Does anyone here ride in one? Do you like it? Can you please tell me about it and what you like about it?
I’ve had mine for over two years, LOVE it. Lightweight, deep seat, easy to move in (I train with dressage and have no trouble moving my seat and legs). Highly recommend. McCall’s is a great company too
Did you order yours directly from McCall’s or go through a dealer?
Not familiar with that maker’s saddles, McCall Lady Wade McLite Saddles.
I see they come in different kinds of seats and swells, not just the traditional A frame swell of Wade saddles, that then requires bucking rolls for extra help balancing in them.
I have tried two other Wade A frame saddles, the older kind that really don’t have that much of a seat, is more like perching on a log and they just didn’t really fit for me that well.
In them I felt like I was riding like the old stick man balancing toy, like the proverbial bump on a log.
I didn’t feel it right off, but when trying to work with the horse, it was hard to find a steady balance there.
An odd feeling, since I had experience with all kinds of western and English saddles, bareback, and vaulting.
Since there are different kinds of trees made in those McCall saddles, consider carefully which kind would fit you best, so you don’t have similar experience as mine, the stick man balance feel:
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I’ve got a McCall Wade saddle - it’s a lighter weight custom design for gaited horses that’s made by McCall for a third party so can’t speak directly to the Lady Wade, but I’d imagine they are similar enough. I LOVE my saddle. Like @madams747 said it’s a deep seat but is easy to move in.
It puts me in a very secure/balanced position. I’ve had confidence issues the last few years and in my other saddle(s) I would essentially ride with a lot of tension/bracing in my legs because I felt I had to prepare for a spook because of my position in the saddle. When I started riding in this one I could finally let my legs relax!
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I didn’t have the lite version, but just sold my McCall Lady Wade. I actually really liked the saddle but because of where the lowest point of my horse’s back was (further back than the lowest point of the saddle seat) I was constantly feeling like I was getting thrown forward. It otherwise fit him well, but I ended up selling it because I was developing compensations in my riding to accommodate knowing I was going to have to absorb a delay in energy coming from his hind end.
I never rode a different horse in it, so I can’t say if my experience was a common one, but I know McCall to be one of the better, if not the best/highest quality commercial saddle manufacturers, so I wouldn’t hesitate to order from them again. My saddle weighted about 35lbs, the lite version is closer to 24lbs, I believe, which I’m sure makes a difference in hoistability.
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I went through a dealer from Seguin, TX and she actually came out and let me try several different saddles. Sadly, she no longer sells McCalls
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I had a McCall Lady Wade for my QH. It didn’t fit my Morgan so I ended up selling it to a close friend. I always said that someone would have to pry that saddle out of my cold dead hands but I decided to let it go when it was gathering dust and there was someone who could really use and appreciate it. I am mainly a dressage rider. That saddle put me into the same balanced seat. On my seat bones with my legs draping nicely. I did put on bucking rolls for going down super steep hillls but otherwise they weren’t necessary. For the price, I don’t think there is a non-custom saddle on the market that is as well balanced and translates to those who ride in a balanced seat. I bought mine used FWIW.
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I wouldn’t have one if every dealer uses discriminatory pricing like Jackson’s does. I just noticed the price of the saddle at Jackson’s is the same for every size up to 17", at which size the price jumps up $50. That is penalizing more full-figured women riders. To be fair, the price should stay the same for this saddle as for other brands; or for consistent price gouging, jump $10 for every inch in size.
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I tried one. Loved the saddle for me, but it only comes in 1 width and it was tight on my horse’s shoulders. The tree is composite (not wood) I believe. Nice saddle for the money.
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You can trial one from Mary’s Tack & Feed. They are great to deal with! Inexpensive shipping.
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