Item: This is a fairly new, very high-end Peruvian-made gaited horse saddle.  It is built to work with Peruvian Paso and other gaited horses with higher withers and lots of muscular shoulder action.  It could also work with other gaited breeds and/or higher-withered, non-gaited horses.  I have listed/will list in the next two days several extra gaited saddles and accessories I have for sale right now - so if you find the detailed measurements of this saddle don't fit you or your horse, check my other auctions for different fitting saddles, stirrups, head gear, etc.  This and all of these saddles and accessories are hand made in Peru to standards previously encountered, but now virtually unknown, in saddle-making and tack in this country and Europe.  The quality is unsurpassed by US and European saddle makers at these rates today.  Compared to any US or European saddle, you are getting double to triple your value at comparable retail or used prices.  A typical new (retail) price on this item is $1450.

Condition:  It is in very good to excellent condition.  The leather is all supple and smooth.  There is wear on parts, but nothing substantial.  Stitching is all intact without tears.  All original parts are included save one - the offside girth billet was lost at an event last year and replaced by one identical but with lighter colored leather (see photo #2, visible at bottom of saddle skirt).  Otherwise, all original details are here - girth, billet, stirrup hangers, carved wood block stirrups, wool "jerga" pad, leather saddle skirt, crupper, etc.  This is a "show" quality saddle with quilted, finely finished seat, "retrancas" (rear straps/leather), and "floron" - the "flowery" tail cover (photo #5).  Overall, this is in very good + to excellent condition.  It has mostly been used in Western Washington, in a warm and moist climate and it is not dried or stiff in any dimension or piece.  It has been periodically maintained by cleaning with warm soap, rinsing, and treatment with Lexol and neatsfoot oil.  This was performed at the end of each "season", or twice a year (e.g., at the end of the dry summer and the wet winter).  At the same time, this was one of many saddles we had and not used repetitively.  It has had light use overall.

Included Items:  The saddle, stirrup straps, offside girth billet, girth, girth billet, highly carved stirrups, crupper, retrancas (rear decorative straps), floron (rear tail cover for shows), wool pad ("jerga"), and finely hand stamped and carved skirt to ride between the wool pad and the saddle.  This saddle set is complete to ride for trail or show with the additional retrancas and floron.

Details:  This is a show saddle with a quilted, padded seat with fine finished leather, it has braided, finely twisted jaquima (thin rawhide strips) silver-tipped tie straps on the pommel, and a detailed silvered (German silver, not pure/real silver) pommel arch (see photo #3).  The wood-block stirrups on the saddle in photo #1 are not the ones that came with the saddle - they are more plain ones we used on this rough ride to the spine of the North Cascades National Park - that was at 8,000 ft or so near Abernathy Pass.  This saddle performed perfectly on this uphill mountain ride, even without a breast collar as you can see.  This was on a 14.3H Peruvian mare in some of the most mountainous terrain in North America.  This saddle is not just for "show" - it will rival any saddle at a breed show, but is completely comfortable and practical for trails and daily use.  The saddle's stirrups are pictured and are ornately carved on each face, with German silver corners, sides, and top hardware, matching the detailed German silver on the pommel arch and elsewhere.  If less ornate stirrups or more practical Tapaderos are desired, check our other items.  The saddle does have "D" rings on the upper pommel arch for use with a breast collar if desired (not included or standard, but recommended for extensive trail and mountain work).  The pommel has a tie-wrap on the arch of two strands of finely braided jaquima with German nickel studs on each end.

Sizing:  After much experience with Peruvian and gaited horses, we've owned six or seven saddles and had seven horses.  I'm not an "expert" who can guarantee anything, but I've learned what are the critical measures that determine what tree and seat sizes end up working with what horses and riders.  Stating "semi/full/etc. quarter horse bars" etc. is useless for gated horses.  I'm going to provide the critical measures for both the horse (4) and the rider (3) I have found to matter when comparing one saddle to another on these horses.  In my opinion, this saddle is best suited to a larger Peruvian ("large" if measured by Peruvian-bred standards, or medium-large in American-bred Peruvian standards), with a medium to flatter withers and longer back.  The rider would be larger if used in the bare seat, or medium if used with a (not included) pellonera.  A pellonera would reduce the seat size substantially.  Exact measurements:  If you have an existing saddle that works well on your horse, compare it to these measurements.  If you have a saddle that does not work well, compare it to these measurements to see if this one will be better (or worse).  I have found that among "Peruvian" saddles, they generally fall into two categories, "large" and "standard."  Since most all are hand made, there isn't and exact definition of "standard" vs. "large," but graphing the critical tree dimensions reveals two basic sizes.  This one would fall into "large."  If you have doubts, you can email and we will honestly answer your fitting questions to the best of our (amateur, but experienced) ability.

For Rider (measurements from above the saddle):
A) Center of Pommel to Center of Cantle:  17 5/8"
B) Seat length on seat: 14"
C) Thigh opening, pommel base to cantle base: 11 3/4"

For Horse (measure from underside of saddle):
1) Gullet at narrowest (center) width:  3 5/8"
2) Tree width at same point: 10 7/8"
3) Tree width at widest on shoulders: 13"
4) Maximum overall tree length, front to back: 21 1/2"

Shipping:  I have set the following shipping zone costs, and you can estimate yours based on them.  The default shipping cost is to the eastern US.  If local, you can pick up for free.  If you are closer, you can deduct the difference:

East Coast US:  $78
To Texas or Chicago: $66
To Southern California: $56
To Utah/Oregon/Idaho: $48

I am defaulting the shipping cost to East Coast US and $78.  If you are closer, you can expect a shipping discount equal to the above rate differences.  If you are are foreign, we are happy to ship, but it will be very expensive as the shipping weight is over 60 lbs. when packaged.  For Canada, please inquire, but we have found USPS rates to Canada to be quite unreasonable.

Discounts: $25 discount for USPS money order or cash payment, free local pickup, and shipping discounted per distance as outlined above.

Other Items: In other auctions I have for sale traditional Peruvian saddles, head gear bridles/halters, stirrups, tapaderos, etc.