Just curious if anybody has any experiance with Cactus Saddlery? Particularly how they fit bigger shouldered horses? I found a saddle on eBay that is tempting, but I can’t find many/any reviews of the brand.
I have a custom Cactus barrel racing saddle. It’s a full QH tree but I’m not sure it would fit a part draft horse if that’s what you are asking. It is fairly wide thru the gullet but the angles aren’t that huge. They are excellent saddles that hold their value.
While my horse was still growing, Cactus cow horse was the only saddle I could find that fit her. She’s a broad barreled but her shoulders and withers were late to the game. She finally filled out this summer and grew into my bobs. The cactus still fits her well and she’s got pretty big shoulders to match her pretty big barrel now too.
Cactus are a very good brand - many ropers I know like them. The ropers tend to have bigger shouldered horses compared to other western disciplines.
She has big shoulders, but not as huge in the wither department as I use to think. A 7 inch gullet fits her, she just needs a good amount of flair to the front to accomdiate her big shoulders. She is very round, flat, and wide behind her withers. But I haven’t had any issues fitting her in that area. Just the shoulder area.
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8914233]
She has big shoulders, but not as huge in the wither department as I use to think. A 7 inch gullet fits her, she just needs a good amount of flair to the front to accomdiate her big shoulders. She is very round, flat, and wide behind her withers. But I haven’t had any issues fitting her in that area. Just the shoulder area.[/QUOTE]
I don’t know how any of the cactuses fit other than the older cowhorses, but based on my experience with my cactus, I’m not sure it would be a good fit. The bars on mine are 6 3/4" and I specifically went looking for a saddle that didn’t have that shoulder flare. When I talked to the rep, she did say the newer saddles fit bigger.
[QUOTE=2 & 1/2 Geldings;8914292]
I don’t know how any of the cactuses fit other than the older cowhorses, but based on my experience with my cactus, I’m not sure it would be a good fit. The bars on mine are 6 3/4" and I specifically went looking for a saddle that didn’t have that shoulder flare. When I talked to the rep, she did say the newer saddles fit bigger.[/QUOTE]
I agree, I don’t think it will work either. I am now looking at Crates. They are on the same equi-flex reining tree as a Big Horn that I tried last year that worked pretty well. They also have a freedom tree for big shouldered horses, though I can’t seem to find if they are actually made any more. Another option is Billy Royal, of all brands. My friend has one that fit Sydney pretty good, but I wasn’t super impressed with the quality.
Crossing my fingers that I can take my mare down to the Horse Saddle Shop this weekend to try pretty much everything that they have.
