SmartPak Ratings and Reviews

Customer Reviews for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System

M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System

The M. Toulouse Aachen Genesis Saddle?is hand crafted of natural, tanned, pigmented, aniline-finished high quality leather which easily accepts oil.
Average Customer Rating:
4 out of 5
4
 out of 
5
(10 Reviews) 10
Open Ratings Snapshot
Rating breakdown 10 reviews
5 Stars
3
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
1
1 Star
0
9 of 10(90%)of customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System
Review 1 for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System
Overall Rating:
2 of 5
2 of 5

Didn't work for me.

October 29, 2012
ByJump4cure
Expertise:Trainer
Riding Style:Eventing
Competitor:Rated
Quality:
3 of 5
3 of 5
Value:
4 of 5
4 of 5
Durability:
2 of 5
2 of 5
"I tried this saddle because of the Genisis system. I received the saddle very quickly, which was awesome. The Genisis system is amazing! Unfortunately, I hated the saddle design. I'm a tall individual(5'9"), and this saddle placed my legs too far in front of me. My legs were so in front of me that I had difficult posting, let alone sitting the trot, and I am a strong, competent rider. I have never sat in a saddle that placed me in such a horrible position as this saddle did. I was not pleased with the quality either. The leather was soft, but I'm confident the leather will be worn through very quickly. Look for another saddle. I'm going to try the Toulouse Alyssa."
Review 2 for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System
Overall Rating:
3 of 5
3 of 5

Not wide as advertised?

August 9, 2012
Bytuna
fromPacific Northwest
I have used this product for:less than a month
Expertise:Intermediate
Riding Style:Dressage
Competitor:Non-competitor
Quality:
3 of 5
3 of 5
Value:
3 of 5
3 of 5
Durability:
3 of 5
3 of 5
"I got this saddle on a trial after sitting in one locally and loving how it felt. The trial saddle would not go anywhere near extra wide and the best I could do was a 5 1/2 inch gullet. After a long wait, I found out that they are rated from 4-7 inches. Not the saddle I had! So, while the leather was great and the adjusting mechanism user friendly, it was not as advertised. Maybe for the narrow horses out there? Never did get to ride in it as it didn't fit the three horses I ride."
Review 3 for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System
Overall Rating:
4 of 5
4 of 5

Great saddle for the money

July 24, 2012
Bykensington
fromCumberland, ME
I have used this product for:less than a month
Expertise:Novice
Riding Style:Dressage
Competitor:Non-competitor
Quality:
4 of 5
4 of 5
Value:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Durability:
4 of 5
4 of 5
"I trialed the saddle over a few days. The Genesis system was easy to use. I tweaked the fit a couple of times in the course of the trial. It fit my horse Ziggy well. Unfortunately, it didn't fit me as well. Darn, I really liked the saddle. The trial was no hassle, returning it was easy. Staff at Smart Pak a pleasure to talk to so helpful and informative!"
Review 4 for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System
Overall Rating:
4 of 5
4 of 5

Beautiful saddle

July 11, 2012
BySuntouch
fromSalt Lake City, UT
I have used this product for:less than a month
Expertise:Intermediate
Riding Style:Dressage
Quality:
4 of 5
4 of 5
Value:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Durability:
3 of 5
3 of 5
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
"This saddle is a beautiful saddle - especially for the price!! Unfortunately it did not fit me nor my horse. (Despite the adjustable tree which is so fabulous - the saddle just didn't fit through his back even when it was the correct width through his withers) I was sad that it didn't work since I've tried so many saddles and was so hoping that this one would be the one that would work. It's a bummer it didn't fit - definitely worth looking at if you are saddle shopping!"
Review 5 for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System
Overall Rating:
4 of 5
4 of 5

Sad to Send it Back

April 25, 2012
ByRiderzup
fromLockport, NY
I have used this product for:less than a month
Expertise:Intermediate
Riding Style:Dressage
Competitor:Local/Open
Quality:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Value:
4 of 5
4 of 5
Durability:
4 of 5
4 of 5
Fit
Fair
Excellent
"This is a beautiful, well made saddle of quality leather. The Genesis adjustable gullet system is without a doubt the BEST on the market today. It is the easiest system out there, hands down. The saddle can be adjusted millimeter by millimeter, so it can be made to fit just about any horse. Unfortunately, for me as the rider, it had too wide of a twist and for that reason it was uncomfortable to ride in. I could only ride in it for 10 minutes before my upper thighs and lower back were screaming in pain. I much prefer saddles with narrow twists. Sadly, I had to return the saddle to SmartPak. But for anybody who requires a wide twist, I highly recommend this saddle. I am very disappointed that it did not fit me."
Review 6 for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System
Overall Rating:
5 of 5
5 of 5

