BPLC Saddles.
Saddles for any equine adventure.
95kg… fully loaded!
Pete weighs 65kg, and fully loaded with all his gear, 4 days food and water, and all his tack he’s light enough to do a 100 mile endurance race and pass vet checks! Further more… he can GALLOP! What’s the point in freedom if you can’t enjoy it!
Gen VI - long rider saddle. 2750€*
The whole point of these saddles is that they are designed for “long rides”, and as a result I feel selling them in any other configuration simply defeats the purpose of the saddles design. Detailed instructions for measuring and a saddle fitting tool are provided at the time of ordering to ensure the saddle fits you and your horse as best as possible.
This saddle comes ready to ride and includes the following… A carbon fibre/kevlar saddle in either medium wide or wide, in either 14, 15, or 16 inches. The saddle comes with a raised rear platform to accommodate a roll bag without touching the horses back as well as the straps to secure the bag and is set up to accommodate bags “not included”. Generic saddles are available for immediate purchase “when in stock” as well as limited second hand saddles as we build new saddles for ourselves each year in order to develop and refine new ideas.
Gen I - long rider mule saddle. 2750€*
Mules are legends in the right hands, and can make an absolutely exceptional equine partner for a long ride. However, there are different considerations needed when fitting a mule. Often with a different saddle support area and different shoulder movement, consideration needs to be made to fit a mule correctly.
Very similar to the long rider saddles, the mule version shares almost all of the same features with the same attention to detail and materials being used throughout. I also endeavour to seat the rider differently to most traditional mule saddles, encouraging the animal to engage its back and hind legs to more comfortably carry its rider rather than just “endure”.
I also have the same rear platform that can be found on the standard long rider saddle that allows you to carry a rear roll bag ethically, and clear of the mules spine at ANY gait including the gallop.
Gen VI - long rider saddles and Gen I - mule saddle come with…
Twin mohair girths with stainless steel rings and nylon straps to attach to the saddle as well as a mohair / Biothane breastplate with crocodile clips.
Biothane stirrup leathers, and flexible composite stirrups wide enough to suit hiking boots. The stirrup leathers “can be” covered in sheepskin fenders to allow comfortable riding in shorts or a bikini.
A sheepskin saddle cover that comes with two large drink bottle holders with two large medical pouches as well as two straps suitable for securing your raincoat and warm clothing to the front of the saddle.
Fitting the saddle and adjusting it can be done easily on the road or at home, and replacement pads and Velcro can simply be purchased off amazon if needed “shims included with each saddle sold”.
Our gear is designed to be a modern take on the set up used for thousands of years by cavalry and mounted infantry only lighter. You can gallop with it, climb hills and mountains, and live wild and free.
Trail, Archery - and ultra light saddles.
Our saddles are made to fit both rider and horse as close to perfectly as possible.
After so many people have asked for them, we will now be making trail saddles. Why? because not everyone is a long rider, and a heap of people are after a solid trail saddle that can carry some bags for the days ride, is light, tough as nails, and able to easily be shimmed to fit your horse.
Gen II - Trail saddles from 2200€*
Saddle fitters have LOVED our saddles, as have equine body workers and vets. Almost everyone who has ridden in one has loved it, with one woman in particular describing a Gen3 saddle as “the only saddle I have ridden in without pain”. They aren’t for everyone though, and many people prefer a more traditional looking and feeling saddle. I respect that, however if you give a saddle like this a bit of time on a longer trail ride, you will see in no time just why it is we are selling so many of them!
Gen II - Trail saddles come with…
A 27 strand mohair girth with stainless steel rings and nylon straps and a nylon rear cinch or a sheep skin BPLC Y girth.
Biothane stirrup leathers, and flexible composite stirrups wide enough to suit hiking boots.
A sheepskin saddle with two large drink bottle holders.
Fitting the saddle and adjusting it can be done easily on the road or at home, and replacement pads and Velcro can simply be purchased off amazon if needed “shims included with each saddle sold”.
The trail saddle does NOT have the attachments at the rear for a roll bag.
Gen II - Trail saddles optional packages.
Standard trail saddle without horn - 2200€
Standard tail saddle with horn - 2300€
With western style stirrups “pictured on the right”- add 100€
With rear saddle bags “without a waterproof liner” - add 200€
With med pouches - add 50€
You can purchase one of my standard sizes, or have one made to fit your horse on request at no extra cost.
Although a cheaper option, and not as suited for long riding, the trail saddles are perfect for longer treks and endurance racing. They float, can be washed with a water blaster, and will take any abuse you and your horse throw at them.
