Im headed home from college and am planning on taking my saddle on the plane and putting it in carryon. Its a 16.5,short flaps and well used so the flaps will roll easily. The only problem is that my first flight is in an ER4- smaller commuter jet (american airlines). Luckily I am seat number 8A. Still worried that it will not fit/will be turned away. I live in a horsey area and am sure that many other people have taken saddles thru the airport. My second flight is on a 737- but I’m one of the last rows, but fingers crossed there will still be room. Im nervous because I just purchased this saddle and do not want anything to happen to it. Any advice or tips?
I have taken saddles on the plane plenty of times. it goes overhead in storage, just get a saddle bag or something so it’s covered. Take the stirrups off and check them with your luggage if you can.
Put stirrups in checked luggage, put saddle in a carry bag. On the small plane, ask the flight attendants nicely if you can put it in the bin up front that is tall (can hang a hanging bag in there) if overhead bins are too small.
If your carry-on bag won’t fit under the seat, it will be checked into the baggage compartment at plane-side. You’ll be able to get it back as you deplane. Even on a commuter-size aircraft.
I have flown with my saddle many times. Overhead bin is best – you may need to flip it flat and put your carryall in the gullet.
If that fails, I’ve never had a problem asking a steward(ess) to stow it in the first-class closet. I’ve done this many times on smaller planes for short (45-90 minutes) hops.
Longer flights, it’s no bother so long as the first class peeps can collect their things and deplane promptly.
Do not, under any circumstance, put your saddle with the checked luggage!
ditto the above comment.
For the record… I wasn’t suggesting checking the saddle with regular baggage.
The stuff that gets checked right when you are boarding a small commuter doesn’t get tossed and slammed like the rest.
Those small jets are a pain for bags. I’m on one weekly 
I’d have to roll my saddle to see, but I’m thinking if it’s a plane with really tiny overheads (the ones where everyone has to valet check their bag at the gate because no one’s roller carry one will fit), you would still be fine. Just keep an eye out for over enthusiastic travelers that want to shove their items in next to your saddle in an aggressive manner.
You may also be able to fit it under the seat in front of you, although it may be tight. Definitely make sure that it is in a bag/cover/etc that will protect it either way.
I’d ask the gate agent for advice too.
Early boarding is key if you want to put it in the overhead bin. Otherwise you run the risk of there not being enough room
My daughter slipped it behind her and buckled herself in and put a blanket over herself that covered the saddle. Probably wasn’t allowed, but it worked.
My saddle fit in the overhead bin of a regional jet – I carried it in a saddle bag, rolled the flaps tightly and put it in seat first, and was able to put my tote bag in between the flaps, and it was fine. And as someone said, boarding early to find space is REALLY important! There is only so much the flight attendants can do to help if there is no space left because you boarded late.
Biggest key to flying with a saddle for me was telling the security people what it is when you are putting it through the scanner. Before I started doing that, it got pulled and inspected every time, but when I started telling them “I’m sending a saddle through, that’s what is going to look weird on your screen!” they said “oh THAT’s what it is, I never would have guessed” and they stopped pulling it for inspection.
