Good mid-priced saddles?

[Pocket_Pony]

So as I’m learning more and shopping around, I come across many names that are familiar, but I don’t know much about the quality or reputation. My budget for a new saddle is under $3k, and of course the less I spend the better . . . yet I don’t want poor quality.

So, here are some names I’ve heard of:

Circle Y
Billy Cook
Rocking R
Dakota
Crates
Fabtron

I do have a saddle on trial now that I like but I just had my first ride in it so I’ve got a week to do. If I don’t keep it, should I check out any of the above, or cross any off my list?

[Fillabeana]

If you couldn’t afford any more than, say, $800 then I’d say Crates or Billy Cook or Circle Y. Or maybe some others I’m not thinking of right now.

Of course you’d like to spend less, but the above saddles will just get you by (without being garbage). They won’t help your riding.

But since your budget is more, I’d bypass the production saddles completely, except perhaps McCall. (They do make saddles that aren’t Wades.) McCall uses Timberline trees, that I have heard different opinions of. The guy I trust most, says that most of the trees are just fine but there is the occasional tree that isn’t fine.

You can probably find a good maker to do a custom tree saddle for you (Freckers, Rod Nikkel, Warren Wright tree), with no tooling (or minimal tooling) or all roughout, for $2500 or so.

Also, Ranch World Ads very often has good saddles, real Wades and otherwise, in your price range.
Lightweight 15" Wade on a Rod Nikkel tree, $3000 with PRETTY tooling, conchos, etc
http://www.ranchworldads.com/classified.php?listing=24407
Plenty of McCalls
http://www.ranchworldads.com/classified.php?listing=25605
as well as custom makers.
Here’s a (sold) Chas Weldon for $3500:
http://www.ranchworldads.com/classified.php?listing=24803
You usually don’t see his saddle for less than 5K or so.

If you keep your eyes out, you could find an appropriate used one for $1500 or so. Way better than a Circle Y.

My Wade saddle has a 14 inch seat. My Billy Cook (which fits my butt, but puts my feet out front) is a 15 inch. My husband’s Wade is a 15 inch seat and I swim in it.

[Pocket_Pony]

Thanks for the link to the Ranch World Ads - I found some ads there to follow up on!

[Shermy]

I got a new horse, 4 yr old, that is a little downhill at the moment. My treeless saddle just didnt work for him, made me tip really forward on him.

So, I looked at Wade’s, but since he is still growing, I kinda wanted a saddle that I would be ok replacing down the road once my guy grows and evens up.

I mostly trail ride, so comfort is REALLY important.

My trainer told me of a lady that had a really comfortable saddle, she rides a lot of other people’s horses, so has sat in a TON of saddles. I hauled my guy over one time this lady was doing a lesson. After she was done, she let me throw it on my guy. I rode in it for awhile and it was just perfect!! Fit him and me wonderfully.

Sooo, I bought one for myself. I LOVE IT!!

http://www.saddleupshop.com/Tucker-Saddles/Tucker-Western-Saddles/Tucker-Old-West-Trail-Saddle-Classic/

It is a Tucker Old West, since my guy is pretty narrow now, I got a medium tree. There is a chance at some point, he will outgrow it. When that happens, seriously, I may get the SAME saddle in a wide. I like it that much.

My trainer has a Wade, so I have ridden in one several times. It is comfortable, but for the money, the Tucker is a REALLY nice saddle too.

I will decide if that ever does happen, but I have been very pleased. I did an tough endurance ride in it the middle of August. I dont think the Wade would have been quite as comfortable. The Tucker is more padded.

Good luck. I HATE saddle shopping. I just got lucky that I was able to play around w/this ladies saddle and it was sooo comfortable. I didnt have to make a lot of decisions of all the choices.

So, if you know someone that rides a LOT of horses, ask them if they really like any of their clients saddles, if so, see if you can go and try it out. The lady was super nice, so I was able to ride in her saddle for quite a while to really get a good feel of it.

The Tuckers all have a model number on them that tells you exactly the options and size it has. I took a pic of it w/my phone, then looked on their website, so I was able to get basically the same saddle, even though, hers was a 2005 model. Most western saddles will have some model number, so look close and take a pic of any numbers, then you can research the exact model.

[brucekrausse]

Billy cook is a great saddle.

[reinerspook]

Here’s a site with a huge selection of new and used saddles.

www.cowdogsaddles.com

[Bluey]

If you don’t know about saddles, get a used one, best kind you can buy.
Those keep their value if and when later, once you know more, decided to get one made to fit.

Wade A frame saddles have many singing the praise of those, but then many that don’t say much are not so happy with them when they have tried them.
Swells are there for a reason, adding bucking rolls to a saddle without them is really unnecessary.

Do try all kinds of saddles, because every one of us has a different conformation, just as horses do and what fits someone so well, some other may think is a bump in the log.

