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Frequently Asked Questions
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Q. Why are your saddles so cheap?
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A. Our saddles are not cheap. The question should be is
"Why are the other saddles so expensive".
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We are less expensive because we do not have
the overhead the other manufactures do because of their mass production.
We build one saddle at a time. We do not pay for warehouse space, employees,
storage fees, extra machinery/equipment, middle man expenses, sales
commissions and the retail price increases added on by the retail
stores. This allows us to sell to the
public at the discounted manufactures wholesale price.
Each one of our saddles is handmade
and custom built to order by my immediate family, in our own shop at home,
using the highest quality American tanned 9-10 oz leather available.
Again, they are made one at a time. This enables us to ensure your
saddle goes out as ordered.
My wife and daughter help me by making some of the components of the
saddle, like the breast collars and blankets, but the assembly of the
saddle is done by me. Mr. Frank Marciante has done business this way
for the last 18 years and I am not changing this practice. Our
intention is to give you the best saddle money can buy at an affordable
price. Our goal will be to continue producing around 200 saddles a
year, which also still leaves us time to do refits and repairs for our
current clients.
The tree is guaranteed for 5 years and is designed to allow
free movement of the horse's shoulder and back. The design has been
researched, developed and modified when a better improvement has come
along over the last 18 years. It is, in our opinion and a lot of our
clients, the best all purpose saddle with a perfectly balanced ride at an
affordable price. It has been ridden in many 50 and 100 mile races around
the world. Some of our clients are riding over 5,000 miles a year on our
saddles and have been doing so for years. Our saddles have been sold all
over the world. Don't be surprised to see our saddles at one of the horse
stables at the resort your staying at on your next vacation. Our saddles
have proven to stand up over the years. Buy with care, it might be the
last saddle you ever have to buy. My guarantee to you is that if you
purchase a new saddle from McFarland's Saddle and Tack Company,
Inc., your money is fully refundable, less shipping and
handling charges, if the saddle is returned within two weeks and in
perfect condition.
Sincerely,
Dale McFarland
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Q. How much do your saddles weigh?
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A. The Trail & Endurance Saddles
and the Distance Rider Saddles weigh approx. 17 pounds, the Western Pleasure Saddles weigh approx. 24
pounds and the Soft Seat Saddles weigh approx. 16 pounds.
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Q. What colors do the saddles come
in?
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A. They come in tan, chestnut, medium brown, dark
brown and black.
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Q. Do they all come with a horn?
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A. No, the Trail & Endurance Saddles
come with or without a horn. The Soft Seat Saddles and Distance Rider
Saddles normally come without horns and the Western Pleasure Saddles
normally come with a horn. Please keep in mind that since each saddle is
custom made we can make it either way. The choice is yours.
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Q. What size seat do the saddles come
in?
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A. We only have one seat size.
It is
a 15 inch seat. However, because of the design of the saddle it will fit
most everyone up to 6'2" and weighing 250+ pounds.
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Q. How do you refit the saddle to
another horse?
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A. Our saddle is designed to be able
to alter the tree. We require pictures of the horse with the saddle on, of
both sides without the saddle, one from the front taken from above the
horse and one from the rear also taken from above the horse. From the
pictures we are able to get a better understanding of the horses
confirmation and make the saddle to fit that conformation. The design also
allows us to make these changes at anytime throughout the life of the
saddle.
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Q. My saddle had a run in with a tree,
can it be repaired?
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A. Yes, the saddle is designed so
that we can make repairs to the damaged components. We will give you a
free evaluation of your saddle and give you an estimate of the cost of the
repairs. You will be responsible for all shipping and handling charges.
See Saddle Repair
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Q. The saddle doesn't fit, it appears
to be rubbing the shoulder. Can this be fixed?
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A. The biggest problem with the fit
is the placement of the saddle. Our saddle is designed to fit behind the
shoulder in the pocket that all horses have. The saddle in most cases of
fitting problems is because it is placed to far forward on the shoulder
and not in the pocket. However, for $50, plus $35 for shipping and handling, we
can modify the saddle to fit those horses that do have special needs. We
require a set of pictures to be able to evaluate your horses conformation.
See Saddle Refit
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