Choosing equestrian saddles & pads can feel difficult when four close-contact and jumping saddles differ in seat size, tree wording, flap details, included accessories, and price. The quickest way to narrow the choice is to decide which matters most: a particular seat size, a named configuration, an included tack bundle, or the lowest listed price.
Quick take
All four saddles are listed as used and brown, so those shared details do not separate them. Butet and Cliff Barnsby occupy the smaller-seat part of the comparison, while Antares and Bates are the 18-inch choices. Cliff Barnsby has Medium Tree and Suede Trim wording, Antares and Bates list Monoflap, and Bates explicitly includes stirrups and leathers. Butet and Antares each include a saddle cover. The comparison therefore comes down to the exact riding brief rather than a single all-purpose recommendation.
Listed-price comparison
The listed prices run from $350 to $1,650, an absolute spread of $1,300. The bars show each price's position within this four-saddle comparison.
| Saddle | Listed price | Price bar |
|---|---|---|
| Butet Close Contact Jump Saddle 16-inch | $1,000 | |
| Cliff Barnsby English Close Contact Jump Saddle 16.5 Medium Tree | $350 | |
| Antares Close Contact Jumping Saddle - size 18 | $1,295 | |
| Bates Caprilli Close Contact 18-inch | $1,650 |
Decision matrix
- Seat-size lane: Butet is 16 inches, Cliff Barnsby is 16.5 inches, and both Antares and Bates are 18 inches. Treat those as selection criteria, not as proof of fit for a particular rider or horse.
- Riding format: The Butet, Cliff Barnsby, and Antares names identify close-contact or jumping use. Bates also uses Close Contact in its name. Shared jumping language is not an advantage for one saddle over another.
- Configuration wording: Cliff Barnsby names a Medium Tree, while Antares and Bates list Monoflap. These are useful descriptors when they match the terminology in your riding brief.
- Included items: Butet and Antares include covers. Bates includes stirrups and leathers, plus an Easy Change Gullet System. Cliff Barnsby's accessories are described as items that can be included.
Product notes
Butet Close Contact Jump Saddle
The Butet Close Contact Jump Saddle suits a brief centered on a brown, French-made close-contact jumping saddle with a 16-inch seat. The listed model is Butet Close Contact, and the condition is used; it also includes a Butet cover and has supple leather described as well cared for. Those details give it a clear identity beyond the category phrase. The limitation is the 16-inch seat: that is a specific size, so it is not the right starting point for a rider whose brief calls for an 18-inch seat. Choose it when the Butet model, French origin, and included cover matter more than moving to a larger listed seat.
Cliff Barnsby English Close Contact Jump Saddle
Cliff Barnsby offers a price-first route with a 16.5-inch Medium Tree description, brown color, used condition, United Kingdom origin, and Suede Trim. The Medium Tree wording is a concrete configuration detail for shoppers comparing tree descriptions directly. Its limitation is the accessory language: stirrups and stirrup leathers can be included, rather than being stated as definite components of the package. The description also identifies it as a jumping saddle for a flat-backed horse, but that past use does not establish a universal fit result. Choose Cliff Barnsby when the low end of the listed price range and its 16.5-inch Medium Tree wording align with your brief.
Antares Close Contact Jumping Saddle
Antares Close Contact Jumping Saddle - size 18 is a direct match for a shopper seeking an 18-inch jumping saddle with Monoflap listed as a feature. Its configuration also includes a long, forward flap profile, built-up front panels, and an Antares microfleece-lined saddle cover. Those details help distinguish the setup without turning them into performance claims. A concrete limitation is that the saddle pad shown for display does not come with it, and the condition is used. Choose Antares when the 18-inch seat, Monoflap feature, and included cover fit the brief; the separate saddle-pad detail matters if a pad is part of the intended purchase.
Bates Caprilli Close Contact
Bates Caprilli Close Contact is the package-focused choice for an 18-inch Monoflap saddle that includes stirrups and leathers. The Easy Change Gullet System is also explicitly included, giving this option a named accessory feature that the other saddles do not share in the same combination. The trade-off is its $1,650 listed price, the highest in this comparison, along with its used condition. Choose Bates when the included tack and gullet-system wording are central to the purchase rather than choosing on price alone. Its 18-inch seat also places it in the same size lane as Antares, so the bundle is the clearer distinction between them.
Final recommendation by use case
- For a 16-inch close-contact jumping brief: Choose the Butet Close Contact Jump Saddle for its named model, French origin, and included cover.
- For the lowest listed-price path: Choose the Cliff Barnsby English Close Contact Jump Saddle, especially if its Medium Tree and Suede Trim wording match your requirements.
- For an 18-inch Monoflap saddle with a cover: Choose the Antares Close Contact Jumping Saddle.
- For an 18-inch Monoflap setup with named tack included: Choose the Bates Caprilli Close Contact because it includes stirrups, leathers, and the Easy Change Gullet System.
The practical shortlist is simple: start with the seat-size lane, then use the tree or Monoflap wording and included accessories to break the tie. The $1,300 spread makes price a meaningful final filter, but the configuration should come first.
