Western saddles

[Remali]

So, what are you favorite brand western saddles? And, round skirt or square skirt?
Leather, or synthetic? My new mare is on the small side and I'm wondering if a square skirt may be too long for her....and I've noticed a lot of the newer trail saddles are round skirt now (altho I seriously doubt I am going to be able to afford a new saddle). I sold my old Circle Y show saddle last year (yeah, I know....I should've kept it....), so sometime in the not-too-distant future I will need a saddle, but I will get a used one.

[JackieB]

I had mine made for Buster, but it didn't cost too much (for a custom saddle) because they saddle maker just does this on the side for fun.

Definitely round skirt. A square skirt isn't necessary and just adds to weight.

I'm going to politely decline to answer the leather/synthetic question because I don't want ChiseKoji and Zoe to think less of me. :o

If I was going to buy a saddle now, I do think I'd look for a used one instead of a new one. You could probably get a $1,000 (new) saddle for $250 used if you look around for awhile. That's a great bargain and the saddle will be top quality throughout and made to last a lifetime.

[GrungeEquestrian]

I like the Circle Y saddles the best, they are so well made and last a life time! I personally like the look of the square skirts and leather all the way!!!!!!

[Diane of Buck's Hollow]

I would go for a round skirt. I agree with JackieB on the weight issue. I am looking for a new (doen't have to be new) for Buck. I want a leather lite weight one. I have a synthetic saddle..it just doent' fit him very well, and I really like it though. I can really get a good feel on Buck when I ride in it. When I rode in my big leather saddle, that I gave to Sunday's Man to use with Mira, I didn't get that same "feel" like with the synthetic.

[OwnedByOurHorses]

I agree with JackieB on looking for a good used saddle.
I have 6 western saddles...2 are custom made to horse and rider. one square, one round 3 are american saddlery special order 2 square and 1 round.. last one is a synthetic square skirt. I prefer the round skirt for doing sport riding and square skirts as trail saddles..

[PatriotsDreamer]

I have a square skirt but a round would be soo much better, sometimes square skirts are just too long and get in the way, throws off some horses movement. I have a tex tan and love textan, my bf's whole family has strictly billy cooks, some are over 20 years old and very useable so i know those last a long time too.

[Ranger44]

I have very little experience with saddle brands but I own two. A circle Y and a cheap Western Star. I haven't used either one yet. I rode in a very old Billy Cook in Colorado a couple weeks ago and it was harder and more uncomfortable than most bleachers I have sat on at ball games. I'm guessing it was not a very good representative for that brand.

[zoel_222]

My favorite saddle was my Western Rawhide round skirt. It is SOOOOOOOOOOO comfortable and light. I really love it, but putting a huge heap of cowhide on my horse makes me sick to my stomach so I'm trying to sell it. It was $1200 new and worth every penny. Western Rawhide is a really great brand. I think they only make them in Saskatchewan, Canada so they're not very well known.

I prefer round skirts. They're less weight on the horse's back. I do like the look of square skirts better though. I've talked to a saddle maker who said square skirts are better for weight distribution and said that with round skirts there's more pressure in one place on the horse's back. I'm not sure if that's a fact or just his opinion, though.

[alittleoffkey]

I don't really have a favorite brand... but if I had the extra cash I'd either have a custom made saddle to fit Leggy or get a nice Tucker Trail saddle. :)

I prefer the look and feel of a square skirt - on a normal or larger horse's back. On a horse with a short back then it's uncomfortable. If you like the look of a round skirt I'm not aware of a reason that they're any less quality (weight distribution or otherwise) than a square skirted saddle is.

Most saddle makers/fitters and horse owners/trainers/etc will tell you - most synthetic saddles just aren't the same quality, as far as their trees and weight distribution go, as a quality, solid leather saddle. HOWEVER, some companies are starting to make western synthetics on equitation trees... and those of quality, I've heard great reviews about, as far as comfort for the horse. Circle P is supposedly the best. :)

I would sincerely recomment NOT getting a Wintec Western. I've ridden in one and my rear end will not let me make that mistake again... ever. It put my legs and rump both in a weird position and I was uncomfortable both during and for quite awhile after the ride... and I'd never been sore from riding before - ever.

[dustys_girlly]

my favorite brand brand it tex tan. i really like their flex tree saddles with the square skirt and it has to be leather, i have not found to many synthetic saddles that i like.

[rocknK]

Check out McCall's saddles, quality isn't cheap, but these folks are reasonable! I ordered my saddle on a Fri @ 3pm & it was at my house @ 10am the following Tues. Gotta love the big brown truck.:)

[Mandzanita]

I have a Big Horn all-leather square skirt and it's my dream saddle. It's light-weight, the skirt is the shortest square skirt I've ever seen, and it's great leather. It's super comfortable and fits my horse to a tee :) It's even basket weave (my favorite tooling). Buying used is the best though because usually they are already broken in a little and you don't have the annoying task of riding in stiff squeaky leather for a couple months :) The worst part of saddle buying is finding the right fit for BOTH you and your horse. You have us though, the forum opinions totally helped me in my saddle decision.

Here's mine :) (excuse the horrendous pad...lol)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d118/mandi_c/IMG_0411-1.jpg

[vicklynn]

I like the Big Horns the best. They are light weight and you can get a nice cordura saddle for a good price. Im not talking the cheap ones, but the ones that run 400 or better(thats cheap in some peoples book).
I also like the Tuckers, but cant afford one. I own a Trekker endurance saddle w/horn and absolutely love it. Although, I did change the stirups to aluminum ones.
If your a Tucker fan, check out the Trekker.

