saddle success!

["Beckstrom, Carolyn" <Carolyn.Beckstrom@standardregister.com>]

Hi ridecampers,
I wanted to share a positive saddle experience with everyone since I know so
many people/horses have saddle fit problems.  After trying multiple saddles
on my 6 year old morgan gelding with no success I heard about the Frank
Baines Endurance Saddle.  I am an english rider and am not comfortable in
the "western" style saddles, I need the security of knee rolls!.  Last year
was our first season competing in 25 mile CTR's and he developed white hairs
and pressure bumps from the wintec A/P I was using.  I had a couple fitters
come out and try and adjust the saddle, but to no avail. Then I looked up
Frank Baines' web site at http://www.vitalo.com/frankbaines/index.html
<http://www.vitalo.com/frankbaines/index.html> 
And sent an e-mail, I heard back from Dolores Arste who answered all my
questions and arranged to have a demo sent to me that I could try as long as
necessary.  The saddle arrived and I was very impressed with the beautiful
workmanship and quality leather.  I rode over 4 days on trails, did a little
jumping, and some low level dressage work.  my horse and I both loved it.  I
did tracings of my horses back and sent them to Dolores who measured him out
to be an extra wide, which surprised me because he appears to be a pretty
narrow horse.  Her Saddle fitter was going to be in the area so he came out
to double check my measurements and brought Dolores's saddle which she had
installed "flair" in the panels.  I rode in it and he checked fit and
re-measured.  My horse moved very freely and felt great.  So to make a long
story short (too late) I have ordered the saddle with the "flair" and am
getting suede knee rolls and long billets at no extra cost.  I received
excellent service from very knowledgeable and friendly people.  I feel
confident that this saddle will be perfect.  Custom fit to my horse,
beautifully made, and very versatile.  I hope this may help out someone else
who is enduring the dreaded saddle search! 
Carolyn & Gem (freezing in MA)