Any ideas on a saddle?

[mandyicequeen14]

Well im starting to look around for a western saddle, Im not so sure about the size maybe a 16". Do you guys know of any good name brands. I absolutly DONT want a synthetic (sp?) saddle, I prefer leather. And I think I want it to be medium oil.

But if u can give some good names on saddle makers that would be great.
I already looked at American Saddlery, and Billy cook and I liked what they have so far, but I wanna look around.

[alliekk]

Just so you know, western measurements are different than english measurements. If you wear a pant size 13 or larger a 16" would be ideal for you, but if you saddle doesn't fit you're not going to have the right seat and your horse isn't going to perform that well.

The only two brands I trust are:

Tex-Tan
Circle Y

I've had both (sold my Tex because the seat was too small and bought my Circle Y with the money). Both are high quality made saddles and you can find then at a decent price used. The best place to look would be tacktrader.com, that's where I found my Circle Y. I found my Tex at a local training/show barn. I would start local if I were you and slowly start to look at out of town saddles. The more locally you deal with the better the chance of not getting stuck with a piece of crap for a lot of money. GOOD LUCK!!!

[Full of Flight]

I have had Wintecs (but they are synthetic) and Fabtrons (mine is leather). Both are AWSOME! I have also ridden in a Arebeta and a Big Horn and those were nice 2.

[mandyicequeen14]

Thank you! =)

I already saw all the local saddles, and saw afew that I liked, but I wanna see all my options.

Some places even give u a test saddle to see if it fits u and the horse right. SO I hope i can find a place that will allow me to do that.

[Full of Flight]

I think either jeffers or valley vet will send u a test saddle.

[mandyicequeen14]

Oh thank you, I will def check them out =)

[crazy4horses]

I totally recommend:

*Wintec's (synthetic)
*Henri di Rivel (leather, and it's european) I might get brand of saddle for christmas!
*Collegiate (leather)

Thos are my absolute faves! :D

[DixieGirl]

I totally recommend Wintecs! They are awesome saddles and good quality!

[Full of Flight]

I totally recommend:

*Wintec's (synthetic)
*Henri di Rivel (leather, and it's european) I might get brand of saddle for christmas!
*Collegiate (leather)

Thos are my absolute faves! :D

I love my HDR!! But it is an english saddle and so is Collegiate

[musiccraze777]

I think either jeffers or valley vet will send u a test saddle.

Haha, omg! I don't know a lot of western apparel/items places, but thanks to Raggle, my eyes lit up at mention of Jeffers (lol, reindeer antlers for hoss). :D Yay! I'm not completely in a world with an unknown (horse) language after all! I learned ONE word! :D

Anyway, dang, I love leather saddles! But I don't really know of brands. I just ride, haha. Haven't bought one...

But hopefully you'll find something you love from the suggestions, Mandy. =)

[Full of Flight]

Haha, omg! I don't know a lot of western apparel/items places, but thanks to Raggle, my eyes lit up at mention of Jeffers (lol, reindeer antlers for hoss). :D Yay! I'm not completely in a world with an unknown (horse) language after all! I learned ONE word! :D

Anyway, dang, I love leather saddles! But I don't really know of brands. I just ride, haha. Haven't bought one...

But hopefully you'll find something you love from the suggestions, Mandy. =)

OMG My mom get my horses those antlers! They hook on o their bridel/halter and they light up! It is AWSOME!! :p

[mandyicequeen14]

Thanks you guys.

I have one more question how do u determin tree size, I know the saddle cant tuch the withers, and the saddle sholdnt really slide.

[Full of Flight]

Iss Dutch Boy stocky? If he is I would get a wide tree.

[mandyicequeen14]

Dutch is kinda chubby, but when I asked peg she said a medium. I just dont want it to be too big, or too snall, I dont want the saddle to pinch his back.

lol I really glad u guys r helping, Im seeing so many saddles I like, but cant afford (I will be buying the saddle, w/ a lil help from my parents) So my price range is like in the 400 maybe 500.

Ill here are sum of the saddles I like
http://affordable-tack.com/american-western-saddle-88.gif (American Saddlery)

http://affordable-tack.com/buffalo-western-saddle-S263.gif (Buffalo saddles, this one is my favorit one so far)

[Full of Flight]

Dutch is kinda chubby, but when I asked peg she said a medium. I just dont want it to be too big, or too snall, I dont want the saddle to pinch his back.

lol I really glad u guys r helping, Im seeing so many saddles I like, but cant afford (I will be buying the saddle, w/ a lil help from my parents) So my price range is like in the 400 maybe 500.

Ill post sum of the saddles I like

You could get a Wintec (but it is symthetic) but some hae interchangeable gullets

[Full of Flight]

I like the first 1 bettr, but that is my opinion. :)

[bonnieluv]

i don't have a leather saddle but it works really good and its really light but those saddles look great

[mandyicequeen14]

http://www.bigdweb.com/detail.aspx?id=7206 (Big dee's, in my area)

[Full of Flight]

OH, those look nice!

