English rider looking for comfy, secure Western saddle for OTTB

[tpup]

Hi all - I have a wonderful OTTB and have been trail riding him more and more for experience/miles. He is a gem but can be a tad spooky. Spooks mostly in place by splaying legs out like a giraffe (drops down under me LOL) or now and then a side shuffle. No spin. Otherwise level headed and loves riding out, hates going back to trailer - head nods to go other way to keep riding. He is built slightly downhill.

I have a very secure Stubben Dressage saddle but there are times I would love to just sit in a Western saddle and relax more. I have an OLD Wintec synthetic that is awful - no comfortable and stirrup position stinks.

I’d love any recommendations for a VERY comfortable Western saddle with horn for me that would be easy to fit for him as well. He has narrow bone structure at withers - he is a narrow in the Stubben but he has a BIG shoulder for an OTTB. In summer he fills out alot. Around the barrel and shoulder he is a fuller OTTB. He can be sensitive about saddles so I need something that is comfortable for him - not pinchy.

Any recommendations?? This is stictly for trail/pleasure. I am 5’3", but have longer femur. I want secure leg position - not chair seat. I do not like narrow twists and prefer a flatter, deep seat. Would also love pad recommendations for spring/summer. I have a thick wool pad from my old Wintec. I’ve looked in magazines at the Tuckers. No idea where to start otherwise.

I am in NoVA and trying before buying or taking one on trial is IDEAL. Thought of checking with Galloping Grape - not sure if she stocks new. Thanks!

[Zu_Zu]

I’m interested in this type western saddle too - having tried many western saddles :eek: obviously the wrong ones :lol:
I find it surprising any cowboy/ girl could even survive a cattle drive in a western saddle :lol:

I would like a flat seat / lower cantle and COMFORTABLE …for my
wandering aimlessly trail riding and or for a guest …

after several years of my search - have to admit I flummoxed by this western saddle search :dead:
looking for suggestion too …

Thanks for ‘threading’ this tpup ! :encouragement:

[Palm_Beach]

A spooky horse needs training, not a new saddle.

[roseymare]

Don’t discount older saddles and don’t discount the heavy ones. The heavy skirts help with weight distribution. It is hard to go wrong with a heavy wool felt pad.
Sorry not much help but there are many good saddles out there. Just keep your eyes open.

[China_Doll]

I have a Steele that is very secure and has a high front for high withers. I don’t use it anymore but note sure if sales are allowed on here??

[Pocket_Pony]

Welcome to the confusing world of western saddle fitting! The best advice I can give you is to get thee to a western saddle shop or consignment shop and put your butt in as many saddles as you can. The next best advice I can give you is to talk to the folks at horsesaddleshop.com - they can help you choose a saddle by having you do templates for your horse and then talking about which ones might be options. They also have a lot of good information on there.

I’ve been through many western saddles and I’m almost giving up. I’m a lifelong english rider and I find most western saddles uncomfortable. I have had hip problems and they just seem to exacerbate it.

Spend a lot of time reading and understanding how they fit - flare, angle, rock, gullet width, seat size, different saddle types, etc.

Having said that, I have a Circle Y trail saddle. The seat is squishy and the most comfortable of any I’ve had so far. Fenders are pre-turned so there’s not extra stress there for my hip. My horse can spook and spin around and I won’t move in it. Circle Y makes a ton of different types of saddles and they are not too expensive.

[Bluey]

@Zu Zu

I’m interested in this type western saddle too - having tried many western saddles :eek: obviously the wrong ones :lol:
I find it surprising any cowboy/ girl could even survive a cattle drive in a western saddle :lol:

I would like a flat seat / lower cantle and COMFORTABLE …for my
wandering aimlessly trail riding and or for a guest …

after several years of my search - have to admit I flummoxed by this western saddle search :dead:
looking for suggestion too …

Thanks for ‘threading’ this tpup ! :encouragement:

I let you in on a secret, if you are an English rider, even the most comfortable western saddle will be a mere second best.
They all will feel like a lump on a log, not part of the horse like English saddles feel.

If you grew up with western saddles, then I don’t know how English and race saddles feel.
Those that did tell me they too are never as happy as in western saddles.

Now, to get used to a western saddle, you just have to get the most comfortable for you you can find and keep riding in it.

Western saddles tend to be better for long hours in the saddle for the horse’s back, as they spread the rider’s weight over a larger area than English saddles do.
I use my English saddle working cattle unless we may have to rope or spend many hours, it just fits me best.
I have a heavy, bulky roping saddle that for training is just too, well, big and bulky.

Western saddles are very individual, even two from the same tree and saddle maker will have small differences that can make or break how they fit us.