Nice saddle

February 22, 2012
ByPickels
fromExeter, NH
I have used this product for:less than a month
Expertise:Intermediate
Riding Style:Dressage
Competitor:Rated
Quality:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Value:
5 of 5
5 of 5
"Would have purchase but... it wasn't a "narrow enough" twist for me. Returned"
Review 7 for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System
Overall Rating:
5 of 5
5 of 5

Best Saddle ever!!!

January 16, 2012
ByLeighbee191
fromMassachusetts
I have used this product for:less than a month
Expertise:Expert
Riding Style:Eventing
Competitor:Rated
Quality:
4 of 5
4 of 5
Value:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Durability:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Fit
Excellent
Excellent
"This saddle is absolutely amazing. The hinge genesis system was so easy to adjust and my sensitive TB LOVES it. He has so much freedom in his shoulders and is completely relaxed in it. He is four, so the idea of the adjustable gullet serves a great piece of mind for when he grows and fills out more. The only thing I did not absolutley love was the billets which were stiff, but the saddle fits great and is like a custom saddle for my horse for an affordable price!"
Review 8 for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System
Overall Rating:
5 of 5
5 of 5

Aachen w/ Genesis System - AWESOME!

December 7, 2011
ByJavaSpice1
fromHolden, Maine
I have used this product for:6-12 months
Expertise:Novice
Riding Style:Dressage
Competitor:Local/Open
Quality:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Value:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Durability:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Fit
Excellent
Excellent
"I purchased this saddle after trying out some more expensive ones. This one had the comfort I was looking for, as well as the adjustable gullet system that takes seconds to adjust, at a fraction of the cost of other saddles that have a prominent name on them. I encourage you to try this saddle before deciding on a more expensive one. You won't be disappointed and neither will your horse! LOVE IT!!!"
Review 9 for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System
Overall Rating:
4 of 5
4 of 5

Highly Recommended

November 22, 2011
Byendurancenut
Expertise:Novice
Riding Style:Other - English
Competitor:Local/Open
Quality:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Value:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Fit
Fair
Excellent
"The leather on this saddle is UNBELIEVABLE! Soft, lush with jus the right amount of "stick". Everyone at my barn was jealous even the BO who has a $6,000 custom saddle. The genesis system needs to be in every saddle ever made. It takes 10 seconds to understand it and had endless options for size between to widest and narrowest. That being said, it can be a challenge to ge tthe exact right fit since you can move at tiny increments. The channel width was wide enough for my flat backed Arab mare. Unfortunately, the twist is very wide and my pelvis is not so it was not very comfortable for me. The seat was deep and cushioned well, but the twist had my legs too far apart and put me in a chair seat. If you need a wide twist saddle, do yourself a favor and check this one out. It is definitly worth the price."
Review 10 for M. Toulouse Aachen Dressage Saddle with Genesis System
Overall Rating:
4 of 5
4 of 5

Great saddle, awful billets

April 7, 2011
ByScalawag
fromMI
I have used this product for:1-3 months
Expertise:Expert
Riding Style:Dressage
Quality:
4 of 5
4 of 5
Value:
5 of 5
5 of 5
Durability:
4 of 5
4 of 5
Fit
Excellent
Excellent
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
"Extremely comfortable for both myself and my horse, this is a great saddle. It puts me in the correct position and the deep seat is very hard for a green horse to suddenly pull you out of.
The Genesis System gives a nicely customized fit, although widening the tree requires more effort the further you go. It's great for just one horse or possibly two, but unless you know exactly how many turns are required for individual horses, it's not practical to change the tree size for multiple rides per day.
The leather is very soft and required no breaking in. I was concerned about its durability and still am somewhat, but so far there are no scratches or rubbing apparent. It also cleans up beautifully.
My only significant complaint is the billets. They look and feel like they are made out of stiff cardboard. The sides are not tanned, and the rest looks like it was painted over. They are extremely inflexible, and I was actually worried they might tear. Thus far, this hasn't happened, but with the high quality of the rest of the leather, the billets are an insult. I will be replacing them at the first opportunity.
Overall, this is an outstanding saddle for the price, comfort, and customization."