Kieffer Saddles Serial Number

Posted on by

Finding the right Saddle Tree and Panel combination for different horse types

Assigning Saddle Components correctly

Stubben Saddle Serial Number Lookup. Stubben saddle serial number is assigned to the saddle for identification and inventory purposes. The serial number, printed on the label or the saddle itself, is a specific set of numbers and alphabets that helps the brand with authentication and to distinguish the saddle from others. Kieffer saddles especially older ones could definitely be dated to a year. The stamp is coded, but I can't remember if it's at the front (prefix) or the end (suffix). I would suggest emailing Kieffer and asking them. My dear departed old Kieffer Wien was clearly identified by its date of manufacture and its size. So I presume the later ones are.

Which Kieffer saddle corresponds best to the shape of your horse's back?

The following information chart helps you finding the right Kieffer saddle by chosing the correct saddle tree and panel combination. Get an overview which saddle tree is suitable for which horse type and which saddle panel variation is available.

Possible combinations for saddles fitted with Saddle Tree ‘Exclusive‘

The Kieffer saddle tree ‘Exclusive’ (with gullet plate) is characterised by an open, distinctive cut back pommel, a curved form as well as longer tree tips. It is well-suited for normal to high-withered horses with normal to curved backline.

Standard

Gusseted panel, classic cut, standard flocking volume – perfect for horses with a normal round back and adequetely developed muscles.

DRESSAGE SADDLES

Action, Ascona, Ascona II, Lech Profi, Lusitano Evo, Lusitano Kür, Malmö, Orphee Ultra, Paris, Piet, Ulla Salzgeber

JUMP SADDLES

Brussels, Jump Vario, Koof AT, Koof FL, Liverpool

GENERAL PURPOSE SADDLES

Aachen, Europe CT, Garmisch, Garmisch Evolution, Zürich

ENDURANCE SADDLES

Drop Panel

Gusseted panel, enlarged volume and contact area at the front of the panel – perfect for horses with atrophies behind the shoulder, high withered or slightly swaybacked horses.

DRESSAGE SADDLES

Action, Ascona, Ascona II, Lech Profi, Lusitano Evo, Lusitano Kür, Malmö, Orphee Ultra, Paris, Piet, Ulla Salzgeber, Wellington

GENERAL PURPOSE SADDLES

Aachen, Europe CT, Garmisch, Garmisch Evolution, Zürich

ENDURANCE SADDLES

Passage

Gusseted panel, shortened panel at the front – perfect for horses with a wide back and costal arch and / or well-muscled horses.

DRESSAGE SADDLES

Champion, Lech Profi, Lusitano Evo, Lusitano Kür, Orphee Ultra, Passage

ENDURANCE SADDLES

Passage + DP

Gusseted panel, shortened panel at the front combined with Drop Panel cut – perfect for horses with a wide back and costal arch and / or well-muscled horses.

DRESSAGE SADDLES

Champion, Lech Profi, Lusitano Evo, Lusitano Kür, Orphee Ultra, Passage, Young Profi G-Pony

ENDURANCE SADDLES

Shortened in the rear

Gusseted panel, shortened panel in the rear with lower volume and smaller contact area (-1,5 cm) – ideal for horses with a very short back and / or significant rising lumbar vertebrae.

DRESSAGE SADDLES

Serial

Champion, Lech Profi, Lusitano Evo, Lusitano Kür, Orphee Ultra, Passage, Young Profi G-Pony

ENDURANCE SADDLES

More height (rear)

Gusseted panel, enlarged volume in the rear – ideal for horses with a significant difference in height between the withers and the 18th thoracic vertebra and / or slanting or straight saddle position.

DRESSAGE SADDLES

Number

Action, Ascona, Ascona II, Lech Profi, Lusitano Evo, Lusitano Kür, Malmö, Orphee Ultra, Paris, Piet, Ulla Salzgeber

JUMP SADDLES

Jump Vario, Koof AT, Koof FL, Liverpool

Kieffer Saddle Serial Number

GENERAL PURPOSE SADDLES

Aachen, Europe CT, Garmisch, Garmisch Evolution, Zürich

ENDURANCE SADDLES

The saddle models Athen, Florenz, Orphee, Kieffer’s Monoblatt, Kieffer Move® and Distance are fitted with individual panel cuts.

