Used Beval Saddles
At the heart of Beval is one man’s love for horses and his enduring determination for the right fit. Bev Walter, an occupational therapist and polo player back stateside from the Korean War, began crafting saddles in 1955 in his garage in Bernardsville, New Jersey (along with his business partner Al, hence the name “Beval”).
At the time, American saddles were fit to the rider, with little consideration for the comfort of the horse. Bev sought high-quality strap goods that were equal parts functional for and tailored to horse and rider — without compromising classic beauty. Sourcing materials directly from England, land of the world’s finest leather goods in those days, Bev created the Gladstone line. The first line set a lasting industry standard with his triple-fit model: fit for the rider, fit for the horse, fit for the job. A signature of the Gladstone saddle was a “numbered tree” system that accounted for changes in a rider and horse over time by adjusting the saddle, not the horse.