I have right now a Bob’s reiner that fits me and my horse like a glove.
I have another that fits horse fine, but the fenders are right below the seat, not forward enough for me.
It would feel like the stirrup bars on an English saddle being under your bottom, not in front of your thigh.
For short me, I keep having to fight to get my legs forward, would fit someone with longer legs better.

Do try different saddles, don’t get discouraged it takes long to find one.
For long trail riding, a western saddle will be a little better for the horse’s back than an English saddle, unless trail riding is going at it fast and covering many miles at speed.
Then an English saddle would be fine, the rider is not sitting there so long.

Hope that makes sense.

If we had a picture of the OP horse’s back it would help.

[Zu_Zu]

Good information !

Thank you !

After years and trying a zillion trillion saddles …

I’m formally giving up !!! :lol:

More time to ride !

[lorilu]

I recently bought a Harmony Western Dressage saddle… it has a nice flatter seat, doesn’t roll me back on the backside of my seatbones, and the stirrups are not waaayyyy out in front. I also like that it has panels like an english saddle underneath - but not wool flocked. Nice spine relief http://www.westerndressageridinggear.com/saddles.html

[Sparrowette]

@tpup

Hi all - I have a wonderful OTTB and have been trail riding him more and more for experience/miles. He is a gem but can be a tad spooky. Spooks mostly in place by splaying legs out like a giraffe (drops down under me LOL) or now and then a side shuffle. No spin. Otherwise level headed and loves riding out, hates going back to trailer - head nods to go other way to keep riding. He is built slightly downhill.

I have a very secure Stubben Dressage saddle but there are times I would love to just sit in a Western saddle and relax more. I have an OLD Wintec synthetic that is awful - no comfortable and stirrup position stinks.

I’d love any recommendations for a VERY comfortable Western saddle with horn for me that would be easy to fit for him as well. He has narrow bone structure at withers - he is a narrow in the Stubben but he has a BIG shoulder for an OTTB. In summer he fills out alot. Around the barrel and shoulder he is a fuller OTTB. He can be sensitive about saddles so I need something that is comfortable for him - not pinchy.

Any recommendations?? This is stictly for trail/pleasure. I am 5’3", but have longer femur. I want secure leg position - not chair seat. I do not like narrow twists and prefer a flatter, deep seat. Would also love pad recommendations for spring/summer. I have a thick wool pad from my old Wintec. I’ve looked in magazines at the Tuckers. No idea where to start otherwise.

I am in NoVA and trying before buying or taking one on trial is IDEAL. Thought of checking with Galloping Grape - not sure if she stocks new. Thanks!

Sorry. Maybe this has been said, sorry if it’s a duplicate - I haven’t read the whole thread.

IMO, if you want to relax more, you will need a different horse, not a different saddle. He’s gonna be the same guy with whatever you put on him, and you can feel insecure or be dumped from a western just as well as an english.

[SharonA]

If I am going to fall off my horse, after learning to ride, mount, dismount, and fall off of an English saddle, I would rather continue to fall off an English saddle and not get caught dangling by the front of my bra on the horn of a western saddle. Just saying. Voice of experience, here.

[clanter]

we used aussie saddles as a transition and for trail riding our western horses

[beau159]

@tpup

Hi all - I have a wonderful OTTB and have been trail riding him more and more for experience/miles. He is a gem but can be a tad spooky. Spooks mostly in place by splaying legs out like a giraffe (drops down under me LOL) or now and then a side shuffle. No spin. Otherwise level headed and loves riding out, hates going back to trailer - head nods to go other way to keep riding. He is built slightly downhill.

I have a very secure Stubben Dressage saddle but there are times I would love to just sit in a Western saddle and relax more.

I do agree with the others that switching to a Western saddle isn’t exactly going to allow you to “relax more”. If he spooks, he’ll spook no matter what type of saddle he has on his back.

With that said, keep riding him. The more miles you can get on him, usually the better they get.

What does he tend to spook at?

@tpup

Any recommendations?? This is stictly for trail/pleasure. I am 5’3", but have longer femur. I want secure leg position - not chair seat. I do not like narrow twists and prefer a flatter, deep seat.

Unfortunately, there is no standard whatsoever in the Western saddle world. He may fit in the semi-QH bar in one brand, and he may need a full-QH bar in another brand. If he is narrow like you say he is, you may want to begin your search with semi trees, but it’s just trial and error. Put the saddle on him and see how it fits (or doesn’t fit).

Here are some websites to educate yourself HERE and HERE.

Having fit both English saddles and Western saddles, I personally feel that Western saddles are much harder to fit. It’s harder to see what’s going on under all the leather, and you cannot modify the tree like you can with English. Either it fits, or it doesn’t.

Your best bet is if you can take your horse to a tack store that has lots of saddles to try on him.

@tpup

Would also love pad recommendations for spring/summer. I have a thick wool pad from my old Wintec. I’ve looked in magazines at the Tuckers. No idea where to start otherwise.

