Has Anybody bought a saddle from eBay before?

Question

I think i might buy a saddle on eBay just because i dont feel like spending 800-2000 bucks on something thats not even gonna be used for showing..

Has anyone bought one off eBay [[[OR ANY OTHER TACK/APPERAL]]] that was toataly a waste of time and money???

thanks again.
-Ricky

Answer 1

I have bought over 30 saddles off of eBay as well as countless other items of horse tack and equipment. My students have bought a lot of apparel off of it as well. I have gotten some incredible deals, like a saddle that should be 1000 being bought for 200. It can be done if you know what you are looking for. But, there are saddles that are not worth what people are asking for too. Everything that I have bought has been the same or better than what the sellers have told me about them, and I have been extremely satisfied with everything.

Things to keep in mind about saddles:
1. Make sure that the feed back score is high (over 98% positive feedback). If it is not that high, then check the comments that have been left for the person. Make sure that they have sold lots of items too. It is always a good idea to look at the comments that people have left about someone.

2. Make sure that the size of the saddle is what you need. Most sellers will put a picture of a tape measure on the saddle to show what it measures. English saddles are measured from pin on pommel to the opposite corner of the cantle. Western saddles are measured from the back of the horn (or pommel) to the front of the cantle.

3. Make sure that the tree size is the proper size for your horse. Too big it will move around, too small it will pinch them. If you dont know how to do this, ask your local tack shop. They may even have loner saddles to see what size you need. Or one of your friends may have a gullet measure from Cair system that you can use. Most sellers will also put a picture of this in their item. If they dont list the size, then ask them.

4. Make sure that the tree is in good condition. Ask the seller if it is broken. If the saddle can be twisted or bend in half, it is broken. But it can be broken and not show any signs like that too depending on how it is broken. If you get the saddle and it is broken, but the seller has said that it is not, then you may be able to get a refund.

5. Find out exactly what comes with the saddle (stirrup irons, leathers, girth, etc.)

6. Find out the condition of the saddle (new, like new, excellent, good, fair, bad). Ask the seller if you have any questions about the condition as well. If there are cuts on the underside of the gullet dont get it, as it could cause the tree to rot or rust due to the moisture of sweat over time. Have the seller send you pictures if you have any questions about cuts, condition, or places on the saddle that you cannot see in the other pictures.

7. Go for saddles that have low or no reserve price. The longer that you wait to bid on something, the better. If you bid on day 1 of a 5 day auction, you will be outbid or the price will go sky high. Wait until day 5, within an hour of the end of the auction if not less to place your bid, then start going up. Plan on being on line at the last minutes of the auction and watching it.

8. Use your brain. If something does not sound right, then it probably is not. Make logical decisions, ask questions, and dont bid if you are not getting the answers that you want to hear.

Always check the shipping and payment details too, as they could cause you problems if they do not accept a payment method that you need to use. Not all sellers take PayPal. Not all shippers will ship out immediately. Some sellers require immediate payment, some 7 days. All depends on the individual person.

If something happens and a saddle that you want does not make the reserve price, email the seller and see if they will still sell you the saddle and if so how much they will take for it, you might still be able to get a good deal.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The important thing is to check the seller's ratings and feedback, and see if there is a guarantee on the item you are buying.

I bought one saddle on ebay that turned out to be a piece of junk (which is pretty much what I expected but gave it a try anyway)-- I returned it for a refund. I bought another saddle that was an excellent bargain. I've also purchased and been happy with a couple of bridles and a silver western bit from ebay. It all depends on what you are looking for, what research you do, and what risks you are willing to take.

I'd advise against buying anything really cheap-- you won't get a decent saddle for $350 no matter where you buy it. A good item is well worth a few hundred more dollars because if you decide to sell it in the future, you will certainly get your money back. Not to mention that a cheap saddle will frustrate you and the horse and be no fun to use even if it doesn't rub sores on the horse or you, and bleed cheap dye all over your clothes once you start sweating. If you can only afford a low price, look for old used saddles by quality makers. If you're lucky, you can find one for $400 - $800 that will still provide you a lifetime of use.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Equiteric is a rip off, I would recommend staying away from them. I have had multiple dealings with them and didn't learn the first time so ordered again and never did get my money back both times.

