Talk to me about saddles

[helmstead]

To each his own, of course. It is merely my humble (no, snobby!) opinion!

My beat around western saddle is a 40 lb Big Horn that I've owned since I was 13. If I ever get too weak in the back/arms/whatever to lift it...I'll get a shorter horse hahaha. Even when I was 13, I managed to heave that thing onto the back of my 16.2 hand TB...and have wild fun taking my show hunter for a poles or barrels run or tear through the woods pretending to be the star of The Man from Snowy River

You CAN find lightweight full leather western saddles...barrel styles, endurance styles...all with less skirting and smaller fenders, smaller swells...

 

[FlightsofFancy]

I abhor synthetic saddles, cordura especially...and will scoff at you if I catch you riding in one hahaha.

My mom bought the Wintec western saddles and...I admit...they weren't horrible...but you won't catch me buying one!

There is just nothing sexier than the smell, patina and feel of a well broken in leather saddle...the creak of a leather western saddle as you mosey down the trail...the wrap-around-your-leg-contour-to-your-horse feel of a much loved huntseat saddle. Just not going to get that with the fakes!

Then convince your husband to sell me his Billy Cook! You know I love that saddle! But then again, my husband prolly wouldn't fit in it. :/

 

[FlightsofFancy]

You CAN find lightweight full leather western saddles...barrel styles, endurance styles...all with less skirting and smaller fenders, smaller swells...

Find me one! I am tired of looking!

 

[michickenwrangler]

Synergist Saddles sells them. There are some others. My treeless Bob Marshall is leather and only weighs about 11lbs. It does have "dreaded" synthetic leathers and rigging but it is not a traditional western design. Some endurance saddles like Abetta are merely western saddles sans horn.

Go to www.aerc.org (if this is the wrong site, then google American Endurance Ride Conference), HUGE classified section. The people on that site are serious endurance riders and use the lightweight leather saddles.

I know my hands are in the way, but maybe you can see it here.

BTW, we're in the Huron Nat'l Forest near Grayling

 

[LauraM]

You guys are giving me great advice! Thank you so much!
I went to a wholesale tack shop today and looked at saddles. Some used and some new. I liked the Big Horn Endurance, Flex Tree, squishy seat. They had it in all leather and in part synthetic. Any feed back on the Synthetic saddles? They seem ok....lighter, no break in period, easy to clean......what are the draw backs?

I have that exact saddle, in the all leather. I LOVE it. Extremely comfortable and my horse loves it. However, just so you know, the Big Horn Endurance with the flexible tree does NOT come in a wide tree. So if your horse is a chunky type of QH, it probably won't work for your horse. My horse has TB on both sides only two generations back so his build is much more like a TB than a typical QH. Most people don't think he is a QH. So this saddle works well for me, but doesn't do well on the more square-built horses.

Tucker, however, has a couple of very nice endurance saddles that come in wide trees.

 

[michickenwrangler]

FlightofFancy,

we need pics of your horse!!

 

[Countrymom]

I have both. My synthetics are Abetta and in pretty good shape considering they are well used. I broke my arm a few years back after a major bronc ride and could not lift my leather saddle. I also purchased two for my children that have smaller trees and fit ponies. They have modified their stirrups and added breast collars to help with slipping. All have been fairly easy to keep clean....just put them on a fence and hose them off.... but they do tend to not wear as well. I also find you have to cinch up the girths pretty tight to get them to stay put. Need lots of padding to be comfortable on some horses as well. Have seen more horses sore in the back from synthetics than leather. But that is comparing to a high quality leather saddle.

Now my leather saddles are mainly roping and cutting....so we are talking very heavy. However, they do not loose their shape or have to be cinched nearly as tightly to keep in place on the horse's back. They are also a lot more durable for the kind of riding and working we do. I find my back hurts less in a leather saddle than in a synthetic.

Brands are important also. Circle Y saddles about 15 years ago and older were worth something. From all the company changes I have seen (live 30 minutes from them) and the reports of the operations they have gone through in the past few years, I wouldn't give $2 for one. Tex Tan is an older saddle maker that still puts out some decent saddles....the heavier working ones. Can't stand their flextree. Ugh that was too painful for my back. They own Action company...aka Abetta. Double J makes outstanding saddles, but not all trees are perfect for their jobs.....like I would buy a roping or barrle saddle from them. We have a couple of barrel saddles and the Double J is by far the best one for that. I have a few custom made cutting saddles and would point you to Koen in LA for one any day. I will probably never part with my CJ Koen saddle. Amazingly comfortable and has been for many many horses. Also popular are Ricky Greens...but not a fan of all his styles. Todd slone has a great rep around here, but I have not tried his saddles. Jeff Smith has good ones also... that is Cowboy Collection Tack. Billy Cooks are a dime a dozen down here and most cutters sell them off. I have ridden in them and they are comfortable, but the one I rode in put you in the wrong possition. Could have just been the style. IN Cutting the tree is extremely important.

The best way to find a good saddle is to take your horse to the tack shop or manufacturer and try it on the horse. Then also sit yourself in the saddle. It has to be comfortable for both. As much as the synthetics are cheaper and easier to clean, I don't think I will ever buy one again.

Just wanted to add that of all the saddle operations around here... I mean Yoakum, TX...Land of Leather....I find that Double J has the highest quality and reputation. The reason is that the family that owns them ride their stuff and know their stuff. If you want the best quality, that is the place to go. I have several of their pieces besides saddles and wouldn't hesitate to buy more.....and yes they are expensive. Their family (and it is very large) is well known for integrity and hard work.

 

[FlightsofFancy]

FlightofFancy,

we need pics of your horse!!

Here she is..."Penny"

 

[michickenwrangler]

I'd try Quarter Horse bars and go from there. She has typical QH back but still has withers.

Keep trying saddles. Also, when you try out a saddle, REALLY RIDE in it. Don't just walk a circle a few times. Walk, trot, canter, back, cavalettis, uphill, downhill, lateral moves, post the trot (even though you're riding western), sit the trot.

The way I knew that my Big Horn endurance didn't fit my little Arab as well as it should is because it rode up on her at a canter and downhill. I was 8 months pregnant when I bought the saddle so I didn't have the balance at the time (I could barely fit in the saddle) to do a whole lot. It wasn't until 2 yrs later I found out

 

[LauraM]

Definitely go up and down hills. A borderline tight fit may be fine on the flat but could really really annoy the horse going downhill. And as mentioned, it will slide back and forth on hills.