Are Albion saddles adjustable?
In this article we will discuss all things Albion Saddles and why the Albion brand is so popular within all equestrian disciplines. We will look at if and how the Albion saddles can be adjusted. This should help you decide if an Albion saddle is right for you and your horse. If so, why not trial one from The Saddle Bank. The Saddle Bank offer 5 day UK mainland trials on all new and used saddles with fast next working day delivery. If you are overseas don't worry - we ship worldwide!
If by the end of the article you are not sure which Albion is right for you and your horse, why not get in touch with our friendly customer support team via phone 01733 301488 or email info@thesaddlebank.com. Our lovely team are always happy to help as much as they can and provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for you and your horse.
Who are Albion Saddlemakers?
Established in 1985 Albion Saddlemakeres are one of the worlds leading saddle brands known for their high quality, leather english saddles. Albion invested in research into the horses conformation and breeding. This lead to the development of various different trees suited to different breed types and enabled Albion to develop a fantastic reputation. They have saddles specialised in each discipline; Dressage, Show jumping, Cross Country and General Purpose. Albion also proudly created a tree which is the first British precision engineered adjustable wooden saddle tree, known as the Adjusta Tree.
So are Albion saddles adjustable?
Estblished in 2013 and phased into all models from 2014 was the Adjusta tree. Adjusta tree's are specifically designed for adjustment using a pressurised machine by Albion qualified Saddle Fitter. The Adjusta tree is designed so the fitting can be altered without damage or distortion to the head plates or rivets of the tree. The tree is flexible and lightweight and offers comfort, stability, freedom, and support for both horse and rider. Albion advise the Adjusta Tree can be altered two widths each way. However, it is vital this is done by a professional offering a guarantee on their work as the tree can be distored and damaged if done incorrectly.
How to know if your saddle has the Adjusta Tree
If you are wondering if your saddle or the one you are interested in buying has the Adjusta Tree you can check by looking at the stamp of the saddle.
Saddles with the Adjusta Tree are stamped 'Adjusta'.
If you cannot see the stamp or are unsure, you can contact Albion directly and they will be able to check the serial number for you and advise you on what tree is within the saddle and what its manufactured width was.
The problem with Adjusta Trees
There are a couple of downsides to the Adjusta Tree which some people do not understand. Firstly, when people think of an adjustable saddle, they imagine a saddle with a changeable gullet bar system which can easily be swapped for another bar. People often ask us 'Can you swap the bar in this Albion saddle before sending it out to me?'. Sadly not, Albion saddles are not built on this type of tree. Remember it is a wooden tree with a fixed metal headplate. Therefore, its not as quick and simple to adjust as other brands such as Bates, Fairfax and GFS. However, on the upside, Albion are able to offer a specific tree for your horses conformation. The Adjusta tree is available on a number of different tree shapes including the Thoroughbred tree, Warmblood tree and C&C (cob & connie) tree to name a few. Each of these trees is designed for a specific back profile.
The second downside is that when Adjusta Tree saddles are altered, they are not restamped to state the width they have been altered to. Therefore, it can be really hard to track what the width of the saddle is in the future after it has been adjusted. Without the saddle being stamped when altered, you also do not know how many times it has been altered in the past. Therefore, you don't know if you can alter it again in the future. To overcome this, you can buy a saddle brand new which comes with full manufacturer warranty. However, if your budget doesnt' stretch to a brand new saddle you can rest assured as all saddles sold by The Saddle Bank come with a 6 month soundness warranty.
Finally, it can be difficult to get a precise width fitting with this tree as it has to be widened wider than it will be, to allow it to come back in a little to the desired width. Whereas with an adjustable gullet saddle, each gullet bar from one brand is the same size. There is no speculation over what the width fitting is. It is very much a case of trying the saddle on for size. The Saddle Bank are pleased to be able to offer a 5 day trial on our saddles so you can do just that.
The best way to buy an Albion Adjusta Tree
When buying an Albion Adjusta tree saddle, we recommend you to buy it with the mindset that it is not an adjustable saddle. This will help you manage your expecatations moving forwards. You do not have the option to alter it as many times as you want without damaging the tree, and therefore it is not ideal for horses which change shape with every season.
However, Albion are a fantastic brand and when finding the correct tree and width for your horse, they work really well. They can work particularly well on fully matured horses who do not loose muscle or change shape particularlly often, who are in regular work and have little change in their routine (food/grazing/exercise etc). You do have the option to alter the saddle a couple of times within its lifetime. Therefore, it can work well on this type of horse.
Trial an Albion Saddle
If you would like to trial an Albion saddle, The Saddle Bank is the perfect place to do so. With over 1200 saddles in stock, and hundreds of Albion saddles, we have great choice, availability and our experts are on hand to help you make the best choice for you and your horse.
Shop Albion Saddles here.
Shop All Brands of Saddles here.
If we don't have what you are looking for at the moment, you can set up an alert here to be notified when we get the saddle you are looking for in stock.
If you would like more information on how the trial works, you can watch the short video below.
Need to sell your saddle
If you are looking to sell your Albion saddle, The Saddle Bank can help. Turn your unwanted saddle into cash in a quick, hassle free way. Get a quote here to see how The Saddle Bank can help you today.
