Tucker Equitation Endurance Saddle

[FatCatFarm]

I am starting to do more trail riding where I’m in the saddle 2 or 3 hours or more and I’m finding that my butt and my left hip were not happy in my current Wintec Pro Stock which has a memory foam seat. While I can’t feel a ridge between where my butt rests and the twist is, with my hand, my backside felt it after about two hours in the saddle. Never noticed it until yesterday and it has really tweaked my left hip. I’m going to try a gel seat cover because I’ve been happy with the saddle otherwise and bought it for the seat security as it’s very grippy and the thigh polies definitely help keep you in the saddle during spooks/sudden maneuvers side-ways.

I’ve been lusting after a Tucker Trail Equitation Endurance for some time and keep hearing wonderful things about their comfort level for all day rides and Have found a used one I’m looking hard at. I also like the extended panels on the saddle.

Whose got one? Pros? Cons?

[DMK]

I had the Gen eq 2 equitation saddle / English crossover. And I was seriously not a fan. It was more the crossover part that I did not like. I thought it would be a really good idea and as it turned out it was just the worst of both worlds instead of the best of both worlds. since then I’ve sold it and purchased a circle y Sheridan trail saddle which I really really really like

[Scribbler]

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[FatCatFarm]

@DMK

I had the Gen eq 2 equitation saddle / English crossover. And I was seriously not a fan. It was more the crossover part that I did not like. I thought it would be a really good idea and as it turned out it was just the worst of both worlds instead of the best of both worlds. since then I’ve sold it and purchased a circle y Sheridan trail saddle which I really really really like

Interesting. I just do not want a western saddle. I dont want the horn, the flaps or the rigging. I like that I can use my dressage girths with my pro stock.

[DMK]

my thoughts were that the crossover would have some of the comfort of a western seat for long trail rides (as well as the attachment points for saddle bags, but if a log appeared in my way it wouldn’t be impossible to jump because no horn! english stirrups! english flap with a sorta-knee roll! I was stoked.

That is not exactly how it turned out. Your seat in a western saddle is stabilized by the more rigid fenders whereas in an english saddle, obviously the irons and leathers are far from rigid… but your seat is more stabilized by either a shorter stirrup and a more fitted seat/knee roll (hunt seat) or a big ol’ bucket of a seat (dressage). So when you combine the two in a crossover it becomes a lot more like riding in a saddle seat saddle - trotting along on a trail was not a lot of fun unless you want to work your core and channel your stirrup free childhood. It was fine for walking around, but it was honestly too much work for any other gait. If I was young and dedicated to no stirrup work, fine, no problem. But I is old and when I trail ride I really just want to be lazily comfortable because I spend a whole lot of time on and with horses working way too hard. That is so not my goal on a trail ride.

Fortunately it didn’t fit the fjord, so I sold it and bought a western saddle, which suits the above goals just fine. But as light as mine is, I get it, it’s a pain compared to my hunt seat saddle (however the crossover wasn’t too much lighter). But if for whatever reasons, a western saddle was out of the question, I would happily go back to my hunt seat saddle and mattes seat saver before I would go back to a crossover.

That said, YMMV and you may love it. But if you haven’t ever ridden in one, it might be worth taking one on trial since they are a different ride!

[tabula_rashah]

I spend a lot of hours in the saddle and I also hate Western saddles. I did have a Tucker for a while and competed in a few CTR’s in it. Pros- super, super comfy for me and well made. Cons- I thought it was quite heavy and they just don’t seem to fit a wide range of horses.
I’d take a look at something like a Specialized Eurolight. It’s a great ride-all-day saddle and very adjustable for you and the horse. To me it has dressage like feel to how you sit in it and it works with dressage girth and pads just fine

[FatCatFarm]

Thanks for the feed back. And I also have a Fjord. He’s only 2 so not under saddle yet. And I have a mustang and two big draft crosses, hence the Wintec with it’s adjustable gullet. I’m going to ride in it with the gel seat cover tonight and see if I’m any happier.

[FatCatFarm]

@DMK

Fortunately it didn’t fit the fjord, so I sold it and bought a western saddle, which suits the above goals just fine. But as light as mine is, I get it, it’s a pain compared to my hunt seat saddle (however the crossover wasn’t too much lighter). But if for whatever reasons, a western saddle was out of the question, I would happily go back to my hunt seat saddle and mattes seat saver before I would go back to a crossover.

That said, YMMV and you may love it. But if you haven’t ever ridden in one, it might be worth taking one on trial since they are a different ride!

I hear you. Since I too have a Fjord, in what way did it not fit? Just curious. Thanks.

[tabula_rashah]

@FatCatFarm

I hear you. Since I too have a Fjord, in what way did it not fit? Just curious. Thanks.

Not DMK but… the Tuckers seemed to be suited most to narrower back ( they fit a lot of gaited horses really well). Even the wide was too narrow for my Morgans and too tight in the shoulder

[DMK]

@FatCatFarm

I hear you. Since I too have a Fjord, in what way did it not fit? Just curious. Thanks.

honestly, a wide tree may have fit just fine (especially since Xan is rather svelte … for a fjord), but I bought a medium tree for my TB before I ever got Xan. So between the different horse shape and my general dislike of it, is was the perfect excuse to get something different.

[FatCatFarm]

@tabula rashah

Not DMK but… the Tuckers seemed to be suited most to narrower back ( they fit a lot of gaited horses really well). Even the wide was too narrow for my Morgans and too tight in the shoulder

Good to know since even my little Mustang will probably need a wide tree. I haven’t been able to find one local to take on trial. People seem to either love them or dislike them.

[FatCatFarm]

So I’ve realized that it’s the seams to either side of the middle of my saddle that I’m feeling after a while in it. I ordered a gel seat saver but it doesn’t fit the bigger cantle of the Wintec Pro Stock and since I don’t have a horn, a western one won’t fit, so I’ve ordered the Cashel Aussie Tush Cush, which is memory foam. I’m going to try that with a poly fleece cover I have and then see. If that doesn’t work, I’m going to order the Tucker Equitation Endurance and see for myself. They are replacing the Classic model with a Gen II model and I may can pick up a classic for less money.

[FatCatFarm]

I wound up buying a Tucker Horizon Nomad which is the updated version of the Tucker Equitation Endurance Saddle. A gal posted one in a Facebook group that she had just bought earlier in this year, but missed the window to return it only to have it be a smidge too long (25") for her shortbacked Arabian/Lusitano cross. So I got it at a nice discount.

I was a little dubious to begin with as sitting in it on just a couple of short rides, it felt fine but nothing special. I thought it was well balanced. The leather is of good quality and I didn’t feel like it put me in a chair seat or made it hard to post. But I wasn’t wowed by the seat. I thought it would feel more plush on my behind. But as I was heading off with a friend to ride on the beach and surrounding areas of St. Helena’s Island this past weekend, I took both it and my Wintec Pro Stock to compare. I must say the Tucker felt amazingly well after 2+ hours in it, whereas the Wintec was killing me. I was not riding in my gel seat biker shorts beneath my breeches which has mitigated the discomfort in my Wintec somewhat. I dislike the diaper feeling of the shorts though. The gel cush seat of the Tucker did seem to mould to my backside the longer we rode and I do like the wide trac stirrups as well. So, looks like I’m selling my Wintec Pro Stock. I will miss the thigh polies and really grippy equisuede.