I’m probably the wrong person to ask because at last count I have 8 saddles and one horse. However, I’ve always thought of saddles as an investment. A good saddle holds its value and if you buy used, you may well be able to resell it at a profit when you no longer need/want it.
I also enjoy trying different saddles. They all have slightly different balance points and put you in different positions — that’s why I have a couple of jumping saddles, a dressage saddle, a treeless saddle and an a/p saddle. I sold two saddles over the summer and only bought one, so I guess I’m ahead of the game!
Here’s a quote from someone on the Chronicle of the Horse who said it best:
You need AT LEAST four saddles per horse, surely? the saddle that you actually ride in; the saddle that used to fit but doesn’t now but might someday; the saddle that never fit and never will but you can’t bring yourself to part with; and the saddle you bought to do a different discipline in but never got around to learning.
So, how many saddles do you have?