How to Tell the Age of a Stubben Saddle

An older used saddle of any brand can be as good as a more recent, but still second-hand model, or even a brand-new saddle. If an older saddle has been taken care of, it should be perfectly acceptable. But remember that the way saddles are made has changed over time. Just because your current Stubben fits your horse well does not mean an older model will fit your horse the same way. Some saddle makers can identify the year of manufacture by the serial number stamped somewhere on the saddle. But Stubben saddles, even though they have serial numbers, are not dated in this way.

Things You'll Need

  • Digital camera, or film camera and scanner
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Instructions

  1. General Age of Saddle

    • 1

      Look at the front of the saddle's flap. If it is covered in suede, it was made before 1994. If it is smooth, the saddle may have been made in or after 1994.

    • 2

      Lift up the skirt of the saddle (the small flap just below the front of the saddle) and check what color the stirrup bar is. If it is chrome, the saddle was made between 1962 and 1969.

    • 3

      Find the nail head on the front of the saddle. It should be just above the skirt. A plain silver nail means the saddle was made in the 1960s or early '70s. A saddle with a silver nail with an engraved Stubben logo was manufactured between the mid-70s and mid-80s. If the nail is blue, the saddle was manufactured in the late '80s or more recently.

    A More Specific Answer

    • 4

      Take pictures of the saddle you are considering from the saddle's side so that the whole saddle can be seen.

    • 5

      Upload the pictures to your computer from your digital camera, or scan the physical pictures and upload to your computer from your scanner.

    • 6

      Email these pictures to [email protected] and ask for the age of the saddle. Make sure you include in your email any information printed on the sweat flap, the flap closest to the horse, such as the serial number and name of the model. Replies can be very quick, especially if the saddle is recent enough to be in the computer system, and are accurate to within two years of the saddle's manufacture.