[mypaintpony]

I would say my favorite brand of western saddles are Circle Y. All the ones I have ridden in have been very comfortable and put me in a decent position. I have a square skirt and I like it except it's a tad to long for my horse. I wouldn't get a synthetic western saddle, I think they look tacky unless your just trail riding. I also borrow a Rico barrel saddle and I love love it. :)

[Remali]

The Circle Y I used to have was a softee one....the leather was like butter....and it had an equitation seat....it is going to be so hard to top that in the comfy department! I like eveyone's comments and suggestions!

Very nice saddle there Mandzanita, I love basketweave too!

I am sort of hoping to find a nice used Circle Y......the new ones are now out of my price range.....the price of new saddles these days is crazy.

[livaward]

Hey here

http://houston.craigslist.org/grd/867902922.html

Maybe they will ship.....it is a great deal!

[Turn and Burn]

I have an Alamo saddle and I love it!! I have the barrel saddle, but I think they have different styles. They are not really expensive too.
Their website is alamosaddlery.com

[SedonaThunder]

I have an old Circle Y that has held up amazingly well and is incredibly comfortable but it is SOOO heavy (I believe 52 pounds) and long (pokes Thunder in the hip) that I really want to get rid of it. The most comfortable saddle I have ridden is was a Crates... and now my dream saddle is a Black, roundskirt, basket weave, trail/pleasure Crates - they run about $1,400 and are darn near impossible to find used.

[Diane of Buck's Hollow]

I have a Big Horn all-leather square skirt and it's my dream saddle. It's light-weight, the skirt is the shortest square skirt I've ever seen, and it's great leather. It's super comfortable and fits my horse to a tee :) It's even basket weave (my favorite tooling). Buying used is the best though because usually they are already broken in a little and you don't have the annoying task of riding in stiff squeaky leather for a couple months :) The worst part of saddle buying is finding the right fit for BOTH you and your horse. You have us though, the forum opinions totally helped me in my saddle decision.

Here's mine :) (excuse the horrendous pad...lol)
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d118/mandi_c/IMG_0411-1.jpg


Oooohhh! I like that saddle. I need to check it out!

[oursarge]

So, what are you favorite brand western saddles? And, round skirt or square skirt?
Leather, or synthetic? My new mare is on the small side and I'm wondering if a square skirt may be too long for her....and I've noticed a lot of the newer trail saddles are round skirt now (altho I seriously doubt I am going to be able to afford a new saddle). I sold my old Circle Y show saddle last year (yeah, I know....I should've kept it....), so sometime in the not-too-distant future I will need a saddle, but I will get a used one.

Before I bought my horse Rompy I rode him in a Martha Josey saddle, round skirt. That thing was so comfortable. Here is a picture of it. It was a 14 1/4" seat. It fit Rompy perfectly because he's a very narrow horse so a regular western saddle didn't fit him. I think it's a semi quarter tree but I'm not sure.

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g82/ournoah/RedRoadFarm013.jpg

I went on e-bay looking for a used one and found one, it wasn't cheap but not as expensive as new. It fits him pretty good but it's nowhere near as comfortable as the one I used in VT. They didn't want to sell that one, wish they did. I know I have pictures of the one I bought but I can't find them, they might be on the other computer. If I find a picture I'll post it later. The square skirts seem to be longer and he can't have anything longer.

My other horse Sarge is so chubby it's hard to get a saddle to fit him, it wants to roll off! I bought a square skirted barrel saddle for him. The saddle isn't as long since he doesn't have a long back, all the others I tried on him were too long for him since he isn't that big, chubby but not long. It's tricky getting a saddle to fit these guys. I really wish I could find a picture of my MJ Saddle, it really is pretty. Wish it was as comfortable as the other.

[Harleys Owner]

I wouldn't own any other kind of saddle but these:

http://www.allenranchsaddles.com/BarrelSaddles.html

[sugarsgirl]

I like Billy Cooks for the look, but they're not the most comfortable things when having to sit in them for a long time. I find the most comfortable brand to school in is the Tex Tan saddles. I really like Circle Y aswell.

[oursarge]

I like Billy Cooks for the look, but they're not the most comfortable things when having to sit in them for a long time. I find the most comfortable brand to school in is the Tex Tan saddles. I really like Circle Y aswell.


I have a Billy Cook and that thing is like sitting on a rock all the time, very uncomfortable. It's pretty but that's all I can say about it. I also have a Tex Tan [We have 3 horses and 6 saddles!!!!] that I mostly ride in and that's not bad, it's old, I bought it used 17+ yrs ago. When I first started riding in it my back bothered me but now it feels pretty comfortable.

[Gliderider]

I love Tucker saddles and Simco's.

[Steelhorserider]

My favorite to ride in was a Textan but my wallet likes Dakota and Big Horn.

[Horserider]

I LOVE Circle Y, but they're so expensive. I hate my saddle I think it's a King. They're cheaper, but mine sticks up in the back and bangs on the horse's back as I ride. Someone told me that all King saddles do that.

[ownedby7horses]

My favourite saddles are Circle Y, Simcoe, and textan.

My circle Y saddle was identical to this one. http://www.foxhunter.on.ca/Mar9SaddlePhotos/83341.gif


My old barrel saddle was a textan & I could ride in that saddle all day.

My simco is alright. It's a quick fix for now, but eventually I'd like to get another circle Y like the one I had. So comfy, made to last a lifetime, and easy on the eyes as well.file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/SPECIA%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg

[ownedby7horses]

Here's a website of used saddles to look through too.

http://www.equinehits.com/horse-saddles-for-sale/

[Remali]

Lots of great saddles out there...makes it tough to make a decision....lol. Koko is on the small side, and I am thinking a round skirt may fit her better. I probably won't get another saddle till spring or so, but it's fun to look now and you never know when you may find a good deal.