Wade Trees

[Flair]

Jet's Tex Tan Albany just isn't going to work out for us, I'm afraid. I got a really nice one-inch Diamond Wool pad to use, and added a flank cinch, but even with those additions, Jet's still pinning her ears and kicking and bucking at the trot. She won't throw too much of a fuss if I stay back towards the cantle, but this pushes me into an unbalanced chair seat. I think the way the skirt sets forward in the front might be restricting her shoulder, but I can't put it back anymore or I'm not seated right.

This isn't the saddle for us, apparently.

Looking at pictures of the saddle I had in the past, it was an Abetta endurance with a round skirt and it really came up off her shoulder to give her a lot of freedom and movement. I went to a Buck Brannaman clinic yesterday, and pretty much every one of the western riders had saddles with Wade trees, most of them had the McCall Wades. Those really look like they give a lot of shoulder freedom. I spoke to the people riding in the clinic about the saddles, and took a close look at them. They're bloody expensive! I got sticker shock looking at one for sale. They just seem more cut back at the shoulder and look shorter than Jet's saddle which kind of flares forward and out.

Luckily, a friend of mine has a Billy Cook roping saddle with a Wade tree. She said it was heavy, but I picked it up yesterday and it doesn't feel as heavy as I thought it would be (we'll see how heavy I think it is trying to get it up on Jet's back though). I'm going to try it today.

[3equines]

Good sturdy saddle type built for work, won't let you down, but I do not like the fork/horn - its OK for roping cows but too upright/high and big a horn for trail riding and the fork is too narrow unless you put bucking rolls on it (which look really stupid IMHO). Peach's saddle has an upright fork and horn (not Wade tree but similar height/ style to the horn) and it nails me in the gut when I am going uphill or ducking branches, good thing Peach is such a good horse - I am not rally worried about injury with her but I just don't like the upright style of horn, there is potential for serious injury when trail riding in a saddle like that.

I say try it out, if it fits your horse and the price is right then go for it, don't get too nit picky unless you really in your hart want something else.

[gabhainn]

I love em and I have clocked many a mile in all kinds of terrain in them and never had any problems with them. They are expensive for a reason as most of them are hand built. Billy Cook is a decent quality if its made in Texas, and super quality if its built in Oklahoma (its a licensing thing )....Try it if it doesnt work let me know I might be interested.......Kevin

[Flair]

Sorry Kevin, it's not for sale. I was just trying it out because my friend said I could.

Anyway, after trying the saddle today, I realized that Jet's Tex Tan saddle was all wrong for her in the first place. She had a SUPER trot today, very forward, and animated, and she didn't once pin her ears or kick or buck and throw a fuss. The Wade tree was really nice at staying back off her shoulders, but I think the gullet was too wide, and it sat right on her withers. If I do get a saddle with a Wade tree, it would probably have to be custom with a narrower gullet.

[mare]

You can find them on Ebay pretty often. I don't like a slick fork, but that's just my preference.

I'm kind of wondering what it was about the underside of the tree in the saddle you had that disagreed with your horse. You can get about anything on the top side that you prefer, since it's the bottom side you have to find agreeable to your horse.

I have a McCall, but not a Wade style. It's closer to an association tree.

[Tiz]

Picture time!

[Vegashorselady]

I used somebodys Watt Brother's wade tree saddle on my horse Blue once, I loved it! I would buy one...if I a few extra thousand dollars to spend on a saddle, lol!

[Flair]

Sorry Tiz, I didn't take no pictures. I forgot.

I'm definitely gonna need to save if I want to get a saddle with a wade tree. I think the McCalls have a Modified QH gullet that's narrow and high, would be suitable for Jet. Coming from an english background, I really liked riding in the slick fork, I just felt it put me in a good position.

It's just a real bummer that the saddle was too wide and sat right on her wither, because I was blown away with how free moving that mare was going. Back to the ole drawing board.