Western Saddles — Buy New or Used?
Buying new and used western saddles is something that every horse owner needs to think about. If you are in the market for a saddle, you will have a major decision to make. Most people think that the decision is whether to buy one brand or another, Yes, brands and models do make a difference for you and your horse. But there is another difference that you need to consider. You will need to decide whether you want to purchase a new saddle or buy a used saddle. There are several advantages to buying a new saddle -- you can often get a money back guarantee, you typically know what you are getting, etc. But the advantages of buying a used saddle may far outweigh these things.
Purchasing a used saddle may make a lot of sense. After all, new saddles can be quite expensive. Allowing someone else to purchase a saddle new, and then buying it from them can save you a lot of money. By buying a used saddle, you will likely also get a saddle that has been broken in for you. Of course, the saddle may not be all that broken in, if the original owner didn't use it much. So by buying a used saddle, you win either way -- you either get a broken in saddle, or you get a barely used saddle. Either way, by buying a used saddle, you are getting a saddle for far less money than if you were to buy a new one.
Of course, one downside to buying a used saddle is that it is very unlikely that you will be able to return to saddle and get a refund.
Another potential downside when buying a used saddle that some people believe is that your inventory is limited. This is just not true. Although there may be some limitations as to the availability of a particular saddle, there is often a wide variety of saddles available on the secondary market as people like to trade up and buy the latest models.
You need to consider how much money you are willing to spend on a saddle. The price of saddles can be very significant. Many saddles can cost more than $1,000. Some saddles can even cost more than $10,000. Here is the biggest advantage to buying a used saddle. The price that you will pay for a used saddle will be a fraction of the new, retail price.
As you can see, there are many advantages to buying a used saddle. When looking to purchase your next saddle, consider the used market as an option. You and your wallet will be glad you did.
