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Hello and welcome to “Ask the Saddler” by Beval Saddlery. As one of the experts monitoring this blog and answering your questions on everything from saddle construction to saddle fitting, I’d like to briefly introduce myself. I’m Jim Robeson, Head Saddler at Beval and I offer over 40 years experience in the Saddlery trade. I joined Beval in 2005 and have been primarily focused on Butet and Beval saddle adjustments, warranty work & repairs. In addition, I am the only authorized repair representative for Hermes saddles here in the United States.
After many years as a Hunter/Jumper rider in the late 60s, I began tackling my own basic repair work and developed a passion for studying saddle construction, leather repair and custom bridle work. My repair services were in quick demand and my saddlery business continued to grow. Years later, I headed to Europe in pursuit of advanced training and education. My travels led me to Paris, France where I worked with the exceptionally talented Master Saddlers at Hermes; then back to the US, where I sought exciting learning opportunities with a very gifted German Master Saddler.
As a rider and owner, I was able to appreciate the importance of equipment quality & construction for use in equestrian sports. I now provide years of hands-on experience to individuals that are as passionate about their horses as I am about the saddlery trade. My goal is to provide you with the best possible service, information and superior quality in everything I do.
Beval works closely with Master Saddlers, professional trainers, riders, wholesale dealers & manufacturers to remain at the heart of what drives our industry today. With over 55 years as an industry leader and a foundation built on experience, we offer extensive expertise to fulfill your saddlery needs from basic repairs to complete customization. We look forward to hearing from you and answering any questions you may have!
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What is the best procedure to clean and condition my used Butet saddle? Thank you, RJ
ReplyDeleteWelcome, RJ! Cleaning your saddle is generally a 4-step process. Use a wet tack sponge with a quality saddle soap or leather cleaner. Work up a foam lather to help loosen the dirt from the surface. Next, clean the dirt & soap away using a damp sponge (cleaned thoroughly in fresh water). Once all soap is removed, let the saddle air dry for a few minutes or towel dry it if necessary to remove any excess water. If the leather is a bit dry, apply a small amount of conditioner with a clean, dry sponge. Many people often complete the process by applying a small amount of glycerine soap in small circular motions for a rich, sheen finish.
ReplyDeleteFor a more detailed overview and a few recommended leather care products, please refer to our Leather Care Guidelines for more information: http://www.beval.com/content/leathercare.html
I have a quesiton...my mare has some bumps (8-12 of them, they look like fly bits) in identical clusters on both sides of her back right behind the withers. The vet says they are cysts most likely (unlike fly bites which they resemble, they never change or go away). I am concerned about saddle fit/her back comfort with these bumps. Have you in all your fitting experience seen bumps like these and heard any other theories on what they might be?
ReplyDeleteHi Nicku,
ReplyDeleteOver the years I have seen many different causes for lumps or bumps on horses' backs. From insects bites to abrasions caused by blankets, saddle pads, different types of skin infections or even injurys caused by another horse. It seems unusual that these bumps are so symetrical on both sides of the withers and that may be an indication of a saddle fitting issue. It would be a good idea to discuss some of the details of what kind of horse you have, saddle type, tree width etc…… to further evaluate the situation with you. We certainly recommend consulting your veterinarian first, which it appears you have done, so if you are interested in speaking with us further regarding the saddle fit specifically, please send us an email with your request and contact information. One of our expert saddle fitters will call you as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you!
Hello, I have an old Hermes that has the panels have been restuffed and billits repaired, but the seat stitching has come undone (as though the leather shrank and seperated). I picked this saddle up for $150.00. Is it worth fixing? How costly would it be? Thank you.
ReplyDeletei love that beval now has an 'ask the saddler' blog :-) i have always been a fan of beval saddles and am looking forward to learning more about saddle construction and fitting in general. and i'm sure i'll have lots of questions, too!
ReplyDeleteHello JME,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. I look forward to assisting you with any questions you have. Thanks for posting.
Hello Lisa,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. First we have to determine if the seam has come apart because the stitching has worn and separated or if the leather on the seat or jockey skirt has torn from wear. In any case the seat can be repaired. Either restitching the seam if applicable or replacing the worn leather parts as needed. I have been doing repairs here in the States for Hermes since 1997 and have access to all of the original Hermes materials, so, the repair would be done to Hermes specifications using their original materials. If you would like to pursue the possibility of repairing the seat please contact me directly at my e-mail JRobeson@beval.com and we can discuss the costs and proceed from there. Thanks again for your question, talk to you soon. Jim
My daughter's saddle was rained on and now the water spots won't disappear and it darkened her saddle in areas. Any suggestions to fix it?
ReplyDeleteHelp! It is hot and wet and mildew has made its way into the tack room. What is the best way to clean mold from saddles and bridles?
ReplyDeleteHello Anonymous, I have copied your questions in the leather care blog so that they will follow the proper subject. See you there with the answers.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI have a Hermes Steinkrus saddle and one of the little silver buttons that say "Hermes" has fallen off. Is there a way to get another and have my loval saddle repair shop put it back on?
Thanks
Hello Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your question about the saddle nails. I am the only one authourized by Hermes to do work on their saddles here in the USA. They also supply me with the materials needed so that you will have original Hermes materials used in your repair. For the repair of the saddle nail the saddle would have to come to me to complete the repair proberly. Please contact me directly and we can set up a time that works best for you. JRobeson@beval.com Thanks, Jim
How much does it typically cost to have a Hermes Steinkraus saddle reflocked. It is 16.5 inches.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Hello, Thanks for your question. The best way to get you an answer for this would be to talk directly. There are many factors involved when deciding what needs to be done to rebuild a felt foam panel. Give me a call at 585-703-7420 and we can discuss your needs more accurately. Thanks, and I look forward to talking to you. Jim
ReplyDeletePlease tell me who I can contact to find out more about my hermes from the serial # on it!
