Our Customers

 

  Dear Joe & Cindy,

    The Hope Saddle you built for my Rocky Mountain Horse, Dillian, is absolutely wonderful!!! He goes into his gait and holds it as long as I ask with no problem whatsoever now. We both thank you from the bottom of our hearts for a saddle with superb craftsmanship and a comfort neither one of us has known before.

I spent three years and several thousand dollars on trying to find the perfect saddle. The other saddle would be good in one area and fall short in another. The Hope Saddle though has it all, and lucky are we to have finally found you!

Debbie Corey

and of course, Dillian

  

 

 
Joe & Cindy,
    I have been riding my four year old Mustang, Tyr, in an Ortho-Flex Versatile saddle, and have been looking for a suitable western saddle for some time.  A previous attempt resulted in my buying an ill-fitting western trail saddle by Weaver, that interfered with his shoulder movement, and has been for sale since its fourth use.  In April, I ordered a J.J. Maxwell, Wade Trail Saddle, with saddle bags and pommel bags, and received it one week ago.  Believe me, it was worth the wait.  I continue every day to be impressed with the workmanship and fit of this saddle.  From the very first time I put it on my horse his movement and willingness improved immensely.  For the first time, he has complete freedom to use his back and shoulders properly.  It is the most comfortable and best designed saddle I have ridden.  Until now "balance seat" has been an expression rather than a feeling.  Your saddle epitomizes the reality.  After three rides of about one hour each, I felt completely comfortable taking Tyr on a four day trail camp-out with this saddle.  The attached photos will give you an idea of the terrain over which we rode.  The highlight was a six hour ride that rose about 1500 feet over extremely rugged terrain, through bush, on trails that were often non-existent.  Negotiating slopes of 50% or more requires a horse to have complete freedom of movement of his shoulders and hindquarters, and the J.J. Maxwell modified tree does that splendidly.  My advice to anyone contemplating the purchase of a new trail saddle would be to immediately buy a J.J. Maxwell saddle, and avoid the expense and heartache of getting it wrong.  Thank you Cindy and Joe for your service, your good humour, and above all your ability to build a truly superior saddle.
    Please feel free to use this letter to promote your products.
Ray Elliston
RR 3
Almonte, ON, Canada

  

 

 
I wanted to thank you for getting my saddle out to me in time for hunting season. I used it on my mule in Nevada, Idaho and California. This mule has always had a problem  going down hill. She would turn sideways, throw her head and balk. I have always gotten off and walked down hill with her (she is eight.) A friend told me about you and loaned me one of your saddles; it made a new mule out of her. She traveled just as free going downhill as up, no more head tossing or turning sideways and she really stepped out. I ordered my own and after using it all Fall in three states the results are still the same; no more problems. She is a 1000% mule but the draft mule bars fit her (and my other riding mules) real good. I have tried countless saddle and pad combinations over the years trying to fix her up but the best I could come up with would allow me to LEAD her down hill without her turning sideways but she still tossed her head a lot. So I thank you very much for helping out my poor critter.
    

 Sincerely; Tom Higgs

 

  

 

 
Dear Cindy and Joe,  I can't thank you enough for the beautiful, functional, and incredible saddle you built for my daughter's mule, Sineadh.  We had disappointedly gone thru 3-4 saddles including one's that claimed they were "mule saddles," and saddles that took a mold of Sineadh's back before we chanced upon you at the equine affaire.  My daughter had brought her mule up to be the demo mule so it was the perfect time to find the right saddle.  Joe was kind enough to come out to the stalls to personally fit a tree to Sineadh.  What was remarkable was that the paso fino tree fit the best! Joe had the saddle and breast collar ready for the first ride of the season (less than 4 weeks from when we ordered it).  My daughter rides  competitive trail with NATRC (35-50 mile rides) so if the saddle isn't right she knows it.  The saddle was not only perfect it got admiring glances from everyone that saw it (Hope tooling).  My daughter also likes the placement of the stirrups which facillitates a more centered seat.  Mules are like horses, one tree does not work for all.  Joe has come up with a nice and easy system of trying a variety of trees on to find the right match.  My daughter is already begging for the new Wade type saddle although I think she'll have to pay for that one!!
 
Thanks again, Marsha

Goleta, California

  

 

 

I am primarily an English rider with a background in a pony club and combined training. The young Arabian I have now seems to enjoy working with cattle and has gaits typical of a western pleasure horse. I’ve always wanted a good western saddle and not only did I feel that my short-backed Arab had special needs, but I did not want to sacrifice the balanced seat position I am used to in English riding.

 

I couldn’t find a suitable “off-the-rack” saddle that would fit my needs, so I began shopping for a custom made saddle by checking out what people were using and by asking around. Two friends were riding JJ Maxwell saddles and both had purchased theirs for reasons similar to mine in that they wanted a saddle that would fit behind the shoulders and which would promote a balanced riding position.

 

Perhaps the most difficult part of purchasing a JJ Maxwell custom saddle is the multitude of choices you have in creating the saddle of your dreams. Design, rigging, color, tooling, accessories – thank goodness Cindy and Joe didn’t seem too perplexed when I changed my mind a couple of times. The fitting of the tree by using the video and forms they sent, turned out to be the easy part. I finally selected a western saddle with Hope rigging and the saddles only took a couple of months to create. I have to say that I was thrilled and had tears in my eyes when I opened the box. The saddle was much more beautiful than I had imagined.

