I am playing around with ordering something semi-custom for my mare and I, and got thinking about what color I would want. I am torn between dark oil, and black. But from a resale perspective (which hopefully this saddle would never be for sale), do people like black western tack? It seems to be slowly popping up on the AQHA circuit.
Which color would you chose for her?
Western saddles in black have never been a favorite of mine, but they are coming back in QH, seen some at Paint shows, and it’s very common in Morgans.
I personally think she looks very nice in the dark oil. 
I think she looks nice in the dark oil too. I like black saddles but only on bays or blacks, maybe greys. Just my preference.
I think she’d look lovely in either. Personally I LOVE black western saddles. I plan on ordering one for myself. They stand out and perhaps it’s my years of dressage lessons, but I like black on any color horse.
I honestly like the look of the dark oil on your horse. I think it compliments her color better.
Also, I would say as a general rule, resale will be easier on a dark oil saddle, than a black one.
What kinds of shows are you planning on attending? Light oil is still the trend in QH and Paints. Black was trendy for a while, and you still see it a little bit, but I’m not sure it will stick around. If you’re not going to breed shows you can pick whatever you like best.
The only 2 times I would ever consider black western tack: vintage restored parade saddles for the collector/ASB parade classes market, and for a 2nd show saddle for showing WP at breed shows.
The one time I bought a black pleasure/trail saddle (an old simco that had a 1950s vibe to it) to fix up and flip I ended up selling it for $80 after having it on the market for a year and a half. I have regularly sold saddles of comparable brands, same age range and same tree/seat size that were in worse shape for $200-300.
The resale value just isn’t there.
I also prefer black tack for greys, black horses or buckskins. However, your horse looks better in the dark oil.
I think your mare looks best in the dark oil.
But I love black western saddles and bridles! Probably because it was more stylish when I was first riding.
I have no idea what is in now, or what will be when you ever decide to sell your saddle (if you ever do).
I would buy what you like best and is most comfortable on your mare (in reverse order).
I went through this same decision-making process nearly 10 years ago with a chestnut QH. I ended up buying the brown western saddle because it went better with his coloring but also because I was buying boots at the same time and preferred the brown boots in the store to the black ones!
For resale and your horse’s coloring, I think the dark oil is best. Having said that, I had a black western trail saddle for my dun mustang and I think he looked rather handsome.
Sorry, but if you plan to show, skip both black and dark oil colors. They are outdated, and to me, immediately scream “no help in dressing yourself or horse” when seen in the ring.
QH sets the standards for show attire, colors that are popular, amounts of trim, bling, cuts of saddle skirts, whether you need breastcollars or two-ear bridles. Other Western show folks follow those trends. Dark Oil was popular a WHILE ago, then trickled down to other breeds who are always behind the QH in styles. Still seen in local 4-H classes. I don’t remember seeing black Western saddles recently, which I hate. Sweat takes the color off onto your clothing, hands, just way too “1950’s”.
Nope, for looking like you know what you are doing, you want a light oil saddle, better to blend with other exhibitors somewhat. Better resale value, appeal to the general public even if it darkens a bit with use.
[QUOTE=goodhors;8357078]
Sorry, but if you plan to show, skip both black and dark oil colors. They are outdated, and to me, immediately scream “no help in dressing yourself or horse” when seen in the ring.
QH sets the standards for show attire, colors that are popular, amounts of trim, bling, cuts of saddle skirts, whether you need breastcollars or two-ear bridles. Other Western show folks follow those trends. Dark Oil was popular a WHILE ago, then trickled down to other breeds who are always behind the QH in styles. Still seen in local 4-H classes. I don’t remember seeing black Western saddles recently, which I hate. Sweat takes the color off onto your clothing, hands, just way too “1950’s”.