ReplyDeleteThank YOU!
Hermes keeps books of all the saddles that they have made. They are recorded by saddle registry number and they have information regarding model, size, even the saddler that made the saddle. You can contact Courtney the Equestrian Sales manager at Hermes here in NYC. She can e-mail the workshop in Paris and they can give her the information on the saddle that you have. Her contact information is 212-759-7585. Hope this helps.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter has an older butet. She had a lesson in the rain. Now the top of her saddle feels very rough. Is there anything I can do? Thanks
ReplyDeleteThanks for your question. Excess water when applied to leather, such as in a rain storm, can cause the leather to dry out as it evaporates. The conditioners or natural moisture can leach out of the leather. This is why we recommend that when cleaning your equipment you use mild soap and water to remove the dirt, rinse the leather with clean water and then apply some conditioner to restore the moisture lost in the cleaning process. The application of some conditioner should help to restore the proper amount of moisture to the leather at this point. Also, if your equipment does become rain soaked it is a good idea to try and get as much moisture out of the leather as possible. Use a towel to try and remove as much of the water as you can initially. Then let the equipment air dry. Do not put it in the sun, or near a heat source to help the drying process. Just put it in an area of the tack room that gets good air circulation until it has mostly dried. Inspect the leather for any damage and then apply a coat or two of conditioner to again help restore the natural moisture in the leather. Hope all this helps.
ReplyDeleteI just bought an old Hermes saddle for $50. That is, I think it's an Hermes because that's what the little silver studs on the saddle say. But I thought Hermes saddles had serial numbers on them and this one does not (or at least I can't find it). Does this mean it's a fake?
ReplyDeleteHermes always has a registry number on all their saddles. It is stamped on the underside of the main flap just above the stirrup leather keeper. Even on saddles that are not very old the friction of the leather rubbing together on the sweat flap underneath will wear the number down and make if very difficult if not impossible to read. Sometimes it is also stamped on the underside of the jockey skirt. They also write the registry number on the webbing of the seat or on the tree, but you would have to take the panels and gullet leather off to see the number if it is located there. The registry number is put on the saddles so that Hermes can document each saddle that is made. It also aids in the production process so that all the right parts get assembled together on the proper saddle.
ReplyDeleteI own an old beval devon and I am looking at getting a new beval. I tried out the new beval and seems to tip me forward so I go up on my toes in the stirrups and the font of my pelvic bones rubs against the pommel. Should I buy this saddle and hope this stops, or keep looking at others? sabatinm@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteIm trying to sell my hermes jump saddle. Its an older saddle, probably from the early 80's (has no knee rolls) and has some slight cosmetic damage (some small tears on some of the stitching) I was just wondering how much I could get for a hermes saddle in this condition, I don't want to under or over sell it. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteFor questions related to used saddles (purchasing and selling), please contact your closest Beval store (find it here - http://www.beval.com/content/storelocations.htm) or shop our Used Saddle website at AllTheBestUsedSaddles.com - http://www.allthebestusedsaddles.com/
ReplyDeleteThank you for contacting us!
Dear Anonymous Devon saddle owner,
ReplyDeleteWe have been unable to succesfully email you regarding your question unfortunately, but we would certainly like to speak with you further.
I’d like to recommend you call our President, Mark Walter in the Beval CT store at 800-783-7669. He is a Certified Saddle Fitter w/ the Society of Master Saddlers and deals with a wide range of saddle fitting issues on a daily basis. He's very passionate and knowledgeable about saddle fitting & he is looking forward to speaking with you about your saddle. Please feel free to contact him and if you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
I have a used Beval saddle that I am going to sell. It is a closed contact with BS 6635 stamped on the stirrup bar on the left side. It is also stamped W - which I assume means a "Wide" gullet. Can you tell me what model and more about the saddle. It is in great condition and I want to be able to sell it and provide accurate information about the saddle to potential buyers.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your interest in our products! We'd be happy to discuss your used saddle with you. Please contact us at 800-524-0136 to discuss it further as we will need additional information. We look forward to hearing from you!
ReplyDeleteHello, I am looking into buying a Beval Devon 2000. I have long legs. I usually ride in a 17 but need to go up a half size to fit. Do Beval seats run small? Do Devon's have regular flaps or slightly forward?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the help,
Ashley
Hi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteWe'd be happy to speak with you further to discuss our saddles and options related to sizing. Please contact us at 800-524-0136 M-F 9-5 at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your interest in our products!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI am looking into getting a Beval Salem saddle. I'm very unsure about the quality of the saddle because there are no reviews for them online nor are there any for sale. The saddle on the Beval website looks nice but I am still apprehensive. I ride 4 horses a day and I really can't afford to have a stiff saddle that takes a long time to break in. If I could get some more information about this saddle that would be awesome! Also, I know what Beval sells a Gladstone saddle, is that similar to the Salem? What are the differences between the two?
Hi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThank you for contacting us. We offer a great demo saddle program that would enable you to ride in any Beval saddle for a week to get a better idea for which one is best suited for you and your horse. We'd like to speak with you further, so please contact us at 800-524-0136 to discuss your options for new and used Beval saddles.
We look forward to hearing from you!