally ride in a 17, I got the 16.5 and it fits me like a glove. I am not a small girl right now either, i'm a tad over weight  Working on fixing that though.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

I'm probably a 17. My thigh measurement is 23", so I go a half size bigger to be safe. Is that saddle wool flocked?


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

The down side is it is foam flocked.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Ah, okay. I've fully converted to wool. I noticed HDR's newer event model comes in either wool or foam. Maybe I'll take a look at that one. thanks.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

Understandable. I am likely going to get mine reflocked with wool next year because I don't like the foam. But I figured given that it was $1200 online plus taxes and shipping and I got it from my tack shop for $900 taxes in, I couldn't complain lol


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Just make sure you can do that with that saddle. Many foam flocked saddles are made with a thinner leather that can be stretched more tightly over the foam. They cannot be restuffed with wool. My Pessoa was one that was not interchangeable.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

We have a fitter that comes to our barn every summer. I will have to get her to check it for me. Hopefully it can be reflocked. I keep reading mixed reviews on foam flocking. Some people love it, others hate it. I have never had a foam flocked saddle before. My last saddle was air and before that always wool.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Foam is actually very nice if the saddle fits the horse well to begin with. It just gets flat after a few years and provides less of a cushion. It's way better than air.


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## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

It fits my gal beautifully but I am worried about how it will wear after a few years of regular use.

I love the air in my other saddle. Its a Schleese and it gets checked yearly. Its great and comfortable but the saddle doesn't really fit me right and I am not coughing up the coin to get it fit to me, especially as its my trainers saddle. It was just fit to my horse when I had gotten her so I kept using it. I am loving my HDR way more now.


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