Talk to me about Western saddles

It looks more like an endurance saddle to me, it even has English stirrups and flaps. Interesting. Did it ride like a western?
 
Yes it is an endurance saddle - I suspect it did not ride like a Western. At that time, 2005, I had only been riding a few years, and was not educated enough to know.
However, what I now know, thanks to reading Charles Harris this week, is that some saddles give one freedom to move about on the back of the horse and expose a larger area of ones seat and thighs to the horse - e.g. the Podhajsky training saddles our RI used and an old fashioned GP saddle. And a more structured saddle like a dressage saddle does not. I dont know why I am comfortable in a western saddle but I suspect that trail ride horses have less structures saddles than some fancy privately owned Western horses.



DSC_0129_zpsft2u2noi.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

This is the synthetic leather one and it looks to be far more built up than the one in which I rode a most beautiful mule in the mountains -
 
That looks very like a tucker equitation endurance type saddle, I'm intrigued now :D The synthetic one looks like a pleasure or trail saddle, its difficult to tell which without hands on.

-Pleasure saddles generally have a low swell fork and horn, more there for decoration than function (you can't rope off them) and a high-ish cantle, they have neutral or fractionally forward set stirrup bars and rarely have a rear cinch. Within this category you also get equitation saddles, which are similar but sit you in a much more classical balanced position with you legs well under you.
-Reining saddles generally give you a flatter more open seat and have a minimal swell fork, with a reasonable cantle and the stirrup bars are set slightly forwards for when you do those big stops and a short forward swept horn meant to stay out of your way (again you can't rope off it) again they rarely have a rear cinch.
-Cutting saddles have a tall thin horn, meant to be held on to with your fist for those super quick cutting movement, they have swell forks which are quite high and stirrup bars set well under you and the fenders are often rough out to get you more stick-ability and a very open flat seat which is normally padded.
-Barrel saddles generally have a narrower twist, a high cantle with a padded seat and enough horn to hang on to (again not for roping) but its not as tall as a cutting horn, they rarely have a rear cinch.
-Trail saddles are the GP of the western world, they generally have a middle of the road seat which is padded, with a reasonable cantle and a stocky horn which you can do light roping on, they are set up for a comfortable ride and often have a rear cinch for stability and are normally the lightest next to a barrel saddle.
-Roping saddles have a much thicker horn and the swells are often thicker too to cope with heavy roping, they should always have a rear cinch to prevent the back of the saddle lifting when you are roping something heavy, these are generally much heavier than any other type of saddle, the seat generally offers more security with a medium high cantle and may or may not be padded.
-Wade saddles are ropers but they are in a bit of a class of their own in terms of style, these are more of the old timer ranch saddles, they are heavy, good for roping and very comfortable to spend all day in the saddle even though they normally have a completely unpadded seat (I find these the most comfortable of all). These normally have A forks and a large horn.

So there are many different styles of western saddles and finding the one that suits you can take a minute, just like with English saddles, there is also massive variance between brands. Most western saddles also have quite a wide twist, unless it is specifically a women's model, barrel racing is generally a women's spot so those are generally narrower.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: horseandgoatmom
Jessey said:
That looks very like a tucker equitation endurance type saddle, I'm intrigued now :D The synthetic one looks like a pleasure or trail saddle, its difficult to tell which without hands on.
Click to expand...

Jessey, Thank you so much for that explanation. I am going to copy it out and keep it. I dont actually need the info, it is just that ever since I started riding, I have been insatiably curious about tack and its history and styles of riding too.
I do know what the synthetic saddle was - a Cordura saddle from About the Horse. Jane you will find a lot of info including about saddle fit on their website at http://www.aboutthehorse.com/

But my question about the endurance one was genuine, because the owner herself did not know what it was. Except that it was not expensive and may have come from Germany.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
If you could get over by Jessey (the show) and see some of the different saddles first hand it would be great.
There are so many different types.

