Choosing between equestrian saddles & pads usually comes down to a practical tension: do you want an all-purpose English setup with key fittings included, or a dedicated close-contact jump saddle in a different seat size? Here, both choices carry the same listed price, so the useful decision is riding role, setup contents, and the fit details attached to each saddle-not a price hunt.
Quick verdict
Choose the 18" Crosby Mark VI Spring Seat English Saddle Package if you want the broader everyday-riding role and a package built around the saddle. It is classified as All Purpose and described for everyday riding, school masters, or lower-level jumping. Choose the Cliff Barnsby English Close Contact Jump Saddle if your priority is specifically the close-contact jumping format. Its 16.5-inch seat and medium tree make the fit specification a central part of the choice.
At a glance
| Saddle | Listed price | Type and size | Named setup detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18" Crosby Mark VI package | USD 350.00 | All Purpose, 18 in | Stirrup leathers, Centaur irons, Toklat Medallion pad |
| Cliff Barnsby close-contact jump saddle | USD 350.00 | Jumping/Close Contact, 16.5 in | Suede trim; medium tree |
Where each saddle wins
Crosby: broader everyday use
The Crosby has the stronger case when one saddle needs to cover ordinary riding plus school-master work or lower-level jumping. Those uses are stated alongside its All Purpose classification, so the recommendation comes from its defined role rather than from guessing at performance. The complete-package format is another practical advantage for a shopper who wants named fittings and a pad included with the saddle.
Cliff Barnsby: a dedicated jumping format
The Cliff Barnsby wins for a shopper whose search starts with "English close-contact jump saddle." That is the model and saddle type named for it, making its purpose more specific than the Crosby's all-purpose designation. The 16.5-inch size, medium tree, and suede trim are useful decision points, but they should be considered as specifications-not as automatic signs of a better ride.
Product notes
18" Crosby Mark VI Spring Seat English Saddle Package
The case for the Crosby is straightforward: it combines an 18-inch Mark VI Combination Spring Seat saddle with a Toklat Medallion shaped fleece pad, 56-inch stirrup leathers, and 4 3/4-inch Centaur stainless steel stirrup irons with pads. That makes the package appealing when you want the saddle and several named fittings together rather than a saddle alone. Its All Purpose classification and stated use for everyday riding, school masters, or lower-level jumping also give it the broader role in this comparison. The limitation is concrete: it is used and specified with a narrow/medium-narrow tree or gullet, plus an 18-inch seat. Those specifications and the condition are central to the choice, so the package is a particular fit decision rather than a universal one.
Cliff Barnsby English Close Contact Jump Saddle
The Cliff Barnsby earns its place for a rider who wants the category named in its title: an English close-contact jump saddle. Its 16.5-inch seat, medium tree, brown color, used condition, and suede trim are identified, while the model is listed as Jumping/Close Contact. That focused format is the concrete reason to choose it over the Crosby's all-purpose framing. The practical limitation is the fit history attached to this saddle: it began pinching a horse's shoulder after that horse became broader and more muscled through the shoulder. That specific experience makes the horse's current shape and the saddle's present fit important parts of the decision, rather than details to overlook when choosing a jumping saddle.
Final choice by use case
- Choose the Crosby for an all-purpose English saddle package, everyday riding, school-master work, or lower-level jumping, especially when the named pad and fittings matter.
- Choose the Cliff Barnsby when the target is specifically an English close-contact jumping saddle and its 16.5-inch seat, medium tree, and suede trim align with your riding setup.
- Make horse fit the tie-breaker by weighing the Crosby's narrow/medium-narrow tree or gullet against the Cliff Barnsby's stated shoulder-pinching history.
The cleanest decision is the job you want the saddle to do: broader English use with a packaged setup points to the Crosby, while a dedicated close-contact jumping format points to the Cliff Barnsby.