Greenriver tack is good and nice to deal with.

I have bought a saddle off ebay, brand name and it wouldn't fit a goat. Not sure if it was a 'yak tree' in the saddle or what, but it definately didn't fit anything of equine breeding LOL. I traded it in on a saddle at a local saddle shop.

I have bought an english saddle and it was fine.

I do alot on ebay because there is much better selection and cheaper prices, I recommend it..

However my requirements are, that the seller has at least a 99% satisfaction rate and I read the buyers comments about the seller also.

Good luck!!

Answer 4

I bought everything but my saddle pad (since I already had one) off of e-bay. My saddle is absolutely wonderful and fits great (its just stiff from being new) and I only paid 315 for it, including shipping. My bridle is very nice and fancy, and I got it for about 15 dollars with shipping. Different reins (the ones with the bridle were too short for my TB, plus I don’t like leather reins) were around 30 because they were hand made and had horse hair poppers. Got my bit there too for 25 dollars less than any store (it was new). All of it is in really good condition.

Ask any question you have and read the comments left by people who have bought from the seller before, especially with a saddle. Make sure they have good scores, and if they don’t respond to your questions in a prompt manner, this can also be a sign of a not so good seller, so be careful. And watch out for flat rate shipping. You’ll be waiting about 3 weeks. But I see no reason why you can’t buy off e-bay. You can get some really good stuff for really good prices. Also, always use pay pal.

Answer 5

i bought an all purpose saddle, breast collar and bridle off ebay and was pleased with what i got for the money. i did have a small problem the bridle i ordered came in the wrong color and i was never shipped a replacement as they went out of buisness and phone got disconnected so i was stuck with it. the breast collar i ordered was the wrong size but otherwise ok. so i would advise being cautious about buying from those sellers that have like 100 saddles listed. now i did order from a website a draft breastcollar and a bit both were shipped timely and were good quality at a reasonable price. nothing i got was a waste of time or money but i was annoyed that the bridle was the wrong color.

Answer 6

I have bought a few saddles off of ebay. Most of the time I regretted it because the saddle was so cheap and so was the leather. I would rather see the saddle in person the get one on ebay and hope its a good one.

Answer 7

Just last week I purchased a saddle from Ebay and I actually got a steal on the saddle. I priced the saddle on the web and discovered I had gotten a 1300 saddle for only 450 on ebay. I would highly recommend buying off ebay. But make sure you do your research such as making sure the seller has a good history and you have good communication with the seller. In conclusion I highly recoommend searching ebay for a saddle.

Answer 8

YES! My husband and I bought a saddle off of EBay- BAD EXPERIENCE! All the measurements were wrong so it didn't fit my horse, the saddle was NOT leather (all though it claimed to be 100% leather). It looked like plastic and smelled like rotten fish when we opened the box!
I even reasearched the company before I bid on it. Their feedback was all positive, these people must not know saddles! Thier site said it was out of Texas but it was really out of India with a storage site in TX and I couldn't send it back! After I got it I emailed them and told them my displeasure with it and they said too bad! It is a horrible saddle and I can't get rid of it now, it just stinks up my tack shed.
Sorry but that is my experience, I hope if you buy one yours is better!

Answer 9

I haven't, but make sure the seller is reputable, heard a story of a man who bought a 2000 dollar show saddle from an online seller supposedly from Italy... never got the saddle... lost his money... and saw the same saddle advertised for sale again a few weeks later... from a seller supposedly in New Zealand.

Answer 10

I have personally bought 2, and sold at least 3 on eBay that I can remember. The two I bought were both western saddles, and for the money they were great saddles. I am currently riding in a lovely western saddle, eBay bought, and I love it! Very very very wonderful saddle, and I got it for about $400 less than a store would sell it for.