I have a 17" saddle that I want to take with me on the plan. Who has had experiences with flying with saddles? I really would like to take it with me on the plane. I have a saddle bag and padding for it. Suggestions?
Pack your stirrups if you can and get an early boarding pass. Those overhead compartments can fill up fast and the last thing you want is to find out that you have to gate check your saddle. Other than that, you’ve got a saddle bag, just put it up in the overhead and you should be good to go. 
Search the topic for many good suggestions and discussion of airline policy.
It fits in most overhead bins of full sized airplanes, it does not fit on " baby jets" operated by connection carriers and it really won’t go under most seats. Closets are getting smaller every year as they cram more seats in and once full, are full. Unless you are F/C or board first you are out of luck. Saddle counts as your carry on luggage so any other bag would need to be checked, you can only add your “personal item”-usually purse or small backpack contains purse and computer. One bag plus One personal item as per TSA.
You can pay 20-50 extra for preferred seating which includes early boarding and some airline affiliated credit cards offer early boarding privileges if you buy the ticket with that card. It’s a really REALLY good idea.
I’m flying Southwest, and I plan to try and check in my flight as early as I can so I can board early.
Bin size on most 737s takes the standard carry on size of 16x22x10 pretty easy, saddle easily makes that. I think you can pay extra to get into the zone 1, A or whatever Southwest calls their first to board group regardless of fare paid or standing in their frequent flyer program. Check their website, flights are packed this year, might be a good idea. Especially with a connection.
I’ve flown with a saddle a few times. I didn’t have a saddle bag for it, just a cover, and I carried it as my carry-on item. I just put it up in an overhead and rolled the flaps underneath it. Worked fine, no hassle (I checked my stirrups, so no issues there).
[QUOTE=colorado_hunter_jumper;7589673]
I’m flying Southwest, and I plan to try and check in my flight as early as I can so I can board early.[/QUOTE]
Pay the $12.00 and get the A boarding. My daughter has flown all over the country with her saddle. For the baby jets like the Express Jets, she has placed it behind herself and with a jacket, no one could tell. TSA is not the enforcers for saddles, it is the airlines themselves. She has never been denied taking her saddle as a carry on on a plane. It is a 16" Beval Butet and she leaves the stirrups on with its saddle cover.
