The CWD Saddle I Loved… and the One That Broke My Heart

There are some purchases in the horse world that feel bigger than money.
A saddle is one of them.

When you have a hard-to-fit horse, ordering a saddle isn’t just shopping—it’s hope. It’s the belief that this piece of leather and foam might finally make things easier. Kinder. More comfortable. For both of you.

I know this because I’ve ordered the same saddle brand twice.
And only one of those stories had a happy ending.

The First One Felt Like a Promise

My first CWD saddle felt like a miracle. It fit my horse. It fit me. My horse moved freely, without tension, without complaint. He felt softer in his body, more willing, like he could finally breathe through his back.

It was one of those rare horse moments where you think, Oh. This is it. This is what everyone talks about.

I trusted that saddle. I trusted the brand. And maybe most of all, I trusted that if I ever needed another one, the experience would be the same.

The Second One… Wasn’t

The second time around, I had another hard-to-fit horse. Careful. Sensitive. The kind who tells you immediately when something is wrong—but quietly, in ways you only notice if you’re really listening.

I followed the process. The fittings. The adjustments. The reassurances.

The saddle went back once.
Then again.
Then a third time.

Each time, I was told it would be better. Each time, it came back… not quite right. My horse never settled into it. Something always felt off—subtle, but persistent. The kind of feeling that makes you replay rides in your head later and wonder why you didn’t speak up sooner.

And then the leather split at the pommel😱.

That was the moment my heart sank. Not just because of the saddle—but because of what it represented. The trust. The time. The belief that this would eventually work.

When Confidence Starts to Crumble

What hurt the most wasn’t the inconvenience or even the cost. It was realizing that the confidence I had in the fitting process wasn’t there anymore.

When your horse is hard to fit, you lean heavily on expertise. You want to feel seen. You want to believe that someone understands your horse as an individual—not a template.

Somewhere along the way, that feeling slipped through the cracks.

A Question I Couldn’t Shake

Later, I learned that around 2012 or 2013, CWD became part of the LIM Group.

I don’t say this to place blame. I truly don’t. But it did make me wonder.

Could that explain why my first saddle felt so special… and the second felt like a stranger wearing the same name?

Sometimes things change quietly. Materials. Manufacturing. Philosophy. And sometimes, you only notice when something you once loved doesn’t feel the same anymore.

What This Taught Me

Here’s what I learned—slowly, reluctantly, and with a lot of second-guessing:

A brand can stay the same while the experience changes.
A good first experience doesn’t guarantee a second.
And our horses always know the truth, even when we’re still trying to talk ourselves out of it.

I wanted that saddle to work. I really did. But wanting isn’t the same as fitting.

If you’ve ever loved a piece of tack—and then felt quietly let down by its replacement—you’re not alone. These stories live in tack rooms and trailer aisles everywhere. We just don’t always say them out loud.

This one felt worth telling. 💛

What I Learned After Doing a Little Digging

After my saddle experience, I did what most of us eventually do—I went down the internet rabbit hole. Not to assign blame, but to understand context. And here’s what I learned.

LIM Group, short for Leather In Motion, is a French equestrian conglomerate focused on high-end custom saddles and horse-related products. The group was created by bringing together several well-known saddle makers under one umbrella, with the stated goal of combining traditional craftsmanship with innovation and technical development.

LIM Group was founded in 2013 by Laurent Duray, a French entrepreneur and rider. From the very beginning, two iconic saddle brands formed the backbone of the group: CWD and Devoucoux.

The Saddle Brands Under LIM Group

As of today, these are the major premium saddle brands that fall under the LIM Group umbrella—something I didn’t know when I ordered my second saddle, but found interesting in hindsight.

CWD
A leading French saddle maker known for elite custom saddles. CWD became part of LIM Group at the time the group was formed, with most sources placing that transition around 2012–2013.

Devoucoux
Founded in 1985, Devoucoux built its reputation on craftsmanship and custom fit. The brand was officially acquired by LIM Group in 2013, the same year the group itself was established.

Butet
A historic French saddle brand, also included in LIM Group’s saddle portfolio, known for its traditional feel and loyal following.

Albion
A respected British saddle maker that joined LIM Group more recently, following its acquisition in October 2022.

Why This Information Matters (At Least to Me)

Learning this didn’t suddenly explain everything—but it did help me frame my experience. Brands evolve. Ownership changes. Manufacturing philosophies shift, even when logos stay the same. And sometimes, the saddle you loved years ago belongs to a slightly different chapter than the one you’re buying from today.

I’m not drawing hard conclusions—just sharing what I learned, and why it made me pause. For riders with hard-to-fit horses, those details can matter more than we realize.

And sometimes, understanding the backstory helps us trust our instincts a little more next time.

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10/23/2026 01:43 am GMT