One bad shoulder injury, and now I’m struggling with the simple task of tacking up. I need a solid recommendation (or ten!?) for a really great lightweight saddle for trail/pleasure/western dressage that won’t break the bank. Help?
Love love our saddle from Tennessee saddlery, yes its a little on the lower end price wise but is nice quality made in the USA they have a 30 day fit guarantee as well.
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Fabtron
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Check what tree they use because some makers have poorly built fiberglass trees in there. I had not known of the problems with trees breaking, hardware ripping right out of the tree until recently! I took a saddle in for a new fleece lining and got an earful about new saddle on junk trees, how easily they break! Kind of a shock to me, when he told me a saddle I had was garbage and why. Well all education is good, hoping to not get another junk saddle by accident. Luckily mine was a freebie, nothing into it.
So be VERY CAREFUL with light weight saddles, could have the hollow fiberglass tree.
I second Fabtron and add Abetta.
I loved my Abetta trail Saddle, light and comfortable.
My freebie saddle had no name brand, but had identifying traits pointing at it being foreign made that he showed to me. Quite the learning curve for me! I knew it was a cheap saddle but not imported. Saddlemaker did say some better name brands are cutting costs using these cheaper fiberglass trees now in some models. He has replaced such trees in good name saddles after light trees got wrecked pulling out girth hardware leaving gaping holes in tree or actually tree breaking into pieces. Looking at those trees was pretty scary! Makes me glad to be riding older, solid tree saddles.
Abetta and Big Horn are my two picks for lightweight and/or synthetic. They fit way better than Wintec, and seem much better made.
What if you use a mounting block to get your saddle on your horse’s back? That may be much easier on your shoulder.
Which shoulder bothers you? You could also pay attention which side of the horse is easier for you. You don’t have to saddle your horse from the “normal” side!
I agree that you could look at barrel saddles as they do tend to be more lightweight. I spend a lot of time trail riding in my barrel saddles because that’s mostly how I keep my barrel horses in shape.
No matter what you end up with, the saddle needs to fit your horse AND fit you too!
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Thank you all for the excellent suggestions. I so wish that there were a western tack shop close Thank you all for the excellent suggestions. I so wish that there were a western tack shop close by, but unfortunately in the area where I am, it’s mostly Hunter, jumper and dressage enthusiasts. I think what I need to do is take a road trip out to a high-volume western saddle shop and try several and see which fit me. Then , go ahead and lift a few and make sure that they’re manageable. I think a solid footstool is probably the answer, as quality is more important than actual weight, I’m thinking. The hollow fiberglass tree, that breaks, is kind of freaking me out.
If you can find a tack shop, that is the best way to go.
Can you take your horse with you? Yes it needs to fit you but it needs to fit the horse too!
I love my Dakota barrel saddles, we have three. Lightweight, fits most of my horses well and have held up to a LOT of use. I would say they are midrange quality but my first one I have had for twenty-two years and the other two we bought used.
Allegany mountain trail saddle
I think you’ll like Fabtron, because it’s lightweight - about 20 lbs - and best of all, puts your feet underneath you instead of in front, which I think would be important for western dressage (not that I have any experience with western dressage, but I would imagine in any dressage you’d need your feet underneath you).
They come in either FlexTree or Ralide I’ve had both and prefer the Ralide. It’s poured hard sythetic, so not hollow. The FlexTree I had problems with not really fitting my horse, and it was tough to keep it from rolling when I mounted.
I’ve been riding in Fabtron saddles for years and they hold up great.
Some models only come in semi QH bars - like the one I have for Mr. Short, Sweet, and Sorrel 
https://shop.fabtron.com/collections…d-skirt-saddle
And others only come in full quarter horse bars, like this one I bought for a horse I’ve since retired. Since I love the saddle, obviously I just need a new horse! :lol: https://shop.fabtron.com/collections…s-trail-saddle.
You can go to horsesaddleshop.com and download templates to see which size bars you need.
The company is great to deal with, too. I had an issue with the fenders on one of my saddles, and not only did they replace it for free but they sent me a free halter and lead for my trouble!
My mother has a Kenny Harlow barrel racing saddle, that is I believe 19 pounds. Made by Circle Y and has their Flex2 tree. She loves it.
I have the Lisa Lockhart version. Mine is 24 or 25 pounds (can’t quite remember). The leather quality could be better, but it’s a very comfortable saddle. I do show in it as well (locally) and we usually place quite well in horsemanship. I like that I can keep my leg in a good equitation position. Not bad for a barrel saddle.
I just ordered a Circle Y lady trail saddle, 22 lbs. Super excited to get it and try it on my horse! I mainly ride (regular) dressage so it’s primarily going to be for when I trail ride about 2-3x/month. Initially I was going to try a wintec and had placed an order over a month ago but it’s been out of stock, hopefully this is worth the upgrade.
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I like our Abetta trail saddles. One is about 8 years old and the other is new.
I was going to second Allegheny Mountain Saddles, though I have no direct experience, I have heard good things.
This is my recommendation. Most “lightweight” saddles, in my experience, lack the quality of construction and foundation to fit ANY horse reasonably well. You are better off choosing a saddle that fits your horse well, regardless of construction, and then adjusting your own fitness so that the saddle fits you.
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