[bonnieluv]

those are really look good for any horse and they look really comfy to set in

[alliekk]

No, please, no. If a saddle costs less than $500 brand new then it is not built right and will in the long run do a LOT of damage. PLEASE!!! I BEG you, do NOT buy a brand new saddle if your top price is $500. Trust me, you will be SORRY. I cant stress it enough. I will show you an example, give me a minute.

[alliekk]

Do you see what I'm seeing here?

#1, you're seeing a saddle that's going to rock you forward onto the withers. Because there isn't much material extending from the front of the pommel there is going to be a lot of weight pushing on that one concentrated section of the withers, causing saddle soreness, chiropractic problems, bad temperament, restricted movement, and an all-over bad picture.

#2, this shows you where the pressure is going to be concentrated, right on either side of the withers. A very tender spot if all your weight is right there.

#3, This is a drawing of what will happen with your weight in a properly fitting seat, but poor construction of the saddle. Your weight will fall forward and the arrow points to where the pressure point will sit.

#4, This is what your saddle should be doing, rocking your weight back onto your rear. The verticle line shows where the horses' center of balance is.

#5, different angle that you're sitting in, but then again it's a different discipline.

Both of these saddles are DEMANDING that you sit down on your rear, rather than up on your crotch, which is what english is. English saddles are built differently so the weight is concentrated on different parts of the back, but in a western saddle, where the weight is supposed to be distributed throught the entire back it's obvious, if you know what you're looking for, when it's a poorly made saddle.

Here are a couple saddles I would recommend for you. They are $500 and under and are well made, if not brand new:

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/grd/967313376.html

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/grd/959864039.html

I would HIGHLY recommend looking into the second saddle, it's the same one I have and let me tell you... WOW!!! People in Oregon are reasonable as far as shipping goes, I would suggest you consider either one of these saddles. Do NOT settle for less than the best, your horse's health relies on that.

[mandyicequeen14]

the bad saddles u just shown me look fine for a horse with no withers. And also, I want to be able to test one out b4 i actually buy. And the first saddles were on clearence.

I appreciate ur concern, but to be honest I really hate the first saddle, the second one is ok. Im sorry if im sounding really picky, I do want nothing but the best, and im going to be paying for mostly all of it so thats going to be my price range, and if it doesnt work i'll just sell it on ebay or to my boss. I def cant afford a $1,000+ saddle, but I hate synthetic saddles, that would coast more then my soon to be horse. I just want an all pourpous saddle for trails, and showing.

[alliekk]

I'm not trying to push anything on you, just remember that you pay for quality when buying a new saddle. The fact that the first saddles look fine for horses with no withers not not the point I was trying to get across, it's the fact that the saddle throws all your weight onto the withers. Ask your trainer to help you look for a saddle. I'm not telling you to spend $1000, actually, the two sale examples I put up are $500 and under.

I have owned horses and shown my entire life and have been through the trial and error of saddles, I have been a judge for 4 years, I have helped numerous people buy saddles, I have bought the ugliest thing in the world because it was the only thing that fit my horse in my price range. I know what a poorly made saddle looks like just from the picture, it's knowledge that only comes from experience and training.

I'm not asking you to buy an expensive saddle, I'm asking you to keep your horse in mind when making a decision about which one you're going to choose. In my experience, I can tell you that the "bad saddles" in my examples are CRAP, they are made from a synthetic tree that does not flex, made with man-made leather (still leather, but not advertised as REAL leather), poor stitching, overall poor craftsmanship with probably odd bumps and flaws that are going to inhibit your horse's overall health.

Yes, the good saddles in my examples were just that, good saddles, I found some nice ones with good angles to try and show you what I was talking about. You can find a REALLY nice saddle out there for your budget, especially in this market. Granted, you'll have to go used, but you'll have the knowledge that it's made right.

The saddle I bought is the first "good saddle" example that is selling everywhere else for upwards of $1000, I bought it for $550. The lady didn't know how nice of a saddle she had and honestly, I don't feel bad for practically stealing it because I know how well it fits my horse.

I'm not quite sure which of the saddles you dislike, I had two examples of "good saddles" and two possible buys. Let me know why you don't like them and I will keep searching for you.

[mandyicequeen14]

lol the thing is I dont really know what I want. Like the one ranch saddle, I really like the deep rich color, with a high cantal, and a medium horn height (if that makes sence)

heck idk what color to get for dutch, this is all new to me, my mom has always just let me use her saddle, or i use the barn saddles. But I want everything to match

[alliekk]

Go with a deep mahogany, that is the most beautiful color on a chestnut. First, what size seat is your english saddle? Or better yet, if you don't mind, what pant size do you wear, that is the first step to buying a saddle.

