Well I got a 36… It was a mohair one and on clearance for $50 instead of normal price of $80. :eek:
I also made the mistake of touching a Five Star pad. I ended up with a Diamond Wool, but it’s like the difference between Hershey’s and Godiva. The Five Star pad is heavenly, but at a fraction of the price the Diamond Wool will have to do for now.
I brought the RS saddle home, I hope it fits! I rather like it, and it was must more comfortable than the Billy Cook when I sat in them both.
the 36 will be fine- I’d err on it being a bit closer to the saddle on the offside, just an inch or two at most…so you have more room to adjust it on the nearside.
The 36 was fine. 
The saddle on the other hand is up in the air. I just spent some time watching video and reading websites and I am still confused. The big question is…when I am mounted should I still be able to run my hands under the front of the saddle? I kind of feel like the answer should be yes, because if I can’t get my hand under there how is she going to move her shoulder blade back…
[URL=“https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-56x_kaJ4F7w/VUK4XqpoOGI/AAAAAAAAIw8/TLHmZNW9Oac/s512/IMG_3870.JPG”]Left
Right
[URL=“https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4nJzxw2OE2c/VUK4b_TtOJI/AAAAAAAAIxU/_SRbt-34B04/s512/IMG_3872.JPG”]Side
She moved well enough in it at the walk and trot. I didn’t get to ride long enough to canter today due to way over booking myself. :no: It was pretty comfortable for me, though I for sure appreciate now the pre-turned stirrups on the Billy Cook.
The problem is that I feel like if I go any wider the gullet will be sitting on her withers.
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8128164]
Does anybody know anything about Corriente saddles? The reviews that I have found so far seem positive, but I question a saddle that can be bought for $800 new.[/QUOTE]
I’ve got a Corriente. They are a decent saddle for the price. Sometimes in that range for a new saddle you can get junk, but these aren’t.
I’ve got a CSI pad, it’s awesome. Watch eBay. :yes:
Well, it does look like it fits differently on the right vs left, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work. I don’t think you’ll get your hand underneath while mounted, necessarily. How tight is it? Check with the pad on to make sure it’s not pinching anywhere (unmounted). Have someone else sit in the saddle
and see if you can get your hand in from the ground. You can have the horse walk forward while your hand is in there to feel for pinching.
You can also place a wire over your horse’s withers, shaping it to them. Place it on the underside of your saddle to see if it comes close.
I can get my hand under it pretty good from the ground with the pad on. I tried to have my hand under there and have her walk forward but she was pretty confused by what I was asking. The few steps she did take I did feel some pressure, but it didn’t feel pinching.
Oh yeah and she is asymmetrical. Meant to say that.
My husband’s draft cross is asymmetrical also. I use the Diamond Wool with shims and remove the shim on the larger shoulder and the two smaller ones in the back.
Try the saddle and see how she goes in it, check the sweat pattern, and check her for soreness. Sometimes you don’t notice problems right away, unfortunately, but if you feel like it’s a decent fit the only thing you can do is try it. You could also find an online fitter to send pics to.
I think this one is going to go back gosh darn it. I could easily slide my hand under the front of the Billy Cook while mounted. 
Are there any brand out there that have a good amount of outward flare to the front of them? Or does it entirely depend upon model and bar size?
Also, what is a flex tree? Is it like the semi-treeless that are becoming popular in the english world?
Crates have a good amount of flare in the front, but may have too much rock for your horse. Martin Saddlery does as well, but you’d need to find a used one to get it down to the prices you’re looking at now. Another thought is the Julie Goodnight models from Circle Y. They fit my horse a lot like the Martin and seemed pretty well made.
I’ve noticed that reining type saddles seem to have more flare to them. There is a Bob’s on eBay for $950 but spending that much on a saddle thaf I don’t know will fit is a bit scary. Going to check the other western store in town and see what they have.
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8132598]
Is this a Martin? http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=281676611483[/QUOTE]
The Cashel is made by Martin. An entry type of saddle without the bells and whistles. It also doesn’t have the different gullet widths and customization Martin regular line has.
I tried to buy a Martin, but couldn’t find the right saddle to fit my tank of a little mare. When I widened out the gullet, it didn’t have enough flair and not straight enough for her back.
A lot of Martin dealers have a variety of saddles in different gullet widths in many styles that may fit your horse. I tried an all around and a Sheri Cervi barrel. The wider barrel didn’t fit, but if I had been able to try a 7.5 gullet in the all around, maybe it would have fit.
Martins are darn spendy for a production saddle as are Cactus. Both are lovely. Look at Courts. A very nice saddle for the money and they will do custom also. The Courts Miss Rodeo America has the widest shoulders and fits big shouldered horses and has clearance for nice withers.
Are there any good tack shops with decent websites that I can window shop on? 
I will check out the Courts Miss Rodeo. Also thinking about bidding on this: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=171771464836
FWIW, DH’s saddle for his draft cross is a Billy Cook.
The one I tried measured a little over 6 inches. I think a 7 inch one (the pictures they sent me look more like a 7.25 to me) might be perfect.
[QUOTE=Draftmare;8133019]
The one I tried measured a little over 6 inches. I think a 7 inch one (the pictures they sent me look more like a 7.25 to me) might be perfect.[/QUOTE]
Can you return it if it doesn’t fit? Could you try the same saddle on locally?
I have had to so much trouble fitting my mare, trying on lots of saddles to determine what may fit and then find one used or for auction is pretty important.
I have let several people try my Courts saddles on their horses, and one or the other of the two models I own fit a lot of horses.
Edited to add, the Courts stock seat sizes are average but not overly big. In the Miss Rodeo America I ordered a 16 in tree, 15.5 finished, it was a custom size and more money. But, boy is it a wonderful saddle.
Good luck.
There are a couple of Billy Cook saddles on eBay that actually appear to be Longhorn saddles…my internet research didn’t turn up much other than Simco and Longhorn are the same thing. Are these “fake” Billy Cooks? Are they decent saddles at all? Do they fit anything like a Billy Cook, or why are people calling them Billy Cooks?
I keep coming back to this saddle as well: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=141651990715
Anything I bought on eBay I would be sticking my neck out on. Kind of scary, but I have also exhausted all of the local options. I signed up for a show at the end of the month too…
[QUOTE=UrbanHennery;8132882]
Not the Martin I was speaking of.
http://www.martinsaddlery.com/[/QUOTE]
I sat in a couple of Martins at the tack store. They were heavenly but certainly not in my under $1000 price range! Maybe some day…
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