Albion K2 Jump Saddles

By Jade | January 12, 2023

Albion K2 Jump Adjusta Saddle's -
Why are they the most desirable?

The Albion K2 Jump Adjusta saddle is the jump saddle everyone wants and for good reasons. Here at The Saddle Bank, the worlds most trusted online saddle retailer, we absolutely adore the Albion K2 Jump Saddle. As do many of our customers who take the K2 Jump Adjusta on 5 day trial, never to return it.

In this article we will discuss all things Albion K2 Jump and why the saddle is so popular for show jumpers and eventers alike. This should help you decide if a K2 Jump is right for you and your horse. If so, why not trial one from The Saddle Bank. The Saddle Bank offer 5 day UK mainland trials on all new and used saddles with fast next working day delivery. If you are overseas don't worry - we ship worldwide!

If by the end of the article you are not sure if the K2 is right for you and your horse, why not get in touch with our friendly customer support team via phone 01733 301 488 or email info@thesaddlebank.com. Our lovely team are always happy to help as much as they can and provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for you and your horse.

History of the Albion K2 Jump

The Albion K2 Jump was launched in 2000 by Albion, a quality British manufacturer of saddles. 14 years of popularity lead to the Albion Legend K2 jump having a revamp and a new design was launched in 2014. The design is similar to the original, however the front knee rolls now have a stitched design in them. This is a very attractive design details and this similar design has since been used by many other manufacturers such as Kent & Masters in their S Series range.

The K2 Jump is distinctive as it has large fixed knee and thigh blocks which offer the rider fantastic security in the seat even over the largest of fences. The knee and calf rolls are padded for rider comfort and the seat is semi deep to enable the rider to achieve a secure jumping position.

The K2 Adjusta Tree

The latest models of the K2 jump have the Adjusta tree technology. Although all Albion saddles have been manufactured with factory adjustable tree’s since 1985, the Adjusta tree is believed to be the first British precision engineered adjustable wooden saddle tree.

The benefit of the Adjusta tree is any local Albion saddle fitter will be able to adjust the saddle for you, without damaging or distorting the tree and head plates. Even better – Albion saddle’s come with a 5 year warranty on the tree for breakage!

How will you know if yours has the adjusta tree? Look at the stamp.

The stamp will tell you the model (Legend K2), Adjusta (or not if nothing states 'adjusta'), the seat size, the (original) width, and the serial number. The stamp can be found on the left side flap, under the girth straps. Sometimes the stamp is very worn and unreadable.

You can gauge the age of non adjusta models by the serial number. If you are not sure, simply pick up the phone, call Albion on 01922 646210 and their friendly team in the sales department (option 1), will be glad to help you check the details of the serial number.

Will it fit my horse?

Here at The Saddle Bank, our qualified saddle fitters love the K2 range as it offers fantastic weight bearing panels for the horse. The design of these panels are known as 'drop panels' which offers a larger surface area. This is particularly good for horses with withers. However, likewise we find they fit well on Connemara's and similar jumping ponies.

The K2 Jump range is manufacturer in sizes 16-18.5”, from Narrow to Extra Wide. They also offer a template service for a made to measure saddle. Albion offer various different tree types within the Adjusta range which is why if you are considering buying second hand, buying from a reputable company such as The Saddle Bank is a safe bet so you know which tree the saddle is built on.

The tree types offered include;

a Thoroughbred tree for the classical high wither TB types. Typically this is saddles built on a Medium or narrower tree but it is always worth checking with Albion using the serial number .
a Warmblood tree for typical Warmblood types. Typically this is saddles built on a Medium Wide or Wider tree.
a Flat tree for horses with a very flat back. This is a really popular tree type and hard to find second hand.
a Hoop tree for horses which are very broad and flat through the wither. This tree is almost impossible to find on the second hand market so you may need to go brand new if you are looking for the hoop tree option.
a CC tree (Cob & Connie) with a slimmer panel which fits closer to rounder, flatter backed horses.

Lets talk gussets

Another factor to consider when wondering if it will fit your horse is the gusset depth. Albion are usually manufactured with 2.5 inch rear gussets. The rear gusset is the back of the panel. Gusset depth is particularly important on certain conformation types. For example some horses with exceptionally high withers may require a deeper rear gusset at the back to keep the saddle in balance. Albion saddles can be built with 3 or 3.5 inch rear gussets when required. So again it is worth purchasing from a second hand retailer who can advise you on the depth of the gussets (and actually know what a gusset is) before you purchase.

Key Features of the K2 Jump Saddle

Fixed knee and calf blocks to offer the rider fantastic support over fences
Square cantle
Padded knee and calf rolls for rider comfort
Forward cut flaps to enable the rider to achieve the optimum jumping position
Semi deep seat to offer the rider support without restricting them or making it difficult to achieve a great jumping position
Drop panels for a larger weight bearing area on the horses back for better fit and improved comfort for the horse
Wool flocked panels for the horses comfort
Adjusta Tree for the newer models to enable a qualified Albion fitter to alter the width up or down 2 sizes

What is the cost of an Albion K2 Jump Saddle?

Wow! Now can you see why everyone wants one? The K2 Jump Adjusta saddle really is one of the best jump saddles available in the market. Check our website for the latest RRP or you can find them second hand for between £600-£1500 depending on the age, condition and whether it is the latest model with the Adjusta tree.

K2 Jump Saddles are great. However, what if you buy one and it doesn’t fit your horse? The Saddle Bank is able to offer a solution through the ever popular 5 day UK mainland trial

We offer 5 day trials on all our saddles, delivered direct to you on a next day service!

If it doesn’t fit, you simply return it.