What Stubben does

Stübben (legal entity Joh's Stübben GmbH & Co. KG) is a German equestrian equipment manufacturer founded in 1890 and headquartered in Kempen, Germany, where it operates the Gläserne Manufaktur (Transparent Workshop). The company handcrafts saddles across four core categories — jumping, dressage, REV, and Icelandic — alongside a broad accessories portfolio including bridles, bits, girths, saddle pads, leg/hoof protection, spurs, stirrup leathers, breastplates, and leather care products. Differentiated technology includes the Equi-Soft® elastic girth system, the Slide&Lock quick-release bridle buckle, wool-flocked adjustable saddle trees, and the HorseShape smartphone 3D scanning app used during fittings to document horse back geometry.

Stübben generates revenue through six streams: handcrafted saddles (€1,000–€5,700+), equestrian accessories (~€10–€570), second-hand saddles at reduced prices, repair and reflocking services at the Kempen workshop (e.g., €55 reflocking, €625 saddle tree replacement), a custom saddle fitting service (€180, credited toward a new saddle), and a B2B trade portal for retailers, trainers, and riding schools. Distribution combines a Shopify-powered DTC e-commerce storefront serving 27+ countries with multi-currency support, a physical showroom at the Kempen headquarters, a regional network of saddle fitters who visit customers at their stables for on-site fitting, and a B2B service portal. Pricing is unit-based across the catalog with Klarna buy-now-pay-later support and free shipping above €499.

The company serves two primary segments: equestrian riders across all disciplines (dressage, show jumping, eventing, Icelandic, leisure, western, polo, driving) at both competitive and recreational levels, and trade/B2B customers including riding schools, retailers, and trainers. World Championship riders are featured as brand ambassadors with a dedicated 'Shop Their Favorites' collection. Stübben is a family-owned business operated by the Stübben family with no disclosed institutional investment, parent company, or external ownership changes.

Name

Stubben

Legal name

Joh's Stübben GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://stuebben.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Stübben is a 130+ year-old German manufacturer of handcrafted equestrian saddles and accessories, serving riders across all disciplines globally through DTC e-commerce, a regional saddle fitting service, and a B2B trade portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equestrian Saddlery

NAICS

Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (31699), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Leather & Leather Products (3100), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports, Outdoor & Adventure Packs Manufacturing (Backpacks/Duffels) (IMAOAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Riding Gloves & Hand Protection Retail (CRAMANAE)

Keywords

• Equestrian saddles
• Horse tack
• Saddle fitting services
• Riding accessories
• Leather equestrian goods

Headquarters

HQ city

Kempen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Saddles: Primary revenue stream from handcrafted saddles across jumping, dressage, REV, and Icelandic disciplines. Saddles are available in standard configurations and fully customized via a saddle fitting service and online configurator. Higher price point with fitting service included.
2. Equestrian Accessories: Broad accessory line including bridles, bits, saddle pads, girths, leg/hoof protection (boots), spurs, stirrup leathers, breastplates, reins, leather care products, and saddle accessories. Sold via e-commerce with prices ranging from ~€10 to €570+.
3. Second-hand Saddles: Pre-owned saddles in jumping, dressage, REV, and Icelandic categories sold at reduced prices through the same e-commerce platform.
4. Repair & Service: Workshop services for reflocking, tree replacement, panel refilling, leather repairs, and adjustments. Services priced by procedure (e.g., reflocking flat rate €55, new saddle tree €625). Repairs are performed at the Gläserne Manufaktur in Kempen and include both Stübben and other brands.
5. Custom Saddle Fitting Service: On-site professional saddle fitting service where regional fitters visit customers. Fitting costs €180 including travel, credited toward new saddle purchase. Includes initial assessment, trial rides, and follow-up appointment after ~40 riding hours.
6. B2B / Trade: B2B service portal (service.stuebben.com/cms) for trade customers to place orders and access business-specific pricing and services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Stübben manufactures and sells handcrafted saddles and equestrian tack, including jumping, dressage, REV, and Icelandic saddles, along with bridles, bits, girths, saddle pads, leg protection, spurs, and leather care products. The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront, a physical showroom at its Kempen headquarters, and a B2B trade portal, supported by an on-site professional saddle fitting service and an in-house repair workshop (Gläserne Manufaktur).

