Synthetic Western Saddle Users

[dreamswept]

I’ve certainly been happy with an Abetta endurance saddle. Sure it’s synthetic, but I’m on a limited budget, and probably fall into the weekend/casual rider category. My rides around the barn are only an hour long or so, and while I do go out trail riding on the weekend for anywhere from 2-6 hours, we never really move faster than a walk. I’d like to try a CTR someday, but it would probably be just the two local ones (can’t travel otherwise.) It works for me.

I also swapped out the fenders for English leathers. Much much more comfortable for my leg, and a lot better overall.

[jengersnap]

I’ve a custom leather, a longhorn leather show saddle, and a synthetic Big Horn that’s my toss-it-on-and-go-anywhere saddle. It’s their roper version, though I’d never rope off it, but it’s comfy, durable, gets rained on, taken to the beach, up the escarpment, down the trails and through the neighborhood. The flexible fenders are comfy for the 6-8 hours in the saddle, it cleans with a good brushing, and my mare is moving as comfortably at the end of a day as she is when we start out. It’s hard to find a saddle to stay balanced on her barrel build, but this one does the job. I wouldn’t hesistate to buy another big horn, and I was a diehard in the never doing synthetic crowd before this. Love my leather, but my horse and I appreciate the lightweight daytripper.

I also like some of the fabtron and abettas I’ve ridden in, but I’ve never had a very long ride in any of them, and the western wintecs I’ve ridden in I’ve hated with a passion. I wish they where half as comfy as my wintec 2000 AP.

[paintedtrails]

Well, glad to hear a few people like Fabtrons!

I have a treeless, which will be my saddle for CTR, but I would love an easy knock-around. But, given I just talked to the BO and I have to have the vet out tomorrow, I think it will be a while before I can afford it!

On a side note, I am opposite a few of you! my treeless has english leathers and I want to switch them to fenders!

[twofatponies]

I’ve never liked the Wintec because it feels squishy and unstable, if that makes sense. i wanted a Western saddle with more structure and solidity, but cheap, and without the weight of a standard leather one. I found one at Stagecoach West, at their booth at Equine Affaire - the “Bar J trail lite” which is partly synthetic and partly leather, very lightweight, but feels solid. I think it’s super comfortable, and there are various trees and sizes. The seat and trim are leather, but the fenders and skirts are synthetic, for example. It’s about $650.

[ThreeFigs]

What about a barrel racing saddle? They’re lighter than a “regular” Western saddle.

I hear you about lifting most Western saddles onto the backs of horses. I rode a student’s horse a couple of weeks ago (she was sick) and used her roping saddle. Dang! That thing was heavy! It would help if I was taller – or a man!

[gabz]

Many of the Fabtron saddles use the Steele flex tree. But not every model.

I have a Fabtron endurance with center fire rigging. I like the Fabtron brand VERY very much.

If you want to discuss the pros and cons of Big Horn/ Fabtron / Abetta, etc. call West20 Tack in Wisconsin. They sell many brands of synthetic and can advise you and answer questions.

262-642-4272

[LisaW-B]

It’s such an individual thing, to both people and horses. I have two synthetic western saddles: a Wintec and a Fabtron. I’m sort of a mostly dressagey rider at heart, and I’m comfortable in both the Wintec and the Fabtron, although I like the Fabtron more because it puts me in a more upright position with my legs under me. I’ve even taken dressage lessons and ridden in a dressage clinic in the Fabtron and it didn’t affect my position at all. The horse who wears the Wintec has never, ever had a sore back. Yesterday I even rode him out with a hunt club, in the Wintec, and he didn’t have a sore back, and I find the saddle to be perfectly comfortable. But then, I don’t like squishy soft saddles, or deep seats, and I hate buffalo leather or anything grippy and/or soft, so to me sitting on a rock probably IS comfortable, LOL. The difference between the two saddles, for me personally, is the Fabtron seems to give me some lower-back support when I sit. But I think both are perfectly fine for inexpensive western saddles. Gotta love cleaning the Wintec with only a damp cloth, too. The Fabtron does have some leather on it. The main thing, of course, is what fits your horse, then what fits you too. For me and the two horses I use them on, they each work just fine!

[twofatponies]

Now that I looked today, I see that “Bar J” saddle I mentioned liking a few posts ago is made by Fabtron.

[paintedtrails]

Thanks! Now I’ll just keep my eye out for good sales:) If anyone happens to come accross one, shoot me a note!
We can’t ride this winter due to an injury, so I’ve got a bit of time to recoop holiday spending…

[gypsymare]

I’d pick up a Big Horn in a second. I had a nice all leather Reinsman Flex tree trail saddle and just found it too heavy/bulky, didn’t fit the horse right and always seemed to have some inward pulling tension through the fenders that made my knees hurt.

I rode in a friend’s Big Horn on several occasions. Once for a night of team penning. It was comfortable, secure and with a very balanced close contact seat. I’d buy one in a heatbeat if I was in the market for a western saddle.