In my opinion, if a Western saddle fits your horse well, you do not need much padding. A 1/2 inch pad for a well-fit western saddle is plenty.

I myself am a fan of 5 Star pads. They are great quality and hold up to hard use.

[Draftmare]

@Palm Beach

A spooky horse needs training, not a new saddle.

Not necessarily. Some horses are just more prone to being reactive than others. Sure, miles can help, but some horses are just wired that way. It would be like saying that a horse that doesn’t like to jump just needs more miles, no some horses just don’t like to jump and no amount of training is going to change that. They are all wired differently.

I also disagree with other posters. Switching a saddle might not help the horse, but it may help the rider immensely to relax. My horse likes to buck from time to time when going into the canter. After I came off a couple of times in my english saddle I was getting really discouraged on cantering her and started to avoid it. Then I got a western saddle, now we canter every ride, having the saddle really hold me and help me stay balanced through her buck really helped my confidence. I now don’t worry at all about her bucking, just give her a corrective tap and keep going. She has also been bucking less because I think she has figured out that I am not coming off. I haven’t fallen since switching to western, knock on wood! :yes:

[Palm_Beach]

@Draftmare

Not necessarily. Some horses are just more prone to being reactive than others. Sure, miles can help, but some horses are just wired that way. It would be like saying that a horse that doesn’t like to jump just needs more miles, no some horses just don’t like to jump and no amount of training is going to change that. They are all wired differently.

I also disagree with other posters. Switching a saddle might not help the horse, but it may help the rider immensely to relax. My horse likes to buck from time to time when going into the canter. After I came off a couple of times in my english saddle I was getting really discouraged on cantering her and started to avoid it. Then I got a western saddle, now we canter every ride, having the saddle really hold me and help me stay balanced through her buck really helped my confidence. I now don’t worry at all about her bucking, just give her a corrective tap and keep going. She has also been bucking less because I think she has figured out that I am not coming off. I haven’t fallen since switching to western, knock on wood! :yes:

Not everyone can ride out a buck or spook. However, you can train out the buck or spook, and it has nothing to do with “miles.” The buck and the spook are not the problem, they are the result of the problem. When horses buck and spook, some people don’t get that there is a problem, so they strap on a helmet and vest and get a “more secure” saddle and hope for the best. Me, I’ll listen to the horse and fix the problem and not worry about hitting the ground.

[Draftmare]

@Palm Beach

Not everyone can ride out a buck or spook. However, you can train out the buck or spook, and it has nothing to do with “miles.” The buck and the spook are not the problem, they are the result of the problem. When horses buck and spook, some people don’t get that there is a problem, so they strap on a helmet and vest and get a “more secure” saddle and hope for the best. Me, I’ll listen to the horse and fix the problem and not worry about hitting the ground.

Well, you should be wearing a helmet regardless of if you are riding a fresh three year old, or a half dead 30 year old. You only have one brain.

And sometimes it is not a root problem or something that can be fixed short of never riding the horse. Such as my mare, she mostly bucks because sometimes that is what it takes to get her hind legs organized to pick up the canter.

[Palm_Beach]

If you say so.

[BigMama1]

@Draftmare

Well, you should be wearing a helmet regardless of if you are riding a fresh three year old, or a half dead 30 year old. You only have one brain.

And sometimes it is not a root problem or something that can be fixed short of never riding the horse. Such as my mare, she mostly bucks because sometimes that is what it takes to get her hind legs organized to pick up the canter.

Don’t waste your breath. Palm Beach doesn’t believe in helmets. He or she has posted many times on the topic and apparently has magic training powers that prevent every horse from spooking, tripping or stumbling. Training is always the answer. The only answer.

[walkers]

Draftmare I so agree with you. People need to understand we all have different abilities and some of us will not have the legs to feel strong in a English saddle. I ride both but when going with a crowd or wanting to work on his canter I use the western. I have a old cricle Y thats fits us both perfectly .
As to fitting ,the saddle should sit down on your horse like a glove and not rock in any direction. I can canter up or down hills w/o a breast collar and this saddle stays put. Thats a good test of fit and that it stays in the correct position. Try some saddles, do some spins ,canters, quick stops and so forth and see if it stays put.
As for Aussies they won’t fit a broad backed horse unless you go to a Wintec or Bates with adjustable gullets. Steele saddles are also narrow.
I had my horn cut off my saddle(saddle maker did it). It caught to many times on a jacket when leaning forward. Saddle maker did a good job it looks fine . As a kid I had a bad experience landing on the horn when someone cut me off while racing around a track. Nuff said.

[barnchick277]

If you’re used to riding English maybe look into a swinging fender Australian stock saddle. They appear to have a closer contact feel with the more “secure” western seat and horn.