Gear inspired by adventure, and built to last forever!
BPLC Products.
I’ll be blunt… everything broke and nothing works long term, so we had to build better gear. We did just that.
After 780 days on the road we found the limits of all our gear, and we knew that if we were to continue long riding we couldn’t rely on other peoples stuff longer. We had to build better, lighter, and in such a way that if it were to break, it could easily be repaired on the road. We did just that, and after another 120 days on the road testing our new gear on multiple horses, we found it too have virtually no wear, and absolutely perfect for a life on the road. The gear we sell, is exactly the same as the gear we use, and its made with great care from the best raw materials money can buy.
95kg… fully loaded!
Pete weighs 65kg, and fully loaded with all gear, 4 days food and water and all tack he’s light enough to do a 100 mile endurance race and pass vet checks.
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. Pictured here is quite literally everything Pete now carries for a ride off into the wilderness at a height of well over 2000 meters in the Italian Alps during a 2500km+ ride. We can supply the lot on request; everything from a custom made carbon fibre saddle and bags, to Biothane tethers and hobbles. Just ask, and we can built it.
BPLC saddles adventures!
“From the very start I knew my gear was good, I never had a single issue. But it wasn’t until I met another long rider on the road that I realised just how good my gear was”. - Gonzo. -
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. Need proof?
Gonzo, who with less than 100 hours experience around horses equiped himself with a “Long Rider Package” and successfully and ethically completed a 105 day journey of around 2000km through Spain and France! BPLC saddles are now on every continent except Antarctica, and have covered tens of thousands of km on dozens of long rides in only their first 24 months since production began! 2023 has half a dozen BPLC saddles doing a combined 10,000+ km on Australia’s Bicentennial Trail, Several crossing the Americas, Mongolia, Zimbabwe, and over 10 countries in the EU!
Why choose our saddles?
Pete became a saddle maker for one simple reason… saddles follow FASHION NOT FIT. Sadly, more than 90% of saddles do not fit the horse they are on correctly. English saddles are not at all suitable for long riding, and Western are very heavy. As a result, Pete decided to throw out all the rules and just make saddles that follow the 9 principals of saddle fit to the letter, and encourage the horse to carry itself and its rider as efficiently as possible. By using Carbon/Kevlar skins over a foam body, BPLC saddles are made to fit both rider and horse as close to perfectly as possible. They have an open shoulder to encourage dynamic movement without restrictions, a wide channel flared at the rear to protect the spine, and are clear of the withers not just on top, but on the sides too. Most importantly they are comfortable on LONG rides, and are easily shimmed and adjusted.
2024 BPLC price list “inc VAT” and fine print.
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. I have to add 19.5% VAT, 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.
Email us at “beprofessionallookcool@outlook.com” for all sales enquires.
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 on measuring your horse are given at the time of ordering to ensure the saddle fits you and your horse perfectly.
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 second hand saddles. In order to keep ourselves at the cutting edge of the industry, we build new saddles before each long ride.
Gen VI - long rider saddles 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”.
Gen II - ultra light saddle. 2500€
My horse is an absolute weapon, and I love nothing more than letting him loose through the forest at the gallop as I reach 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, and 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, a pair of girths and breastplate. Reindeer skin cover, and sheepskin saddle pad. All you need is a bride, and you are ready to ride.
Gen II - Trail saddles from 2200€
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. Saddle fitters have LOVED our saddles, as have equine body workers and vets. Without exception 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”. We do the trail saddles as a “ready to ride” package, and they can come with a reindeer skin from Finland to make sure your horse is as comfortable on the trail as humanly possible. They do NOT have the ability to attach a rear roll bag however, setting them apart from the Gen V long rider saddles.
Gen II - Trail saddles come with…
A 27 strand mohair girth with stainless steel rings and nylon straps and a nylon rear cinch.
Biothane stirrup leathers, and flexible composite stirrups wide enough to suit hiking boots.
A sheepskin saddle cover that comes with two large drink bottle holders with two large medical pouches.
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€
Add a reindeer skin for 200€
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 to 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 throw at them.
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 much smaller 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 I - long rider mule saddles 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”.
Learn to make your own saddles, or have us put the ultimate package together for you, either way, we are here to help!
One on one saddle making tuition in Bavaria. 1750€ per/person
‘I will host a course anywhere in the world by negotiation.”
I get it… you are on a budget. When I started out I couldn’t afford to spend thousands on a saddle but not having done so is a huge regret. I damaged my horses, and I can never undo this sadly.
However, I can help others in building their own saddles and educating in how to both fit a saddle, and keep it fitting well throughout the duration of your ride. I am happy to accommodate anyone interested at my home for 3 days and nights, and teach you how to build your own saddles using my techniques I have developed after both years of research and thousands of hours development and testing. You come away from the course with all you need to complete your own carbon / kevlar saddle, and the knowledge to make as many more as you like.
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!
Bare saddles, girths, outdoor gear, etc… we make it all!
