Compatible with newest patch, HoS and B&W

While playing I've noticed that saddle names and looks were all over the place. For example something that looked heavy and bulky was called a racing saddle, and a very flimsy looking saddle was called a cavalry saddle. What's more, saddles differed only by their stamina bonus, so although there were many of them, there was always the best saddle during any given moment. I felt that it was a missed opportunity for a diversity of a non combat gear. So I've given the saddles a little love.

Saddle Overhaul allows players to choose between four different saddle types, each of them having distinct style and uses. You'll be able to immediately tell the difference between the racing saddle and a cavalry one.
Each saddle type is divided into four tiers, and you should get new tiers as the game progresses. Now each of those types is a viable option and is best for doing certain things.

It's also a proof of the possibility to pack xml's as a mod. After some trials and errors it worked.



Vanilla Zerrikanian Saddle (for comparison): Best saddle in the game.
In-game stats: Horse Stamina +80


Racing Saddle: It's designed to be as light as it can be. It trades horse's and rider's comfort for speed.
In-game stats: Largely increased horse Stamina
Max stats: Horse Stamina +80
 
Traveling Saddle: Designed for comfort, it allows the horse to carry more and to travel further without a pain in a place where the back splits.
In-game stats: Increased Stamina and Encumbrance.
Max stats: Horse Stamina +40, Carry weight +40
 
Cavalry Saddle: It's heavier than a traveling saddle, but high pommel and cantle protect the rider from falling off the horse.
In-game stats:  Increased Stamina and Horse Panic Threshold
Max stats: Horse Stamina +40, Horse Panic Threshold +40
 
Horse Armor: Combining Cavalry saddle with additional protection, it trades weight, speed and comfort for battle readiness.
In-game stats: Largely increased Horse Panic Threshold
Max stats: Horse Panic Threshold +80

 Saddlebag types

Temerian Saddlebags: Though smaller than ordinary saddlebags, they excel in style.
In-game stats: Carry weight +30
 
Saddlebags: The most popular and basic type of saddlebags. If you have something like that, you won't attract any attention*.
*Unless you're a freak or a mutant.
In-game stats: Carry weight +50
 
Nilfgaardian Saddlebags: Created for moving officers, those bags combine big capacity and good looks.
Plenty of place for your combs and perfumes. Or whatever you rich folk carry.
In-game stats: Carry weight +70
 
Enhanced Saddlebags: They're for someone who wants to travel with everything he needs, but still cares about his horse.
In-game stats: Carry weight +100
 
Zerrikanian Saddlebags: If you're on an expedition, or simply a homeless "vagabond", those saddles are for you!
In-game stats: Carry weight +150, Horse Stamina -20
 
Undvik Saddlebags: If you need to pack all your possessions to escape from a frost giant, those will be perfect.
In-game stats: Carry weight +200, Horse Stamina -40
 


Use Nexus Mod Manager or insert unzipped mod into your Witcher 3/mods folder.




Except changing the stats it switches the models and icons between saddles to be more consistent with their names.

List of modified files:

Basic game:
gameplay/items/def_item_horse.xml (Basic game saddles)
gameplay/items_plus/def_item_horse.xml (New Game Plus saddles)

DLC files:
dlc/dlc1/data/gameplay/items/dlc1_items.xml (Temerian saddles)
dlc/dlc5/data/gameplay/items/dlc5_items.xml (Nilfgaardian saddles)
dlc/dlc14/data/gameplay/items/dlc14_items.xml (Undvik saddles)

There's no known way to create a patch to an xml, so modCSOTem, modCSONilf and modCSOSkell are not compatible with mods changing
Temerian, Nilfgaardian and Skellige armor sets since they edit the same files.