Nope, for looking like you know what you are doing, you want a light oil saddle, better to blend with other exhibitors somewhat. Better resale value, appeal to the general public even if it darkens a bit with use.[/QUOTE]
The good news is that I don’t show AQHA. The other good news is that western dressage seems to be taking its queues from the morgan horse and ranch horse circuits. Google “western dressage” and other than a few pictures of Lynn Palm, 95% of the riders are in dark or medium oil tack. :yes:
I looooove buckskins in black tack. Same with bays and gray horses. My horse is such a funky color of chestnut, even when it came to ordering my first English saddle I had for her I had the hardest time deciding between black and brown.
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8357356]
The good news is that I don’t show AQHA. The other good news is that western dressage seems to be taking its queues from the morgan horse and ranch horse circuits. Google “western dressage” and other than a few pictures of Lynn Palm, 95% of the riders are in dark or medium oil tack. :yes:[/QUOTE]
Your choice on saddle color, just offered what I have learned with time. I go with what the AQHA folks show in, because it will always be “more right” over local breed styles. My son, now 30yrs old, had a dark oil saddle as a kid of 6-10yrs old and the color was going out as ‘stylish’ even back then!
My Google search showed only a few dark saddles that were truly dark oil or black in over 50 photos. No names given, but many looking prepared to enter any kind of QH class. Some were REALLY OLD pictures, with hat styles being passe’, along with chap choices and tack. A number of riders were in older saddles, light oil darkened to dark brown with time and use. The majority of saddles were light oil on the horses. Light oil will darken with use and conditioning to a rich brown color, my favorite on any horse.
But certainly you are free to choose your own favorite saddle color. I have never used the Morgans for my style examples, years behind the trend setters. Ranch horses are in a class of their own. Quality older tack that holds up to daily work. May have gone from light to dark brown with being oiled and cleaned over the years, so it can appear to be dark oil. I bet you don’t see any black saddles on them for the reasons I gave before.
Don’t do it.
I have a black saddle that I ordered semi-custom and the black does not hold well at all. The underside of the fenders is like a black chalky texture that rubs off, and the saddle itself hasn’t held the black color either - there are spots that are a copper color where the dye has not held.
I also was just reading this on the Caldwell website:
Regarding Black Saddles:
We are often questioned about coloring or making saddles black. This is not something we recommend due to the overly dry condition created by the black dye that has to contain formaldehyde usage to set the pigment. We can offer a “near black” called Show Finish for those preferring that dark of saddle. This color looks better to most than true black; creating a more natural and less chemical look.
http://www.caldwellsaddle.com/tips.html about half way down the page.
[QUOTE=SuckerForHorses;8357700]
Don’t do it.
I have a black saddle that I ordered semi-custom and the black does not hold well at all. The underside of the fenders is like a black chalky texture that rubs off, and the saddle itself hasn’t held the black color either - there are spots that are a copper color where the dye has not held.
I also was just reading this on the Caldwell website:
http://www.caldwellsaddle.com/tips.html about half way down the page.[/QUOTE]
They have some really cool info on their website in general, glad you shared it. Also nice to seem them addressing a common issue I am finding in saddles, them putting riders into chair seats! Too bad their saddles start around $4,000.
Custom saddle has been nixed for now, looking more into something like a used Chavez, or one of the other Circle Y models.
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8357936]
They have some really cool info on their website in general, glad you shared it. Also nice to seem them addressing a common issue I am finding in saddles, them putting riders into chair seats! Too bad their saddles start around $4,000.
Custom saddle has been nixed for now, looking more into something like a used Chavez, or one of the other Circle Y models.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, their saddles are expensive. I cannot afford one either. But the information is good.
I am currently looking at getting the Circle Y Alpine saddle. Sat in it in the tack shop yesterday and really liked it, and they had it in the right tree and seat size I need. It is also $900-ish cheaper than the saddle I made this thread about. It felt like it would put me in pretty good alignment despite being a trail saddle.
Despite my best efforts I always seem to end up in a pretty terrible chair seat in my current saddle.
[QUOTE=SuckerForHorses;8357700]
Don’t do it.