Our recommendations for Saddle Tree ‘Exclusive’

Horse with slightly swaybacked backline and sloping lumbar vertebrae

High-withered horse with longer slope into the saddle contact area

Horse with short, rounded back and significant rising lumbar vertebrae

Horse with well-balanced contact area and slightly sloping lumbar vertebrae

Possible combinations for saddles fitted with Saddle Tree ‘1000 Exclusive’

Saddle Tree ‘1000 Exclusive’ (with gullet plate) is characterised by its shuttered pommel, a straight form as well as shorter tree tips. This saddle tree is suitable for low-withered horses with a straight backline and highly recommended for wide-backed horses with a well-muscled topline.

1000 Standard Gusseted Panel

Gusseted panel, classic cut, standard flocking volume – perfect for athletic horses with a straight, short contact area.

DRESSAGE SADDLES

Innovation, Lexington, Göteborg, Rotterdam, Young Profi M-Pony, Pony S-Sport

JUMP SADDLES

Arezzo, Jana

GENERAL PURPOSE SADDLES

ICELANDIC HORSE SADDLES

1000 Standard Foam Panel

Foam panel, classic cut, standard volume – perfect for athletic horses with a straight, short contact area.

JUMP SADDLES

Arezzo, Jana

1000 Half Panel

Gusseted panel, shortened panel at the front – perfect for horses with a wide back and costal arch and / or well-muscled horses

DRESSAGE SADDLES

Innovation, Lexington, Göteborg, Rotterdam, Young Profi M-Pony, Pony S-Sport

GENERAL PURPOSE SADDLES

Extra Wide Foam Panel

Foam panel with extra wide contact area – perfect for horses with a wider back and straight, short contact area

DRESSAGE SADDLES

GENERAL PURPOSE SADDLES

TREKKING SADDLES

Kieffer’s Trail, Trekk Vario

Our recommendations for Saddle Tree ‘1000 Exclusive’

Overbuilt horse with slightly curved backline and conical shaped torso

Horse with long and straight backline

Kieffer Saddles Serial Number

Horse with relatively straight backline and slightly sloping lumbar vertebrae

Horse with well-balanced contact area and slightly sloping lumbar vertebrae

certified by the ’Austrian Department For Animal Welfare’

Animal welfare-compliant

Our made to measure saddle concept based on EQUIscan and Saddle-Check (BVFR) measurement data has been renowned as animal welfare-compliant by the ’Austrian Department For Animal Welfare’.

The combination of our saddle tree and panel concepts with professional measurement data enables us to built or adjust custom made to measure saddles fitting perfectly to the horses back. It was and is always our aim to create horse-friendly equipment for healthy horses and lucky riders.

Because of this fact, we are are so proud that our work has been certified as animal welfare-compliant from official side.

Please note: to ensure that a saddle stays always animal welfare-compliant, you have to keep in mind to make regular use of professional check ups, documentation and adjustment.

Hunting for a used French saddle that fits can be a daunting task. Understanding the ‘stamp’ on a saddle can simplify this effort enormously.

All French saddles have a stamp which functions much like a VIN number in a car. It is a unique identifier that provides the owner with information about the saddle. It is usually found on the inside of the sweat flap, but some saddlers stamp the underside of the sweat flap. The stamp tells you the model, seat size, flap length and style, year of manufacture, unique serial number, tree and paneling configuration. Some also will indicate seat style or depth, and block size. However, the fun part is that each manufacturer is unique in their nomenclature.

Kiefer Saddles Serial Numbers

First let’s look at the serial number. In all saddles there is a 2 digit number either preceding or following a longer series of digits. This is the last 2 numbers in the year of manufacture and saddle number. For example, in a CWD the serial number starts with the year while in Voltaire it ends with the year.