Gen II - Ultra light saddle. 2300€*
Marengo is an absolute weapon, and we love nothing more than letting him loose through the forest at the gallop reaching speeds of over 60kph on our crazy adventures together. So, I decided to build a saddle just for this. With my bridle, a sheepskin saddle blanket, saddle, and girths, the total weight I put on my horse is a mere 5kg. Yep, 5kg total plus the riders weight. If you like going fast, this is the saddle for you. Is it built for endurance racing? Nope, but it’s perfect for it. This saddle is built for anyone that like to ride flat out while keeping weight to an absolute minimum.
This saddle comes ready to ride and includes the following… A carbon fibre/kevlar saddle with caged stirrups, Y girth “or twin mohair girths for an additional 200€” breastplate, and a sheep or deer skin saddle cover.
Gen I - Archery saddle. 2300€*
Christine Crew has been Pete’s biggest “constructive critic” since the two first started chatting over Facebook in 2020. Christine is a very accomplished long rider, who has ridden from the North Sea to the Mediterranean crossing some 13 countries with her horses Mina and Daika. When she came to us and told us she was shooting at the European championships for the Dutch national team and needed two saddles, we instantly offered to make them and sponsor her. Why? because she has been so honest with her criticism, and the advise she has so often given us has helped us improve the way we ride and manage our horses on the road. Christine is brutally honest, and her help in the development of these saddles has been invaluable. She is one of the best horsemen we have met PERIOD, and its our honour to support her.
- “I felt like a baby riding in a car seat, it will do Pete, it will do!” -
This saddle comes ready to ride and includes the following… A carbon fibre/kevlar saddle with caged stirrups, Y girth “or twin mohair girths for an additional 200€” breastplate, and a sheep skin saddle cover. They are very light “3-4kg” and feature a high front and rear cantle to stabilise the shooters firing position at speed. The stirrup position is also adjustable, allowing the shooter to move them further back again creating a much more stable firing position. They work, they work VERY well and like all BPLC saddle are fitted to the horse, rider, and can be shimmed.
Christine is our friend, mentor, stone cold gangster, and someone BPLC respect and value beyond measure. It’s our honour to have created a saddle with her.
Pete began building his saddles after a ton of first hand experience, and very detailed study and research. Realising how little he knew about saddle fit when he began riding, he knew the saddles needed to be simple to adjust on the road, and also adjustable with what you have on hand rather than requiring specialist items. “Check out the video below”. BPLC gear works, as its built by a long rider for long riders.
Bare saddles or the whole package?
Just ask, and we can built it.
Bare carbon or carbon/kevlar saddles or have us put the ultimate package together for you, either way we are here to help.
Long rider package. 4250€*
You need a Jetboil, a horse blanket, your clothing, a sleeping bag, and your food and water. We supply the rest.
This package includes a long rider saddle, bivi bag, light weight shelter, rear bags, front bags with additional med pouches, 12m tether, the essentials fitted to the saddle, and a few personal touches that has you set up with the exact set up we have evolved over around 13,000km together, and over 29,000km as individuals.
It’s the ultimate “ready to ride” set up for you and your horse if you dream of a wild adventure on horseback. What you get is pretty much everything you see here, and it’s gear built by CURRENT long riders, FOR long riders!
Gen I - Pack saddle conversion. 650€*
In an ideal world, when riding with two horses, you are riding in a PAIR of fitted saddles. If each horse has a saddle fitted to it, the chances of the horse suffering an injury are reduced dramatically. The rider can alternate between horses, and the horses do not need to have a pack saddle and riding saddle swapped between them with neither every really fitting “perfectly”. So, with a lot of help from other long riders, we came up with our own design of pack saddle bags made with very hard wearing 1000den Codura. They are secured effortlessly over the horn and at the rear of the saddle with a cinch, and feature a single girth under the horse to secure them in place. They can be removed in seconds in an emergency, can carry a ton of gear and it’s possible to secure a roll bag to them when slung over the saddle seat.
*Shipping costs are not included in prices as they vary greatly and are additional. Buyer may choose shipping type and preferred carrier. A 30% deposit is required at the time of ordering of which a full refund will be given if we are unable to fulfill your order within the quoted time frame for completion. Balance of payment is required prior to shipping, and due to the complicated nature of construction, time frame for delivery can be up to three months so booking in advance is advised. I’m really sorry guys, but due to global shortages and supply difficulties with the raw carbon fibre and kevlar materials used, prices on all saddles have increased 20% as of June 14th 2023. Prices will be reduced if supply cost come down. All materials are sourced from suppliers in Germany and Holland ONLY, and are the finest of their kind available anywhere on earth. The prices already include 19.5% VAT and I have to pay over 500€ a month just to legally reside in Germany, and then there’s the taxes and costs of running the business and I just can’t do things any cheaper.
Equipment.
Saddle bags, girths, outdoor gear, etc… we make it all!
