Hermes Dressage Saddle Review

Hermes Corlandus Dressage Saddle Review

This is  a review of the saddle that has been in use by USDF gold medalist Susan Cooper for approximately 3 years. The saddle is manufactured by Hermes of Paris.  This particular saddle is known as the Corlandus model.

This saddle retails new at Dover saddlery for $7,200.  More information can be found at the following link Dover Saddlery Corlandus.  The design is known as a mono flap which allows for a much better feel and closer contact with the horse.  Sue’s saddle was purchased very lightly used and in like new condition a little over three years ago.  The softness of the leather and comfort of these saddles is wonderful, especially when compared to the old standby 20-year-old Passier  with its extremely durable build even if it is hard and the leather is more slippery.

User Experience and Findings

If you ride one horse a few times a week, like to be comfortable and own a status symbol, a Hermes saddle may be a good choice for you.

However, durability is not a strong point for this saddle and I can not recommend the saddle for the serious amateur or professional whose  saddle is an integral tool of their trade.

This is a shame considering the exorbitant price that the saddle commands in the market.

Below are a series of photos taken of Sue’s Hermes Corlandus saddle earlier this month.

The Hermes saddle in the pictures has been in daily use a little over three years at Impulsion Unlimited dressage horse sales and representation and just about every trainer and client who has tried a horse at our facility sat in it at least once.

Hermes saddle right side

The Gallery has additional photos of Sue’s Hermes Corlandus Saddle after only 3 years of use.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  Click on Thumbnails for larger image. Lower Left thumbnail provided by Hermes.

Okay, this saddle is falling apart.  It also developed a very annoying squeak that is so loud it could be mistaken for squeaking bedsprings at worst or a horse grinding its teeth at best.

Hermes Saddlery Customer Service Experience

Initially we contacted Dover Saddlery to get information about who to contact at Hermes. They are not easily found on the internet. Customer service at Dover is first rate and the representative was extremely helpful.  The pictures you just looked at were forwarded to her and her response as a manager was that if we had purchased this saddle from them that they would have replaced it at no charge.

I asked the representative at Dover if they had problems with this model of Hermes dressage saddle and she replied that she had never seen a saddle wear like this in her eight years with the company.

Dover is a fantastic company and they stand behind the products they sell even if, the manufacturer of those products may not.

This is the kind of service I would expect for a saddle selling for over $7,000. TWO THUMBS UP!

Dover contacted and forwarded the pictures to the United States Representative for Hermes saddles.

A few days later I received a phone call from Courtney Caverzasi, Equestrian Sales Manager.  She began our conversation by telling me a saddle was abused and not cared for.  Definitely a different approach to customer service than I would have expected from a luxury brand representative.

We explained that we are professionals, we know how to care for tack and that we felt this is a materials issue. She then went on to tell me that because “dressage riders move their legs around the lot” they are more likely to wear out the Hermes leather.

She continued by saying it is common for the flaps and seats to wear out and that they were in fact like my car tires that must be replaced regularly. (I didn’t find this in any current advertising.)

The Hermes representative told me that she would follow up with an e-mail recapping the company’s position and she told me and that she would look into the cost to have the saddle repaired and thought that it cost us between $600 -$1000. We never did get a quote for repair.

Update: June 4th:: Receives repair Quote from Hermes

Option 1:  replace buffalo covering on the flap to original factory spec.
Recover the flaps, buffalo hide: $1,400.00
*optional replace buffalo seat (has some wrinkles in it): add $1,000.00 to the above ($1,000 is for the labor alone, based on proceeding with this portion of the repair the same time as recovering flaps and using the same buffalo hide.  If done separately, the cost of replacing the seat would be $1,330.00).
Option 2: cover buffalo flap and add a protective layer of cowhide. The finished product will look like this, (SEE LOWER LEFT PHOTO) but realize you will lose some grip achieved with the buffalo covering.  As professional riders you probably to do need to utilize this feature, but amateurs really like the way the buffalo wrapped flap helps to stabilize their leg position.
Adding cowhide patches $1,000.00

Bottom Line:

Customer service is a demonstrated weakness for the Hermes saddle company in America and is the deciding factor that far outweighs the experience with the saddle itself.

Read the Email from: Courtney Caverzasi

Dear Jeff and Sue,
It was a pleasure speaking with you today.  As discussed, I will be in touch upon receiving the repair quotes.  The parts needed are in stock, despite whichever option you choose to go forward with.  Depending on the craftsman’s schedule, a repair should be able to happen quickly, and if necessary we can loan you a demo saddle to ride in in the interim.

Option 1:  replace buffalo covering on the flap to original factory spec.
Option 2: cover buffalo flap and add a protective layer of cowhide. The finished product will look like this,
but realize you will lose some grip achieved with the buffalo covering.  As professional riders you probably to do need to utilize this feature, but amateurs really like the way the buffalo wrapped flap helps to stabilize their leg position.

Please understand this is not a quality issue, the type of leather used is what dictates how long the hide will last before needing replacing.  Below is an overview of the different types of leather saddlers use in saddle making.
-calfskin (the thinnest and softest leather on the market, if baby calk very thin, if adult calf medium thickness)
-buffalo (thicker than calf and more durable, a soft leather with nice grip)
-cowhide (thickest, often used for flaps and underflaps on saddles)

The other thing that is integral to bringing back color and suppleness to your saddle is to immediately re-condition it per the care instructions attached.  After cleaning it to open the pores of the leather, let it dry for 5 minutes or so and then oil it as if it were a new saddle (meaning you will need 2 full cans)  If you do not want to use our oil, the only other manufactured product we recommend is Hydrophane’s ‘Leather Dressing’.  I can have a kit of products sent out to you, or you can purchase them from a wholesaler in your area.  Please let me know if you have any questions.