Opinion on an Appy and what type of western saddle for a guy?

[2LaZ2race]

So I’m looking to buy this (what I think is a…) nice Appaloosa. I’m coming from TB land so this is way out of my area of expertise!

I’d like some opinions on him if anyone would be so kind! I’m not a premium member so I can’t post it, and since he’s not really “mine”, I probably shouldn’t anyway, but I’d love to e-mail or PM the pictures.

I’m also wondering what type of western saddle would be most comfortable for a male rider. My boyfriend wants to ride him and I only have my small jumper saddles so I figured if I have to buy another one I might as well buy him a western saddle.

I see barrel, roper, rancher, cutter… ?

Thanks!!

[SouthernYankee]

I’ll chime in on the saddle opinion… My fiancé just purchased his first horse over the past weekend, only so he can have something to tag along on trail rides and play with cows. (we have our own farm and needed a second riding horse so it wasn’t just for him to ride) He is not a horse person and hasn’t quite figured out how to sit correctly yet… or steer, or do much. He does great on my finished reiner that packs him around, something else less finished and it becomes pretty obvious.

I have a nice reining saddle, it’s great for me, not so much him. Think deep seat dressage saddle, it just doesn’t leave enough room for ‘the boys’. Granted it’s probably a 14 1/2-15" seat and that’s too small for him also. We are looking for a 16" roping or cutting saddle for him. Something with a flat seat and lots of padding. I have a friend who’s SO would rather ride English because a western saddle hurts where an English saddle does not, and he’s seen enough men at Rolex to feel secure enough to ride in one. My SO not so much and the crowd we ride with wouldn’t let him live it down. I’m a fully transitioned former event rider to reiner and I ride western 95% of the time now.

[VaqueroToro]

Would an Aussie saddle leave “the twig and berries” enough room without him being a laughing stock?

[katarine]

I would recommend a trail or all around saddle.

Ropers have no cushion whatsoever and they are HEAVY saddles. Not that a man can’t tote one- but why if you don’t have to?

Cutters- that horn is going to eat up a greenbean’s tummy and rip his nice button down shirt when he dismounts

A plain old simple trail saddle may be the ticket:
http://www.rockingrsaddlery.com/trail-and-all-around/

[Fillabeana]

My opinion on Appys is that they are very opinionated.
I love them…unless they’ve been ruined/spoiled. There are some that just aren’t going to forgive you, or people in general, for the crap they’ve suffered. Ever.
If not, they will do about anything for you if you try to do right by them. And really, just TRY in a lot of cases- they know you maybe don’t know quite what you’re doing, and will fill in for you, if you don’t have it completely straight. Now most horses will, but Appys tend to take it personally.

Western saddle? Impossible to say, without an idea of what style of riding you aspire to.
And if you ride in a tiny saddle, your SO will need a different saddle entirely to be comfortable, anyway.