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Serving the World for five Generations..... John Hill, a Master Saddler in England, moved to Australia in the mid 1800's. When he arrived to Australia he traded a block of land in the heart of Sydney for a gallon of rum. John operated his business in Sydney for six years before deciding to move to Brisbane, Queensland, where he would be the only saddle maker. John's son, Frederick was apprenticed to his father in 1870. Frederick, a very accomplished saddler soon began winning medals and awards for his outstanding work, winning a gold medal in Paris in 1889. Frederick passed the family business onto his son Sydney in 1934, hence the name "Syd Hill and Sons". Sydney passed the business onto his sons in 1948. One of the sons - Jim, was very innovative and Syd Hill and Sons quickly became a name synonymous with top quality products and cutting edge ideas. Ideas that positioned them as the largest saddle manufacturers in the Southern Hemisphere, and known around the World as suppliers of premium quality products. In 1993 Jim and Arthur retired, and a new Company, "Hill's Saddle Company" was formed by Jim's son Paul. Today, Paul Hill operates a modern factory complex on the north side of Brisbane, carrying on a tradition of excellence that began, more than 150 years ago. You'll find the "Syd Hill" / "Toowoomba Collection" of Australian saddles unmatched for their quality, consistency and exceptional design. Such a fine product deserves great distribution and customer service - provided by Down Under Saddle Supply of Denver, Colorado. Down Under Saddle Supply carries more Syd Hill saddles in stock than anyone. We are authorized Syd Hill and Toowoomba Saddlery distributors and we have the product knowledge to help you select just the right saddle. |
Steve Brady Signature Series |
Custom Order Information
Taken care of, a Syd Hill saddle will last many, many years. Because their saddle will be with them for a long time, many of our customers would like to have one "just the way they want it". We are happy to custom order a Syd Hill saddle for you, and there is no additional charge for the saddle or for our personalized service. A custom order only requires a 50%, non-refundable deposit. It generally takes six to ten weeks to receive the saddle, depending on the factory's workload. Custom orders can include the following:
Give us a call, and let us help you design your "dream saddle". We're passionate about Syd Hill saddles, and helping with custom orders is one of our favorite tasks. We can help select the right saddle for your riding style, your horse, and your personal preferences. |
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Syd Hill Collection Panel Types
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Serge Panel |
"Syd Hill Collection" Serge Panel
This kind of panel is self adjusting, the saddle fit keeps improving with each and every ride, until it has conformed to the shape of your horse. This kind of panel will sit higher on the horse when new, but will lower when the panel begins to conform to your horse. This however, will only work if you have the correct tree width to suit your horse, please refer to our horse fitment details for more information (click here). The stuffing in Syd Hill Collection Saddles is an acrylic flock and it is unlikely that you will ever need to reawl or restuff a saddle that uses acrylic flock in the panel. A serge panel saddle is best suited for horses with medium to higher withers, and is ideal for the majority of horses. This is the most popular type of Australian saddle and will provide many years of service. |
Felt Panel
Fleece Panel |
"Syd Hill Collection" Felt / Fleece Panel
Felt panels or sheepskin panels are most commonly seen on Western saddles, and are fitted to Aussie saddles that are made with extended bars on the saddle tree. The riders weight is spread over a larger area on the horses back, (due to the extended bars) amounting to less pounds per square inch of weight on the horses back. However, this kind of panel is best suited for horses that have a long wide flat back. If you use this kind of saddle on a horse with a short back, the extended panels will irritate / rub the horse. Additionally, if your horse has any curve to its back, this kind of panel will cause a bridging effect, whereby all the riders weight will be placed on four points on the horse's back (either side at the front and either side at the back). However, if your horse has a wide flat back, this is an excellent choice...... |
Other Syd Hill Details
Stylecast Tree |
Syd Hill and Toowoomba Collection saddles are made from the finest grade leather available and only solid brass hardware is used. Advanced lock stitch sewing machines are used to keep each stitch in place.
The saddles are made on a Stylecast saddle tree which is a high expansion polyurethane material, which is extremely strong with a degree of flexibility. This material is also used in the manufacture of aircraft components and high performance vehicle products. All saddle trees are guaranteed against breakage and distortion for a ten-year period. |
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See our collection of fine Syd Hill saddles. |
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See quality Australian made saddles from Toowoomba Saddlery |