Bare carbon or carbon/kevlar saddles or custom jobs. From 1750€
A carbon fibre saddle in either medium wide or wide, in either 14, 15, or 16 inches. It is a bare saddle only, it does not come with the points to secure a rear roll bag or breastplate, but these can be added for an additional 150€ and 2 neoprene saddle pads can be added for 150€. Twin mohair girths and mohair can be added for 250€, a Biothane / mohair breastplate can be added for 100€ Biothane stirrup leathers, and flexible composite stirrups with Biothane cages wide enough to suit hiking boots can be added for 150€. Lastly, a sheep skin cover with drink bottle holders, medical pouches and sheepskin fenders can be added for 300€. Carbon/Kevlar are considerably harder to make, so cost an additional 250€.
Saddles can be made in other shapes and sizes, as well as fitted in person to your horse for an additional charge by negotiation. All saddles have a deep channel clear of the horse’s spine with a wide opening at the rear and are designed to have 220 square inches of contact with the horse’s load bearing surface and no contact at all with the withers. They do not look, nor feel like a traditional saddle and are a cross between a Mongolian, Aussie stock, Western, Military and Uzbek saddle and are specifically designed for long riding.
Rear saddle bags. From 300€
Twin 10 litre bags constructed of coated 1000den Cordura double stitched with Dynema thread and attached over the saddle via a chassis constructed of polyester webbing. The bags are padded to the inside to protect the horse and come with high quality plastic clips and are lined with submersible 10ltr bags making them both 100% waterproof and durable enough to last years and at least 10,000km of use. Twin medical pouches can also be added on request for and additional 50€.
Front saddle bags. From 100€
Front bags are designed to attach individually to the horn of either one of our saddles, or any saddle with a horn. They are made of coated 1000den Cordura double stitched with Dynema thread and are suitable for carrying a Jetboil stove, tethers, or hard feed for the horses. The bags are fastened closed with high quality plastic clips, and twin straps used to attach a tether on the outside of the bag can be added for an additional 10€. Twin medical pouches can also be added on request for and additional 50€ and waterproof inner bags can also be added for an additional 50€.
Tethers. 8m 150€ / 12m 175€
Our tethers are made with heat treated 316 stainless steel and are very light as well as durable. They come in either 8- or 10-meter lengths and are made of 25mm x 2.5mm Biothane. Biothane is both very durable, and waterproof, meaning it doesn’t smell when the horses urinate on it, and is very friendly on a horse if they become tangled. The tethers have 2 swivels, as well as two light weight carabiner clips and are made of the highest quality materials we can source.
The essentials. 200€
With any saddle or saddle bag order we can add and attach where needed a lightweight axe / hammer for chopping wood and putting in a tether. We also add an IFAK med kit which contains a life and limb saving CAT torniquet, Israeli dressing and other essential items. I also include a SAM splint that can be used to splint limbs or make a neck brace. We will also sew on a pouch containing a multi tool for repairs on the road. A “Speedy Stitcher” and repair kit is also included containing all the items we needed while on the road.
REAL wild skins. from 50€
We are uniquely placed on the border of the Czech Republic, as well as having friends from here all the way to Mongolia who can supply us with ETHICALLY sourced wild skins and furs for use as with saddle blankets or coverings. We get absolutely superb sheep skins either short, and suitable for under a saddle, or very thick and luxurious for saddle covers. They are heavy, smell like a sheep and although professionally tanned, these are not the bleached lifeless rags you will find in tourist shops. These vary from 50 - 100€ depending on size and colour. We can also supply gorgeous first grade reindeer skins for 200€ and rate these as the single best saddle blankets on earth. Having switched to riding with reindeer skins, we will never go back as they offer the horse a superb degree of comfort and protection from rubs.
Light weight shelter. 250€
Made of ultra-light weight silicone coated, diamond ripstop Cordura, the lightweight shelter is a very simple item that just has nothing about it that can fail if used correctly. Its dimensions are 3 x 3.5meters and it has 8 strong polyester paracord attachments and comes with 12 pegs. It comes with 2 light weight 11mm aluminium poles and is as simple a shelter as you will find. There are no zips that can fail, it allows good airflow in summer and you wouldn’t believe just how waterproof it is. Its biggest benefit is you can see the horses, and get to them very quickly if needed.
Double swag “bivi bag”. 450€
Made of coated 1000den Cordura double stitched with Dynema thread for the underside, the swag is very durable when laid on rough ground, with its top side made of waterproof but highly breathable 3-layer laminate ripstop material. Its dimensions are 140cm x200cm and comes ready to put up under a light weight shelter to function like a tent, or can be rolled straight on the ground so you can sleep under the stars. It also has a fine fly mesh to protect you from insects at both ends and is what we consider the best option for fog and humid conditions as the air flow reduces condensation considerably, while providing excellent weather protection, winter warmth, and cool, comfortable nights in summer.
Swag “bivi bag”. 300€
Made of coated 1000den Cordura double stitched with Dynema thread for the underside, the swag is very durable when laid on rough ground, with its top side made of waterproof but highly breathable 3-layer laminate ripstop material. Its dimensions are 80cm x200cm and comes with two 11mm aluminium poles and 6 pegs so that it can be popped up like a mini tent if desired. It also has a fine fly mesh to protect you from insects and is the easiest way to have your bed out and ready in seconds. The twin 2-meter zips are YYK coil type and very durable, and the whole swag rolls up into a waterproof roll secured by two straps.
