[QUOTE=Preposterous Ponies!;8048715]
The only thing I’m having difficulty with is getting off the damn horse - stepping down is so unnatural for me![/QUOTE]
You don’t have to step down if you don’t want to. I’m too short to step down off my tall equines even if I wanted to. I dismount from my western saddle the same way I dismount from my English saddle.
Just be sure to keep your left hand on the horn so you don’t get your jacket/shirt/bra hooked over it. It’s not a fun experience. 
[QUOTE=NoSuchPerson;8048983]
You don’t have to step down if you don’t want to. I’m too short to step down off my tall equines even if I wanted to. I dismount from my western saddle the same way I dismount from my English saddle.
Just be sure to keep your left hand on the horn so you don’t get your jacket/shirt/bra hooked over it. It’s not a fun experience. :)[/QUOTE]
I got my jacket caught yesterday. :lol: It’s a good thing my mare is tolerant.
Beware! I hung myself by my belt from my saddle horn recently. Right after I’d handed someone my knife and ridden away. :uhoh:
I posted a thread here asking for advice, and found my best method is:
reins and mane in left hand
right hand on horn
left foot halfway out of stirrup
right foot all the way out and over
slide left foot out and
land on both feet.
I figured I’d give a bit of an update, mostly because I want to show my pony off! Here she is in her western outfit:
Really loving that saddle - it’s a 14" circle y equitation saddle. Soooo pretty. It is a wee bit small for me, but not much. I think the extra snugness will be good for when we start barrels. I’m also working on losing weight / fitting up, so it should fit a little better then too.
My next purchase will be a breastplate, as we do a lot of trail riding with steep hills, and I would feel more secure with it on. I’m figuring out what i do and don’t like for western tack as well, and slowly replacing things like nylon latigo straps and cinches (she now has a fancy shaped alpaca cinch!)
In other news, I am becoming less afraid of impaling myself on the horn, though I do have to keep reminding myself not to post and I’m slowly lengthening my stirrups. Dismounting is now easy peasy.
Good for you, to find what you like best.
That saddle looks very comfortable, but a bit more what around here is considered a performance saddle than equitation, not that I know.
I thought that kind of horn is more for team sorters/penners and working cowhorse, the equitation horns half that size, bigger around and with a larger cap, so less apt to get impaled in them.
Sure a nice saddle, under any name.
Breast collars are always good to have, especially trail riding, as they help keep the saddle in place better, if at some time it may want to slide back or turn.
[QUOTE=Bluey;8108153]
Good for you, to find what you like best.
That saddle looks very comfortable, but a bit more what around here is considered a performance saddle than equitation, not that I know.
I thought that kind of horn is more for team sorters/penners and working cowhorse, the equitation horns half that size, bigger around and with a larger cap, so less apt to get impaled in them.
Sure a nice saddle, under any name.
Breast collars are always good to have, especially trail riding, as they help keep the saddle in place better, if at some time it may want to slide back or turn.[/QUOTE]
The saddle information says “equitation” but it doesn’t look very equitation like to me (not that I know anything abut anything when it comes to western). I’m not sure how old it is yet, so that may be a factor.
Nice lookin’ horse!
[QUOTE=Preposterous Ponies!;8108118]
I think the extra snugness will be good for when we start barrels. [/QUOTE]
Depends on the person. Some people like more room in the saddle for barrel racing; other like it more snug. Just personal preferance.
Now of course, you can barrel racing in any saddle (or no saddle at all) but you do have a flatter seat on this “equitation” saddle than a deeper seat that a specific barrel saddle would have. FYI.
[QUOTE=Preposterous Ponies!;8108118]
My next purchase will be a breastplate, [/QUOTE]
The western term is breastcollar. 
Why?
While you wouldn’t post while showing a horse in Western, there is no reason you can’t post on your own time. If I am asking my horse for a good working trot out on the trail, I post all the time. Much easier on me and the horse.
[QUOTE=Preposterous Ponies!;8108118]
The saddle information says “equitation” but it doesn’t look very equitation like to me (not that I know anything abut anything when it comes to western). I’m not sure how old it is yet, so that may be a factor. [/QUOTE]
If it’s a Circle Y, there should be a serial number on the saddle somewhere. The serial number usually can tell you what year the saddle was made and what type of tree is in it (full or semi).
I tried a barnmate’s Tex Tan Flex Tex endurance saddle with no horn and love it so much I may have to knock her on the head and keep it :lol:
Such a great thread. Thanks all.
Starting the search for a western saddle for my hubby. He’s adamant he wants western saddle sigh ( I like western just fine - just isn’t what any of the horses here re used to and I have too many English saddles at the moment - my goal was less tack not more) . His mount will be be of two thoroughbreds but with big withers and pockets behind the wither. I need light as I’ll be tacking up and one guy is 16.3. Why do I think this isn’t going to be easy?
Anyhow awesome info here thanks.
Here is my TB at a rest stop on a long ride.
I have no idea who was the original maker of the saddle. It was an old saddle I picked up of Ebay cheap because the leather was shot. I found a local Amish saddlemaker and he rebuilt the saddle using the old rawhide covered tree. It’s very comfortable and seems to fit TBs very well.
Great idea, Christa!
Paula
[QUOTE=paulaedwina;8117433]
Great idea, Christa!
Paula[/QUOTE]
Thank you. I will admit that I am spoiled living near several Amish communities. I get custom equipment for a very reasonable cost - the breastcollar and reins were also custom made by a different Amish leather shop.
[QUOTE=Bluey;8108153]
Good for you, to find what you like best.
That saddle looks very comfortable, but a bit more what around here is considered a performance saddle than equitation, not that I know.
I thought that kind of horn is more for team sorters/penners and working cowhorse, the equitation horns half that size, bigger around and with a larger cap, so less apt to get impaled in them.
Sure a nice saddle, under any name.[/QUOTE]
I’m a little late to this party, but I have a Circle Y of about the same vintage as the one in your picture (late 1980’s early 1990s) but of a slightly fancier with pretty much the exact same horn that is an equitation model. Love that thing! Yes Bluey, some of them did have a higher horn then, they were out just prior to the light oil trend came in. PP I hope you enjoy and I love your saddle pad! I’ve never been able to find one big enough for my saddle in colours like that, that I can actually afford.
[QUOTE=Preposterous Ponies!;8108206]
The saddle information says “equitation” but it doesn’t look very equitation like to me (not that I know anything abut anything when it comes to western). I’m not sure how old it is yet, so that may be a factor.[/QUOTE]
That is an older saddle, which probably means it is a better quality. Styles change so at the time it was an eq saddle but not the style popular today.
Really interesting to hear about the older style equitation models. This one is a 1999 model.
The pad can be found here: http://www.pleasantridge.ca/index.php/western-tack/saddle-pads/pad-southwest-cut-back-built-up-1.html
I got it on sale, but even at full price it isn’t outrageous.
PP are you in Ontario? I could be off on the guesstimate on the year of the saddle. I need to find some of my old pics from the year after I bought mine…
Unfortunately that would be too small for my saddle. It has a huge skirt compared to yours.
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