Considering buying a saddle?

I have just joined show team at my Stable and I ride english. I haven't been riding for that long but am very serious about riding. Please don't tell me that I should wait a while (I have only been riding for about half a year). My parents refuse to buy one for me but are allowing me to by it out of my own money. I don't earn money from chores sadly. I do however earn some from report cards but that is only 3 times a year.


Specifications:
I am going to do eventing for show team.
I don't want one that is specifically for eventing though, just a genral english saddle.
I need one that is nice enough that I can show with it but cheap enough that I can buy.
I have some money in my bank account but my parents haven't told me how much yet.
I don't want to pay much more than $1000.

Also do leathers and sturips cost a lot extra becuase I found that they come sepratly.


And any extra info to keep in mind when looking for a saddle and accessories would be amazing.

I am also in 8th grade and am on a stupid visa in the us that doesn't allow me to get paid.

Sorry to add more complications to it but thanks in advance!!

Well, kudos to you for using your own money to buy it. I would reccomend, if you're going to be using it on several different horses a saddle with an easy-change gullet. If the saddle does not fit the horse it can cause training and medical issues.

Some saddles that have easy change gullet;
Wintec close contact(a synthetic saddle-but you can get material that looks like leather), I have one for a work saddle and I love it! Just be careful, because the equi-leather can get slippery above 3'6. For an equi-leather close contact it's about 500-600 dollars.

Bates(a more expensive version of Wintec), they run a little over 1000 dollars.

Collegiates-don't have any personal experience with them, they run 600-800 dollars.

Some other nice saddle brands at that price that don't have the easy change gullet are the Marcel Toulouse saddles, Ovation is decent, as is Henri De Rivel. Some stubben models run a little over a grand.

The best thing for your money though is to look into a used but higher quality saddle, Crosby's are usually going to last decades.

Don't get an all-purpose saddle if you're going to be eventing or jumping anything over 2'-they will put you in a very awkward position and make it hard to do anything correct. The best thing to go for is a properly balanced close contact which will allow you to jump and then lengthen the stirrups a bit for dressage and flat work.

Leathers and stirrups do not cost that much-at minimum 30 dollars for some crappy unstretched ones-and over 100 for good quality leather ones. Irons are about 20 dollars provided you're getting the traditional heavy-weights-treads for the irons cost about 3 bucks. If you don't want to mark up your saddle(if it's softer leather, or leather period) try and get calf-skin leathers, they'll be easier on the leather than any synthetic or crappy leather.

EDIT;

Stay AWAAY from the cheapo saddles-the kincades, paris tack, and discount saddle sets-don't buy anything that isn't a recognized brand. They can put you in a horrible position and create many bad habits and even worse, have warped trees that can mess up the horses back.

I also forgot to add, Courbettes, Dover Circuit saddles, and the Beval Princeton saddle(which I've heard good things about, and Beval is a very reputable store-they only carry quality stuff) all have brands or are under 1000.

Also adding, there is NOTHING wrong with you getting your own saddle provided it fits you and the horses you use it on. Some people just don't work well in lesson saddles because they're usually cheaper/all purpose/or poorly designed and sometimes even ill fitted.

Search your local tack shop or popular online shops like Dover Saddlery. You may want to look at a used one too. Put up an ad at your barn and tack shop. Most used saddles come with stirrups and leathers too.

Sorry to say but you do have a lot to learn before you buy a horse so i would hold off on that saddle.

Im sure your riding stable has many saddles. Also, sorry to say, if you have only been riding for half a year, you are NOT going to be eventing any time soon. Also, I would not buy a saddle unless you own a horse, because saddles have to be specifically fitted to each individual horse. Sorry if this is not what you want to hear, but I think it would be a waste of alot of money on your part. Use that money for some extra riding lessons or something fun like that.

i just bought this one, its really amazing. its pretty easy to care for and only cost me about $600 (with girth, stirrups etc ....). i spent about $100 on a girth, stirrup leathers and stirrup irons. it is very comfortable and looks nice too:

http://www.statelinetack.com/itemdy00.as...

edit-OKAY.... just read the "half a year" thing. i have been riding for 6 years and just got my first saddle. you do not need a saddle right now. i agree with the answer above, you will not be eventing for at least a year or two. do you own a horse or are you riding lesson horses? all horses are different, just like people. we all come in different shapes a sizes and so do horses so a single saddle will (probably) not fit the 8 or more lessons horses that you usually ride. unless you own a horse or are planning on leasing a horse for a long time, getting a saddle that fits every horse (as well as a girth) will be a very large challenge.

well i bought my first saddle and i got a synthetic, mean you can wash it with soap and water and it is REALLY light. plus i bought it for $749.( i live in Australia so it might be different where you are)

wintec is a really good brand and second make sure you know if its going to fit you and your horse you'll really need experienced people with you while you do this!!!! and i mean that because if you buy a saddle that fits you but not your horse you could ruin your horses back and it cant be ridden....

its a serious business so ide learn more even if you are serious and you only started 6 months ago. it takes time relising how commited you are willing to get with horses. i had to ride 8 yrs before i knew getting serious with horses and was able to get one.