Cowhorse saddles are very good ones and if I remember well, they let you try them for some days and return them.
The fellow that runs that store and goes to shows as a vendor really knows his stuff, talk to him and see what he can tell you, according to your riding and conformation.

Would help if you were taking lessons with a good trainer that can have you try different kinds of saddles, so you at least have some idea of what fits you best.:yes:

[Tee]

I have had 3 Crates saddles and love them. Still have two - and would still have the 3rd if my horse didn’t outgrow it and I outshrunk it. LOL

[js]

What kind of western riding are you going to be doing? Personally, I like a barrel racing saddle, they are light weight and easy to carry around. Show and roping saddle can weight a ton but if you are roping you definitely want a saddle designed for that. If you are showing then you need a show saddle, same for reining etc.

I’ve owned 2 Circle Y saddles, one is 34 yrs old and the other 23 yrs old and they are still great. I also have a custom Cactus saddle that I love.

[Bluey]

Here is cowdog used saddles page:

http://cowdogsaddles.com/saddles-tn.php

I have the Bob’s lady reiner, with junior fenders to fit my short legs and it fit like a glove right out of the box.
It has also fit every horse I put it on.

[ezduzit]

I love my Dale Chavez rough out @ under $1800

[UrbanHennery]

[QUOTE=Bluey;7166117]
Here is cowdog used saddles page:

http://cowdogsaddles.com/saddles-tn.php

I have the Bob’s lady reiner, with junior fenders to fit my short legs and it fit like a glove right out of the box.
It has also fit every horse I put it on.[/QUOTE]

I bought my current reining saddle (new) from Tim at Cowdog Saddles. He’s very knowledgeable, very helpful, and willing to help you figure it out. I fully intended to buy a used saddle but after several months of waiting for what I wanted to come in, went with new. Mine is a Bob’s Custom Jordan Larson with butterfly skirts, minimal tooling, and a padded seat. It took 5 weeks to get it as a custom order to my wants. I’ve had it for a year and I absolutely love it (as do all my horses).

Mine is essentially this one, but in a different color combination. I’ve also since upgraded all of the conchos.

http://www.bobssaddles.com/saddle-detail.php?target=811

[Pocket_Pony]

Thanks for those suggestions!

I ride in the arena, trail ride, and hope to do some more cow clinics in the future but I don’t necessarily foresee myself roping.

I’ll check out some of those links, thanks!

[katarine]

At one point I owned three Rocking R saddles. They are better than their price point would suggest, IMO. I have a 16" hard seat I’ve posted pics of before…it’s a very nice saddle for the $$$

[katarine]

Dakota and fabtron would not be on my list

[katarine]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4981119534433&set=a.4050505389661.2176174.1492791407&type=1&theater

That is a Rocking R…splain to me how that saddle will impair one’s development as a rider…

[Pocket_Pony]

Thanks for the Rocking R suggestion - looks good - too bad it is not my size! What model is your saddle? Looking at their website, I can’t match it up…

[katarine]

That model was retired…it’s a Lady Trail Rider.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=Pocket Pony;7166436]
Thanks for the Rocking R suggestion - looks good - too bad it is not my size! What model is your saddle? Looking at their website, I can’t match it up…[/QUOTE]

If you are going to do any kind of cattle work, maybe look for the working cowhorse models, that will put you there and keep you there as the action gets fast, like team penning or more than cutting.
Those also can be comfortable for trail riding and generally are lighter saddles than roping saddles and seem to fit most horses well, unless a horse is hard to fit.

Working cowhorse saddles can come in many kinds, the general idea is the seat, horn and leg position.

When it comes to saddle details, I still prefer tooling, padded seats and cheyenne cantles and some kind of swells.

Coming from the English riding tradition, we think that a slick front saddle would fit us best, but I have tried plenty and, western saddles not being any at all like English ones, I can tell you those slick fronts make me feel like I am riding a bump in a log, there is not a nice spot for me there.

Add swells and the world is my oyster in western saddles.
That makes the difference in the difference from really sitting near the horse in English saddles, to now sitting way up there on a western saddle on top of the horse, to now having something more around me with the swells there, or bucking rolls in a slick fork saddle, but those are not fixed like swells on a saddle tree are, can move around.

Cheyenne cantles are there as a safety measure, if you happen to end up on the cantle, that is not as sharp on them as it is if it is straight.

If you get a barrel racing saddle, try to find one without too skinny and tall horn.
Those can be a liability if you happen to hit them if a horse falls, compared with most other shorter horns with wider caps up to a point, too wide may make a horn unhandy.

I would say, try riding some in all kinds of western saddles before just buying one because of a picture on the internet.

[aktill]

Nothing to do with the fork has anything to do with the seat of the saddle. They’re completely and totally independent.