 

Better yet, was the fit. My little Arab, Cam, is notorious for being sensitive and picky about tack. When I put the first few miles on him in my English equipment, he would get itchy, crank his tail angrily and even reach around and bite the saddle. It took months of “wearing” my English saddle for him to finally get used to it. I was quite concerned that he might not accept a western style saddle at all. Much to my surprise and relief, he took to his new JJ Maxwell saddle immediately. He has never exhibited any behavior that would indicate a concern with the saddle or rigging. I’ve had him up and down the trails here in the Sierra Nevada foothills and he has participated in beginning cattle events wearing his saddle for most of the day, never once showing any signs of itching, discomfort, or irritation.  The saddle remains nicely positioned behind Cam’s shoulders with the Hope rigging and when I remove it, there are absolutely no dry spots and no signs of soreness or rubbing anywhere. Lately Cam has been helping me pony my young filly and the saddle has remained comfortable and secure throughout the plunging and bumping that goes along with bringing along youngsters. The fit for me personally, is excellent. I have the good balanced seat position that I expected and find the saddle very comfortable. The stirrups are easily adjusted and the fenders turned to a perfect position for getting on and riding comfortably the first time out.

 

Needless to say, I am elated with the appearance and comfort of this saddle for both me and my horse. I highly recommend purchasing a JJ Maxwell custom saddle. It is as much exquisite work of art as it is an essential piece of working horse equipment. Should I not be able to ride for whatever reason, I’ll just bring that gorgeous saddle into my living room and enjoy just looking at it.

 

Sincerely and Gratefully,

Cheryl Jones

 

  

 

 
Dear Joe & Cindy, 
 
I want to tell you how much I appreciate you both.  Thanks to you, after many saddles and literally years of looking, I finally have the saddle that's right for both me and my horse, Romeo.  He's a Rocky Mountain Horse and being gaited, needs plenty of shoulder room. He has the old time Mountain Horse conformation almost to the extreme -- very round with almost no withers.  So, first and foremost, I was looking for a saddle to fit Romeo.  I also wanted a close contact saddle so I could feel and communicate with my horse.  I wanted a saddle that was secure and balanced for both horse and rider.  I wanted some type of 3-point rigging that wasn't cumbersome.  I had to have stirrups that were positioned for balanced riding and on top of all that, if possible, I wanted a saddle that was lightweight and comfortable for me.  Quite a long wish list I know.
 
When I first contacted you, I was skeptical but the more I talked to you both, the less skeptical and more hopeful I became. Joe's explanation of how he customizes the saddle trees made me feel like you were really trying to help me and not just trying to sell me a saddle.  Receiving the tree forms for fitting allowed me to see exactly how the saddle was going to fit Romeo. No measuring, no wires, no tracings, no heated molds, just a simple method that works perfectly. 
 
Pictures don't do justice to the beauty, craftsmanship and quality of your Hope saddle. I wanted to try a Western saddle but didn't think I could ever find one that had the stirrups where they belong and that was balanced properly.  Again, I was skeptical but you did it! I'm balanced, Romeo is balanced and together we are a gaiting machine. It fits me perfectly and I didn't even have to adjust the stirrups when I received it.  The extras are that it's lightweight, incredibly comfortable and truly a work of art.  I'm always getting compliments on it. My favorite was from a woman who said, "That's the single most handsome saddle outfit I've ever seen!"   I think so too!
 
You two are a great team and you truly have a gift.  Thanks for sharing it!
 
Doneita Smith and Romeo
Duluth, Georgia

  
 

 
I called to let you know when I received the saddle that it took my breath away because it was so beautiful.   The weather finally cleared enough for me to put the saddle on her and try it out, and I can't be more pleased.  My trainer, a person who primarily rides dressage, LOVES it.  She tried it out on Primrose and was enthusiastic about her approval.  She loves the way I ride in it and says she now has hope for me :-)  I couldn't get my legs underneath me in my other western saddles, they always were too far forward and I would have a "chair seat" as a result.  With the Hope Saddle, I am much closer to having a classical seat and I now have a much more balanced seat.  I can already feel the difference in Primrose.  I think the other saddles encumbered her.  I was having difficulty loping in 20 meter circles or smaller.   We succeeded in loping in small circles yesterday and she was able to keep her balance well.  This is either due to the saddle freeing her, or my having better balance on her, or both.  She seems to be moving better in all her gaits and I have better contact with her.    I was able to use just my legs to cue her to half pass at a walk and trot, whereas before, I needed heavy aids with reins as wells as legs and spur.  This saddle will improve my partnership with my mare - thank  you so much for that!
 
Michele Helfrich

  

 

  "After receiving my saddle in January, I had to wait until the snow melted to try it out. I have been riding it 4 days a week since March. I'm
extremely  impressed with the excellent fit to my horse's back. He is a gaited horse  who needs a lot of freedom in his shoulders to gait  properly. Also with me  able to sit where he can balance my weight has greatly improved his ability  to maintain his gait. The craftsmanship that went into producing this saddle was beyond my expectations. I am truly impressed and have to thank Joe for his hard work and dedication to providing a comfortable saddle for both horse and rider."


     Sincerely,
     Paula J. Miller      

     Harvard, ID


 

  

 

 

 

  

                          

   

"I can’t say enough about JJ Maxwell’s “Hope saddle”.  I own a young non-withered Mustang. I tried several saddles attempting to get one that fit with no success.  I plan on using this horse for Trail riding and Trail Trial competition.  Never did I think I would spend more money on the saddle then on the Horse.  But after sitting in the Hope I knew it would be the right one for me.  Now after having the saddle for 9 months and spending many hours in it, I can’t say enough great things about it.  Not only does it fit my horse to a tee, but after riding hours in it at a time it is the most comfortable saddle and worth every penny.   Because I ride English a lot I chose the Plantation style with the free stirrups.  I thoroughly enjoy the craftsmanship of the saddle and the personal service I receive from the shop and those who work there. Thanks Joe and Cindy."

 

Ruth Carrero, Redding California

  

     

               

      

                                                  

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