At first I was pleased, but then I wasn't. A custom saddle for $7,350 -- useless after 18 months. I bought the saddle with the included and promised service of reflocking and, of course, checking on the saddle. Rechecking on the saddle looked like so: Mehrdad arrives two hours late (no apologies of course), stops his little Mercedes in the middle of the parking area, doesn't even turn off the engine, looks at me and the horse with the saddle on (uneven ground) for 30 seconds (!) and claims all his fine. After I question if this is enough of an evaluation, he offers his standard answer: "...30 years experience , da da da da da..." And so it goes on. He is extremely rude and extremly unprofessional. And his saddles are really hurting the horses. At a show a friend of mine got pulled out from a judge to tell her that her custom JRD saddle is too long for her horse. Mehrdad never returned her calls or emails. What I hear over and over again at our barn is that, after he gets your money, he doesn't care. In all fairness, there is a trainer and she is happy with her saddle. The resale value is very bad either. Read other reviews about JRD saddles on horse blogs; the complaints sound all very familiar and similar. I bought the saddle in March 2023. The photos from the leather were made in August 2023. The other photos are from November 2024. read more

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Had a saddle repaired here that I thought was a lost cause. He did a beautiful job. Very happy!

I recently purchased a JRD dressage saddle. I am more than happy with the saddle and the service I got. Mehrdad came out and measured me and my horse- then got started building me a saddle. The horse did not work out, so he halted work while I found another horse. He was fine with the delay, never put any pressure on me. When the next horse I got needed some time to put on weight and re-muscle up his back, Mehrdad understood completely. He then came out and measured my horse again when I thought he was better developed. They immediately shipped me a loaner, but Peru (the horse) wasn't a fan- and I told Mehrdad about it. Mehrdad halted production on my saddle again and sent the tree out to the metal worker, I think to shorten the bars (hard horse to fit- broad shouldered but high withers) so his shoulders can move freer. When I was confused on leather choices, he invited me up to the shop to confirm he had it right. He answered my questions every step of the way, a true professional. The final saddle fits Peru so well. When I first put it on him, he actually started arching his back, testing it out, before I ever rode in it. Immediately I noticed that it was easy to get him to stretch down while riding. He loves his new saddle. Best of all, for me, is that instead of my lower back aching when I ride, it aches if I DON'T ride! It actually makes my back feel so much better. Dawn was extrememly nice and helpful as well. When my fiance asked what size my saddle's seat was, she answered "Sarah Size." I liked that. I feel that although it seems pricey, this saddle is worth every penny, and in reality very reasonably priced. You can easily buy off the rack saddles for the same price, but they will never fit you or your horse like a custom. I have a saddle and a saddlemaker for life. For something that you ride in every day, something that can help or hinder your horse, it was and is a true bargain. I encourage anyone looking for a dressage saddle to forget the off-the-rack saddle and invest in a custom saddle from JRD. I could not be happier! read more

Best saddles worldwide! Merdad is truly an expert at his craft and takes pride in his work. Annie in the office is also a total gem

I have a JRD custom dressage saddle (had for 3 years now), fitted and serviced by Mehrdad. This is the absolute best saddle I've ever had, and the only saddle that has fit my horse well- not an easy-to-fit horse, nor am I an easy-to-fit rider. Unlike "mass produced" saddles, this is definitely hand crafted and truly a work of art. Because Mehrdad is the only one servicing the saddles, patience is required for appointments. However, I would much rather wait for someone as skilled as he is than risk having other so-called "fitters" screw up my saddle. I've unfortunately experienced this and it's not worth it. I am not at a training barn nor was I referred by a trainer. read more

I once had a trainer who insisted I would be a better rider if I bought a custom saddle from JRD Saddles (owner, Merhdad). I was fitted by Merhdad and paid $3500 for a "custom" dressage saddle. I ended up with a saddle that didn't fit. I called Merhdad and left several messages then he finally found the time to call me back. After explaining that my saddle did not fit me correctly, he told me to place a wash cloth underneath it to fix the issues I was having. After several more phone calls and failed attempts to have Merhdad correct the problem, I ended up with an expensive piece of leather that resembles a dressage saddle. Bottom line, save your money and buy from someone who stands behind their product. read more

I ordered a custom made saddle from JRD/Saddle Solutions, last year. It is a beautiful saddle, and it has helped my riding position immensely. The horse I ride is difficult to fit in an, "off the shelf" saddle. The custom JRD saddle fits him to a tee. I am very thankful to JRD/Saddle Solution for a top of the line custom product. Robin Davidson - satisfied customer read more

I would NOT recommend Mehrdad (owner) or JRD saddles. He behaves unprofessionally and is difficult to contact or schedule refitting. If you leave a trainer that he works with, he won't service your saddle. Caveat emptor! No, nein, nyet! read more

I had a pretty bad experience from this Saddlery. He way over charged for the fitting and then could not get the saddle to fit. He tried twice to fit the saddle and the saddle still was hurting my horse. He became slow to respond to me and I gave up. I got a different saddler out and now the saddle fits my horse much better. Now my horse is not getting sore anymore and I am balanced in the saddle. I would not recommend place. read more

Refitting of a JRD Saddle resulted in a exceptionally poor fit and severe pain for my horse. Rather than correcting the problem Mehrdad has chosen to ignore my letters and e-mails for assistance. I have had to purchase another saddle to get around the issue. His saddles are extremely expensive; which, for some, may translate into quality. While the workmanship of the saddle is good, the response to complaints is not. read more

I am very disappointed with the service received from JRD saddles. A custom-fitted, extremely expensive saddle made for my horse made her sore, angry and girth sensitive. Two attempts to get the saddle refitted failed at which point I requested a refund and/or assistance with selling the saddle. My phone calls, e-mails AND a registered letter are still unanswered after two months. If you are not part of a large barn (California or Florida) where JRD Saddles receives a high flow of work it appears you and your horse are of minimal concern. I would not recommend the purchase of saddle from this company. The lack of service you receive once payment has been made clearly points toward non-existent company integrity. read more