It is so important for the saddle to fit both you and the horse.

It is so much harder over there with very limited western tack.

Once you figure out what is a good tree fit for your horse it is a bit easier to
get a similar fit with a kowledgable Company.

Sonny had a couple Circle Y with a super tree fit When I got the Tuckers I told them
what worked for him and we came up with the perfect fit in a Tucker.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
That's a great website @Skib . I can see a couple of second hand saddles I would like!

Overall though it seems even more of a minefield than English saddles. I am sure I would want a trail or ranch saddle or possibly even a barrel saddle, if I were buying the US, but as I am here I feel a treeless might be the easiest, gentlest and lightest way in. I will think on.

Jolly interesting thread though, especially @Jessey 's explanation of all the different saddle styles!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
That's interesting Skib! I wonder what @Wally thinks of such a saddle? She will know about Icelandic.\

I took some pictures of Ziggy today to show his shape. I would be really grateful if experienced Western peeps like @Jessey and @horseandgoatmom would look and tell me what they think. He is short backed, with defined withers, and he has big ribs which spring out flat from his spine - the top of his back is flat like a sofa. he is very comfy to ride bareback, but W I D E !

Jessey, I can't make the earlier date of your Western show, but please do let me know if you are going to the one in September because I would love to come by hook or by crook. My best friend lives in Suffolk so I could easily make a trip of it.

Pictures coming up :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
Wally would certainly not approve - since it was bought in a foreign country by by an itinerant RI for someone on low income trying to save a rescue horse.

But the question is, what is it? Perhaps someone can explain what any saddle selling site means when they classify a saddle as Icelandic? Indeed I traced this saddle only because I saw a similar cheap one labelled "tolt" and then googled Icelandic saddles.

Remember I rode in the saddle in the American West - on a horse that rode Western and that is why I imagined it was a Western saddle.
 
Jane&Ziggy said:
Here are the pictures of Ziggy I took today. He just refuses to pose!View attachment 77745View attachment 77746View attachment 77747
I notice how big his shoulders are also.
Click to expand...

He looks like a good candidate for treeless if you were going down that route :) A barefoot Arizona would probably be a good one to start with, a newer one with the vps and a decent pad, they have a soft western pommel now I think as well if you wanted it more flexible, and they even do fenders with knee rolls if needed :)
 
No_Angel said:
He looks like a good candidate for treeless if you were going down that route :) A barefoot Arizona would probably be a good one to start with, a newer one with the vps and a decent pad, they have a soft western pommel now I think as well if you wanted it more flexible, and they even do fenders with knee rolls if needed :)
Click to expand...

What is a vps please @No_Angel ?
 
Don't touch hilason saddles. Extreme pot luck if it's made well and it's cheap materials they use. Barge and pole as far too risky to know what on earth the build quality will be like.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
Ice;andic saddles way back were Army surplus as that's all they could afford. So from then on, because they were a well made one size could be adapted with felt pads and the like the old fashioned military saddle became the norm. You also need a low cantle to allow you to shift your weigt back for tolt.

Nowadays, since folk have studied and with the use of computers and the interest in biomechanics these saddle are rarely seen.

The requirements for a saddle suitable for an Icelandic are a good wide wearing surface and generally a large seat as adluts are riding them not kids. A very straight cut to allow for the massive Icelandic shoulder to move freely, a flat cantle so you can shift back if needed.
Modern Icelandic saddles look like flat seated dressage saddles.

Having taken those saddle to bits, I don;t care where they are made, the workmanship and materials are what gives them a £250 price tag. They are not fit for purpose and more likely to give a horse a bad back.
 
Hmm, having looked around I see that @mystiquemalaika is right about Hilason saddles, their reputation is rubbish, I like the look of the Barefoot Arizona and Nevada, does anyone have any experience of those?

@Wally , it sounds as if a good Icelandic saddle would be a good choice for Ziggy! Where do you find yours?
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back