Looking to acquire a saddle for trail riding for 17.3 Belgian draft cross. I’m curious as to what seasoned riders used and why. If comfort and durability are the goals, how much should I be prepared to spend? I see a lot of synthetic saddles out there but I’m very leery of the quality. What are your thoughts and experiences?
Fit and comfort are important, and you absolutely get what you pay for. Are you going to be getting wet and muddy? You might want a synthetic. Do you need to attach lots of stuff to your saddle? Is your horse going to be hard-to-fit? It’s expensive to buy the “wrong” saddle. I would not hesitate to spend $1,000-$2,000 on a nice saddle that fit my horse well and was comfortable for me, and lasts a really long time. If you will be going through rivers etc and go with synthetic, you will save some $$.
Western and Aussie are not your only choices. There are several types of military saddles that are very comfortable and were designed to be long term seats with lots of places to hang stuff. Tucker makes a modern adaptation of the British Universal Pattern saddle; that design has been in service continuously since the 1790s with few real changes. There are English endurance saddles. If you’ve never seen one Google “trekking saddle.”
No matter the shape, however, the saddle MUST fit you AND the horse. And, of course, be suitable to your discipline.
I guess I’m a traditionalist because I’ve never found a synthetic saddle I liked. A well made leather saddle will require more care but will also deliver decades of service. I’ve been riding a Stubben Scout (their police and military saddle) since 2003. It shows that it’s a using saddle but no quality issues at all. I’ve got a British Colonial/Yeomanry/Staff Officers saddle that dates to about 1950. It’s been used but is almost museum quality. Sadly it’s too narrow for any of my horses. ;(
Sometimes you have have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince. Works for selecting horses, saddles, and significant others!!! 
G.
What is your riding background? I started out English (jumped) and find the Australian saddles to closer to an English seat. I don’t care much for Western, but it’s the saddle that fits my horse so I’m learning to deal with it. I miss my Australian.
Certain brands of synthetic saddles have a better reputation than others. I did read that not all synthetics hold up well to cleaning, so it can be a misconception that they are a better choice if you want ease of care. Fabtron and others have good reviews, so I think it comes down to individual preferences. If you want durability, I’d go with leather.
Price is going to vary depending on if you get new or used. Shop around at horsesaddleshop.com. Seasoned riders ride in a huge variety of saddles, and there is likely a pretty big price range. Most people I ride with probably spend around $1000-$1500 on saddles.
My background came from over a decade in show jumping and eventing so I knew how important a well-designed, well-fitting, and higher-priced saddle was.
I fell in love with Tucker Saddles and their craftsmanship. I spent months searching online for the perfect saddle until one day I came across a brand new Tucker Gen II Endurance that was all black with brass heart conchos and knew it was the one. Because my mare isn’t oddly shaped, I took a gamble with the purchase of this saddle and used the fitting guidelines that Tucker provides. Fortunately, the saddle fits and I still rant and rave about it a year later. I love the versatility of it because I enjoy both endurance riding and leisurely trail riding. I can go from wearing tights and endurance boots or jeans and cowboy boots without looking like a dork.
The Aussies are closer to a english seat and if you want you can ride with a straight leg and english leathers. That said Aussies run narrow they will not for your wide horse unless you get a wintec or Bates with adjustable gullets. I ride a Bates, adjustable gullet and flocked panels and love it. It also fits my wide horse…