In the first picture, a CWD stamp, the serial number is on the bottom line. This is the 52,441 saddle made in 2017. On the first line, as with most saddles, we find information about the model, seat size, and flap. This is a SE02 model, with a 17.5” seat and a 3C flap.

In the second picture, a Voltaire stamp, on the second line we see that this is the 3,494 saddle made in 2017. The first line tells us this a Palm Beach model, while the third line tells us this is a 17.5” seat with a 2A flap.

Kieffer Saddle Serial Numbers

Now let’s look at seat configuration stamping in more detail. The seat measurement indicates the length of the saddle from the ‘button’ on the saddle skirt to the center of the cantle. The model tells you the seat depth and shape. The model is important because not all saddles of a particular brand feel the same. A shallower 17” will feel roomier than a deeper seated 17”. Most manufacturers have very good information on the various saddle models on their websites. So if you tell your used saddle expert that you are looking for a CWD, or Antares, because you rode in your friend’s saddle and ‘loved it’, be prepared to tell them which one!

Flap configuration is generally composed of a number, and a letter or fraction. For example, looking at pictures one and two, the 3 on the CWD and the 2 on the Voltaire, tell you the length of the flap, while the lettering indicates the shape (or width)bof the flap. In a CWD flaps are commonly L or C, with the C shape being wider and rounder (considered the CWD forward flap). In Voltaire, Antares, and Devoucoux, a lettering system is used with N being normal, A being somewhat forward, AA more forward and so on. Butet uses a decimal numbering system or a fraction (depending on the year) to indicate forwardness, with .25 being somewhat forward, .5 medium, and .75 extra forward. Getting the right flap for you means you will be better balanced in the saddle and can get your leg on your horse in the right spot.

The third picture is an example of an Antares stamp. On the first line we see it is the Antares Contact model. Below we see the serial number. It is the 2,491 saddle made in 2012. The third line tells us the flap, a longer (3), normal (N) shaped flap. The fourth line tells us the seat size, a 17.5”, and the seat width, L. Antares has 3 seat widths with E being narrow, L and XL begin the widest.

Now we’ve sorted out the seat and flap sizing, model, and age, we come to the fun part! Will it fit my horse? All the manufactures put information about the paneling on their stamp. Some put information about the tree, however most French saddles are made on medium wide trees and they don’t bother to stamp the tree unless it is a wide tree, in which case you will see the notation AO or Arcade Ouverte.

Kieffer Saddles Usa

Looking again at the CWD stamp the second line begins with PA. Numbers and letters following the PA describe the paneling on this particular saddle. In this case, this saddle has standard panels (ST) with a sculpted out area on the front panels to allow room for the scapula to rotate back (RT). You will frequently see a series of numbers after PA such as 705 305 205. The first digit in each group of numbers refers to the area of the paneling on the saddle, and the second two digits refer to how much additional thickness has been added to that area, in millimeters. If we look at the Voltaire stamp, the fourth and fifth lines tell us the paneling. In this case it is PRO panels with extra thickness in the B and D areas. Looking at the Antares stamp, the tree and paneling information is stamped on the billet guard. It is a T1 tree with M20 panels. If thickness had been added or taken away, it would be indicated by an RAR or RAG followed by a number and plus or minus. Seems complicated? It can be! Just remember, the higher the numbers, the more thickness that has been added or taken away in different areas ,and therefore the saddle has been made with a more customized fit. Also remember, 5 or 10 mm is not much more than a half pad.

The best way to shop for a fine used French saddle that fits? Ride in as many as possible, take pictures of the stamps and then talk with your used saddle retailer who will help you match the features as closely as possible. If you don’t have access to some saddles you can borrow to try, and are looking to upgrade, ask for a recommendation. Be prepared to with your height, body proportions, and breeches size to assess size and flap for you, and some pictures of your horse’s naked back to assess fit for them. Look for a retailer that offers trials, free shipping and no restocking fee to keep costs down! Finally don’t be afraid ask questions! Happy saddle shopping!