I am cow horse saddle shopping. Tried a few friends saddles and settled on a brand that I liked. The issue for the gullet size is that 6.5 & 6.75 seems fit good on both horses for the brand of saddle that I am looking at.
Which is more of an average size to consider that may be more likely to fit future horses?
In my experience, a full quarter horse bars (FQHB) saddle, gullet size typically 6.75-7 inches, is much more versatile and fits a wider range of horses.
I think way back in the stone age when I was young, the semi-quarter horse bars saddle (SQHB), gullet size typically 6-6.5 inches, was the most common and versatile, but over the years, it seems like horses have gotten wider/have bigger shoulders.
6.75
Yes, definitely the 6.75.
Gullet is only one piece of the puzzle.
For example, you can have two saddles that are both labeled as a 7" gullet by the saddle maker. And depending on what the BARS and FLARE of the saddle do, one might fit like a semi-QH saddle and the other might fit like a full-QH bar saddle. Or vice versa - you could have the same bar angle between two saddles but if you change the gullet, you completely change how the saddle sits on the horse’s back.
The gullet only refers to how far apart those saddle bars are being placed but doesn’t give any information about the angle the bars are positioned, nor the flare at the shoulders, nor the rock to the tree, etc.
What saddle maker are you looking at?
Ruelas Saddle Shop. They have been great to work with and I tried other saddles that they had made.
Coming from Ruelas, I’d almost guarantee it’s on a BW which a 6.75 is the standard gullet for a BW.
I’d say 85-90% of cowhorse saddles( talking strictly cowhorse, not including cutters) are made on a BW tree. The others being a Don Leson, Beau Galyean and Olin Young. The Beau Galyean is the only one where the gullet size changes dramatically. While the others are bar angle changes for the most part. Just speaking very generally.
If you decide to sell your saddle later on you’ll have an easier time with the 6.75 as it’s the most commonly used for a BW.
Most smaller saddle makers that I am aware of only use one or two different trees, and not trees that they make themselves but that they source from another vendor (example: Steele saddle trees)
Do you know where they get their trees from? Their website does not say.
Asking where they get their trees and what brand/vendor they are may give more insight as to what type of horses they are going to fit.
The tree maker doesn’t make a difference. Based on the saddle maker, those in cowhorse know what they are getting because there’s about a dozen makers people like to use if your showing/training. Ruelas made saddles for Andrea Capo, so if you want a tall front ended BW cowhorse saddle you bought a Capo or now a Ruelas. (Who built Capo)
No matter what, 6.75 is the standard on a BW tree. It doesn’t guarantee it’s going to fit every horse and it’s going to change with makers, etc. But she asked what would be the most likely between a 6.5 or 6.75. A 6.75 will. You can always pad up and it’s the easiest to sell.
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