Product overview

Stübben is an equestrian equipment manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio centered on handcrafted saddles and riding accessories. The core product line includes four saddle types: Jumping Saddles for show jumping, Dressage Saddles for dressage discipline, REV Saddles featuring innovative design, and Icelandic Saddles for Icelandic horses. A second-hand saddle program provides pre-owned options. The accessories portfolio spans Equi-Soft® elastic girths, bridles including Freedom II and Sligo with Slide&Lock technology, specialized bits (Golden Wings, Fine Line), Streamline saddle pads in GEN2 versions, leather and neoprene girths, protective legwear (Hybrid Carbon Tendon Boots, Airflow Brushing Boots), spurs, stirrup leathers, breastplates, and leather care products (Hamanol, Glycerin Saddle Soap). Services include professional custom saddle fitting with regional fitters, a repair and service workshop for reflocking and repairs, and manufactory tours at the Kempen headquarters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Equi-Soft®: Proprietary girth and saddle pad product line featuring elastic technology for horse comfort
• Streamline
• Gläserne Manufaktur
• Magic Tack

Products and services

• Jumping Saddles

Quantifiable outcome

• Saddle fit is rechecked after approximately 40 riding hours, when wool-flocked panels have settled and shaped to the horse's back. Minor reflocking is typically the only additional adjustment needed.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Association of German Manufactories (Verband der Deutschen Werkstätten)minorOthersStübben is a member of the Association of German Manufactories, a leading platform for authentic, handcrafted excellence 'Made in Germany.' The association unites companies that produce in Germany with responsible business practices, premium materials, and transparent manufactory operations. Membership strengthens Stübben's brand positioning around craftsmanship and quality heritage.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Amerigo Saddles: Italian equestrian brand producing jumping, dressage, and eventing saddles with similar customization workflows. Comparable to Stübben on premium positioning and European heritage.
• Equipe Saddles: Italian maker of premium jumping and dressage saddles, with a strong customization and fitting proposition. Directly competes with Stübben's jumping and dressage saddle lines.
• Prestige Italia: Italian premium equestrian saddle and boot manufacturer serving dressage, show jumping, and eventing riders worldwide. Closest direct competitor to Stübben across saddle categories, premium price points, and global distribution.
• Cavallo (Cavallo GmbH): German equestrian brand with strong presence in boots, apparel, and saddlery. Comparable breadth of equestrian catalogue and German-based manufacturing/marketing footprint.
• Devoucoux: French custom saddle maker serving elite dressage and jumping riders with made-to-measure fitting. Direct competitor in the premium, fitting-led saddle segment where Stübben also competes.
• Equi-Theme: European equestrian brand spanning saddles, bridles, riding apparel, and accessories. Overlaps with Stübben on broad equestrian catalogue and DTC distribution across multiple disciplines.
• Passier: German premium equestrian brand with heritage in saddlery and bridlework, also serving dressage and jumping disciplines. Comparable to Stübben on craftsmanship positioning, custom fitting, and European dealer network.
• Kieffer: Long-established German saddle maker offering dressage, jumping, and universal saddles with similar customization and fitting services. Competes head-to-head with Stübben in the German and European premium saddle market.
• CWD (Sellier): French luxury saddle maker specializing in custom dressage and jumping saddles for high-level riders. Overlaps with Stübben on premium pricing, customization, and elite athlete endorsement strategies.

Broad incumbents

• Hermès (Equestrian division): Luxury house with a foundational equestrian heritage producing saddles, bridles, and leather tack as part of a wider luxury portfolio. Operates above Stübben on price and brand cachet but shares the equestrian leather goods and craftsmanship narrative.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@stuebben
• Facebookfacebook.com/stuebbeneurope
• Instagraminstagram.com/stuebben_official
• TikToktiktok.com/@stuebben_official
• Pinterestde.pinterest.com/stuebbeneurope
• Xx.com/stuebbeneurope

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stubben