I have a black saddle that I ordered semi-custom and the black does not hold well at all. The underside of the fenders is like a black chalky texture that rubs off, and the saddle itself hasn’t held the black color either - there are spots that are a copper color where the dye has not held.
I also was just reading this on the Caldwell website:
http://www.caldwellsaddle.com/tips.html about half way down the page.[/QUOTE]
This.
I have two good quality used English saddles, both black: jump and dressage. Plus a good quality though second hand bridle. I don’t like how black leather ages. It absolutely does get brownish on the wear spots. And I don’t like how it shows the dirt. And I feel that the actual surface quality of the leather is not as nice as the equivalent piece of tack in brown. There have been threads, I think, on Hunter Jumper or Dressage, about this. When people switch from the HJ brown tack to the currently fashionable Dressage black tack, they really don’t like the quality and feel of the leather.
I love how brown leather ages.
[QUOTE=goodhors;8357078]
Sorry, but if you plan to show, skip both black and dark oil colors. They are outdated, and to me, immediately scream “no help in dressing yourself or horse” when seen in the ring.
QH sets the standards for show attire, colors that are popular, amounts of trim, bling, cuts of saddle skirts, whether you need breastcollars or two-ear bridles. Other Western show folks follow those trends. Dark Oil was popular a WHILE ago, then trickled down to other breeds who are always behind the QH in styles. Still seen in local 4-H classes. I don’t remember seeing black Western saddles recently, which I hate. Sweat takes the color off onto your clothing, hands, just way too “1950’s”.
Nope, for looking like you know what you are doing, you want a light oil saddle, better to blend with other exhibitors somewhat. Better resale value, appeal to the general public even if it darkens a bit with use.[/QUOTE]
Quarter horses have been actively sporting black tack at the world show for at least a couple of years now.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrTcXKwyR5WHyEA8U.JzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIzMnA4bjFjBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZAM3YzIyODBhMGI0Y2I2ZWQ3MmU2NTgzY2M5MDliODk3MARncG9zAzQ1BGl0A2Jpbmc-?.origin=&back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DAQHA%2BWorld%2BChampion%2BWestern%2BPleasure%26fr%3Dmcafee%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D45&w=600&h=400&imgurl=www.aqha.com%2FShowing%2FNovice-Championships%2FEast%2FClasses%2FAmateur%2F~%2Fmedia%2FImages%2FShowing%2FEvents%2FNovice+Championships%2FEast+2013%2FClasses%2FAmateur%2FNA+Western+Pleasure.ashx%3Fw%3D600&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aqha.com%2FShowing%2FNovice-Championships%2FEast%2FClasses%2FAmateur%2FWestern-Pleasure.aspx&size=245.3KB&name=Elle+win+amateur+<b>western<%2Fb>+<b>pleasure<%2Fb>+October+5+at+the+Nutrena+East+<b>AQHA<%2Fb>+…&p=AQHA+World+Champion+Western+Pleasure&oid=7c2280a0b4cb6ed72e6583cc909b8970&fr2=&fr=mcafee&tt=Elle+win+amateur+%3Cb%3Ewestern%3C%2Fb%3E+%3Cb%3Epleasure%3C%2Fb%3E+October+5+at+the+Nutrena+East+%3Cb%3EAQHA%3C%2Fb%3E+…&b=0&ni=144&no=45&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=12rml9u9o&sigb=13geguo4c&sigi=15ah7fcdu&sigt=12tbeucqm&sign=12tbeucqm&.crumb=NUv9qhhYjFG&fr=mcafee
I have never been a trendsetter or a dedicated follower of fashion.
I pick the tack by how it looks on my horse, but more importantly, how it FEELS to my horse. And how it feels to me. Doesn’t mean I’m gonna buy one of those synthetic saddles with the print fabric skirts and fenders (are they still making those?), but if I find a brown saddle I like I will buy it, if I find a black one I like better I will buy that.
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