FAQ

Who made it ?

Kiwi Custom Saddles are made  to our specifications, by our team of professional saddle makers.  It has taken us several years to find a team to make saddles to our requirements.  We have sold over 30 saddles so far and have many happy riders throughout New Zealand.  Many have taken advantage of our saddle fitting service and have been very happy with the results. 

The Tree ?

It is said that a saddle is only as good as the tree it is made on.  Our trees are made very strong with hard wood and wrapped in Fiberglass for additional  strength. 

Will it fit me and my horse ? 

We cannot guarantee our saddles will fit your horse, there are many factors to consider when buying and fitting a saddle, for this reason we offer a saddle fitting service.   Talk to us about your horse and also about yourself so we can guide you in the right direction.  With many years experience in the equine world, we are here to help guide you.  The best advice we can offer is for you to try one of our  saddles that is already made first, before custom ordering a saddle.   

Can you make a Lightweight saddle ? 

Yes we are planning to have a range of lady wades, lightweight and well suited to a smaller person to handle.  There is nothing worse than having a heavy saddle you struggle to lift up onto your horse.  Please also remember the more you oil your saddle the heavier it can become.  One litre of oil is equivalent to approx 1 kilo in weight. 

How long does it take to
get a saddle ? 

  The quickest way to get a saddle is to look at what we have in stock ready to purchase, we can have these freighted to you on an over night courier or sent within 3 to 4 days with  NZ Post economy for as little as $70 North Island or $95 South Island.  
Saddles take 2 to 4 months to complete. 

What style saddles do you offer. 

We are a fan of the wade saddle, however, we can also make barrel saddles, ropers, trail saddles, ranch saddles, lightweight ladies saddles.  Childrens saddles, and youth size saddles.

Rigging 

Yes we can make a saddle with different rigging positions, in tree rigging and inskirt rigging.  The rigging diagram shows  the different positions the main girth is attached to the saddle, unlike an english saddle, many western saddles are designed to have two girths, some can also sit nicely with just one girth. This is something we can talk about when we discuss what you need in a saddle for your horse.  The most common position is the 7/8th position which is said to be good for upto 75% of horses. 

Bridles, girths, saddle bags, etc. 

We can offer all types of extra's, just write down what you want in extras, eg. padded seat, stirrups style, if you need a matching bridle and breastplate set, saddlebags, cinches  etc.  Off course you do not have to want lots of bling, the options are endless.  Also consider your budget,  as we are do not want to break your bank, we can set you up easily on a fair budget. 

My horse has never had a western saddle on before ? 

Most horses take to having a western saddle on with no problems at all. Precautions can be  taken, most horses are very quick to adapt to a western saddle with a bit of careful handling and training.  This also is a reason why we offer a saddle fitting service to avoid mishaps and advise you with the correct way to fit your saddle and get you and your horse used to it.