[DixieGirl]

If you know you aren't going to grow anymore I would go ahead and spend money on a good quality saddle for your horse. It would be good in the long run.

[alliekk]

Exactly Dixie. Don't think you're stuck just because you only have $500. That is a decent amount in this market. Don't settle for second best, I'd give the owner of this saddle a call or email, it cant hurt to try. Who knows, they may ship. Where are you located? I can determine an estimated shipping price for you depending on the weight of the saddle, which isn't any more than 30lbs considering the picture. Mine is really similar to that one. you can PM me with your zip code if you don't feel comfortable saying where you're from on the open internet, I promise to delete it right after I get it.

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/grd/959864039.html. Honestly, I think this is the best deal you're going to find on a nice quality saddle like this one.

[crazy4horses]

I love my HDR!! But it is an english saddle and so is Collegiate


Yeah! I'm getting a new saddle tomorrow (Tuesday) and it will probably be a Henri di Revil! :D There such great quality!

[mandyicequeen14]

lol I dont own an english saddle, but I fit in a 15" im pretty sure, idk what size pant I wear, but at my job I've seen some BIG ppl squeez in a small saddle

I dont even have the money yet, im probably not gonna buy one till the late spring or early summer, to see how much money I can save up. B4 I can even consider putting money for a saddle, I have to pay for Dutch Boys lease, and the money I get depends on how many hours I work (unlimited hours) and what I do, when I do stalls I get more tha when I do trails. and I probably will buy his shots this spring, and not to menchon gas $$.

The saddle looks nice, it appears it needs a good polishing, or it could be the camra, but I am kinda worried about buying a saddle from across the country, im not 100% on what size tree dutch needs. (he's kinda chubby, if not very) and needs some conditioning this spring to work of the baby blubber :p

[mandyicequeen14]

Yeah! I'm getting a new saddle tomorrow (Tuesday) and it will probably be a Henri di Revil! :D There such great quality!

oh congrats! that must be very exciting! :D

[BarrelKiss]

hmm, in my experience the best way to find a western saddle is to just go to tack shops. Looking for a brand you like is good, butthe right saddle tends to find you.

[alliekk]

That will give you plenty of time to find the right saddle. So are you buying Dutch or are you leasing him? It may not be the best idea to spend a bunch of money on a saddle that will fit him if it's not going to be permanent. Also, I'd go with a semi QH bar, that's what mine is. So far, the only horse it doesn't fit is Shaz's pasture mate, Roscoe, who's line-bred for halter. 16H and 1400lbs. Pictures of Dutch's back will give us an idea of what you should be looking for. Is he mutton withered (no withers)? does he have a very round barrel? Or is he just average?

[mandyicequeen14]

Well im currently full time leasing him. And sometime in the spring maybe my mom will start making payments on him. Once he's mine then im going to be paying the board or working it off, but for now im just leasing.

Dutch is fairly average, he has withers. My boss said he's a medium tree, but u know the space between the saddle horn and the horse? well that part is tuching his withers b4 I get on, so now I use a lift pad on him so that way it wont tuch him. But my mom has a large tree so im gonna try that on him to see if it fits ok.

[painthorsegirl101]

I've had a Circle Y western saddle for a while, and there's never been anything wrong with it. Mine's a barrel racing model, which in my opinion gives you a better seat.

Circle Y is pretty widely known in the western world.

[Full of Flight]

Circle Y saddles are really good!

[mandyicequeen14]

http://www.pennystackoutlet.com/trail-master-trails-together.html

http://www.pennystackoutlet.com/us15dobacosa.html (used)

http://www.trinitytack.com/DiamondBackTrailSaddleLargeView.htm

http://www.trinitytack.com/SantaFePleasureLargeView.htm

http://www.trinitytack.com/AztecTrailSaddleLargeView.htm

here are some more, lol sorry if I getting annoying w/ this

[Full of Flight]

I like the last 1!

[bonnieluv]

all of them look great

[painthorsegirl101]

i got my english saddle used, and it waws ALOT less expensive. It's usually the best way to go.

[Full of Flight]

My english saddle was used and it was still expensive. But it was a HDR. :rolleyes:

[crazy4horses]

My saddle was also very very expensive and it's French, but it's totally worth it for the quailty!

[alliekk]

Honestly, I think the first one looks like the best choice out of all of them. Have you checked craigslist?

[mandyicequeen14]

Well actually, im not going to go with circle y any more because my boss is a dealer of Tex Tan and can get me a discount on a saddle. And she also doesnt want me to buy a saddle online, and to be honest neither do I. I want to see if it fits him nicly, and if comfy for me also. And as soon as I can (still proably spring or summer) but a saddle, my brother gave me the money he earned for the saddle, and my grandpa gave me 70 and Im saving money also. I dont have to wait till dutch is mine, since he already is :D :D