Western Saddle Questions -Wade Buckaroo Ranch saddle? Is 35lbs heavy?

[Flash44]

[QUOTE=paulaedwina;8217073]
OMG Pocket Pony you’ve made so many assumptions about me that I don’t even know where to start. I ride 5-6 days a week. I take regular lessons, and my riding is pretty freaking awesome right now, especially considering where I was a year ago. I show, I hack, I clinic, I trail ride. So I am not sure what you mean by, “You are going to have to just ride”. No I do not think every saddle will save me. I have owned a grand total of 3 saddles including the one I am riding in. I thought I was going through a process of learning more and more as I went. Jesus Christ.

Oh my goodness. I am so lightheaded right now. I don’t know why I venture on to the Chronicle and make myself so vulnerable to you people when every time someone sneaks up and kicks me in the teeth. I must be some kind of fool.

Thanks, atkill. I was wondering about the tree because I’ve learned that a well-made tree cost about $800.00. I bought the Big Horn for $1200 and it works very well, I was wonder if I could do better with different fender placement.

But, yeah. I don’t know what kind of masochistic damned fool I am to keep posting in forums where people are just so mean.

Cheers,
Never mind.
Thanks for all the fish.[/QUOTE]

Sorry people got snarky with you! Some people tend to take out their frustrations on anonymous people on bb’s. And opinions are like a$$holes, everyone has one. I understand your saddle frustrations, especially since it’s hard to exactly which tree and which seat will fit both you and your horse perfectly. Right now I have a saddle on my fat pony that, from pictures, would have some people on this bb preaching to high heaven about how they would [I]never ever[I] put such a saddle on a horse, much less ride in it. But this pony moves awesome, and so fluid and free through her shoulder in it, that I’m keeping it.

If you keep looking for saddles, I personally like the Circle Y Flex2 trees, but my horses seem to have less wither and more shoulder than the photos you posted. Despite what Rod Nikkel preaches, the Flex2 is a really good tree and my horses are super happy in it. Circle Y has a pretty broad line of saddles with different price points, with the quality of leather and tooling and silver making up most of the difference. I have two that were $1500 new and one that was $2300 new, same tree, different sizes/widths. Love them all! Good luck, ignore the posters who tend to always wake up on the wrong side of the bed and stay grouchy all day.

[paulaedwina]

Thanks, Flash!

Someone suggested I could get the fenders moved on the Big Horn since my only tweak would be to have fenders back a bit. I will look into that.

Paula

[aktill]

[QUOTE=paulaedwina;8217287]
Thanks, Flash!

Someone suggested I could get the fenders moved on the Big Horn since my only tweak would be to have fenders back a bit. I will look into that.

Paula[/QUOTE]

They may not be able to do much. The position of the stirrup leather is set by the position of the recess on the bottom of the tree, and so it’s pretty permanent unless the leather isn’t the same width (unusual). At best you could swap out a 3" wide leather for a 2" wide leather or something of the like, but you’d only move things back by a 1/2".

Really needs to be set when the tree is made.

You could use english irons on the saddle and move them back a bunch since width isn’t an issue, with a little plug to keep them in place. You wouldn’t be legal for WD at that point, and it would look funny, but endurance folks do that occasionally.

[spaceagevalkyrie]

[QUOTE=Flash44;8217171]
Right now I have a saddle on my fat pony that, from pictures, would have some people on this bb preaching to high heaven about how they would [I]never ever[I] put such a saddle on a horse, much less ride in it. But this pony moves awesome, and so fluid and free through her shoulder in it, that I’m keeping it.[/QUOTE]

May I ask what type of saddle it is? I’m having quite a time finding a saddle wide enough for my lardbottom 13.1 pony who was apparently born lacking withers and is vaguely keg shaped :eek:

[californianinkansas]

[QUOTE=aktill;8217363]
They may not be able to do much. The position of the stirrup leather is set by the position of the recess on the bottom of the tree, and so it’s pretty permanent unless the leather isn’t the same width (unusual). At best you could swap out a 3" wide leather for a 2" wide leather or something of the like, but you’d only move things back by a 1/2".

Really needs to be set when the tree is made.

You could use english irons on the saddle and move them back a bunch since width isn’t an issue, with a little plug to keep them in place. You wouldn’t be legal for WD at that point, and it would look funny, but endurance folks do that occasionally.[/QUOTE]

On my endurance saddle (think stripped down western without the horn), I removed the western fenders and stirrups and replaced them with aussie stirrups and leathers (1 inch narrower than the western). It seems to have helped quite a bit for me. I also bought a set of Whinney Widget western-to-english girth converters, as my personal preference is for english rigging.

The trainer for whom I was a working student was (and still is) forever tinkering about with his saddles and tack. I learned from him not to be afraid to tinker with and change around my tack (as long as it does not cause any non-reversable changes) to find out what works best for me at this moment in time.

Even if it doesn’t work out, then at least you will have learned what does not work for you. You can always change it back later, and we all know that used tack can always be sold. I learned that I never want to sit in a narrow-twist dressage saddle or an all-purpose saddle ever again for any reason whatsoever.:o

And if it looks funny, as long as it works and is not harming the horse or you in any way, then who cares! The person giving you funny looks isn’t signing your paycheck or paying your board bill, so heck with 'em.

[Pocket_Pony]

[QUOTE=Flash44;8217171]
Sorry people got snarky with you! Some people tend to take out their frustrations on anonymous people on bb’s. And opinions are like a$$holes, everyone has one. I understand your saddle frustrations, especially since it’s hard to exactly which tree and which seat will fit both you and your horse perfectly. Right now I have a saddle on my fat pony that, from pictures, would have some people on this bb preaching to high heaven about how they would [I]never ever[I] put such a saddle on a horse, much less ride in it. But this pony moves awesome, and so fluid and free through her shoulder in it, that I’m keeping it.

If you keep looking for saddles, I personally like the Circle Y Flex2 trees, but my horses seem to have less wither and more shoulder than the photos you posted. Despite what Rod Nikkel preaches, the Flex2 is a really good tree and my horses are super happy in it. Circle Y has a pretty broad line of saddles with different price points, with the quality of leather and tooling and silver making up most of the difference. I have two that were $1500 new and one that was $2300 new, same tree, different sizes/widths. Love them all! Good luck, ignore the posters who tend to always wake up on the wrong side of the bed and stay grouchy all day.[/QUOTE]

:D:lol::D:lol:

I assume that’s directed at me, which I find very funny, since I always wake up on the right side of the bed and am happy all day long!

I just hate to see people throw money at useless stuff, and the OP has a history of looking at things that are cheap and seemingly of poor quality. But, whatever. It isn’t my money, it isn’t my horse, and she clarified her riding improvements, which is good for her. I certainly wish her no ill and my comments about the quality of the saddle come from a place of genuine concern about 1) wasting money on something that isn’t going to be useful, and 2) wasting money on something that’s poorly made and could potentially hurt her horse. She’s found something her horse goes well in. That has been a struggle for her. To dump that in search of the eternal perfect saddle (that doesn’t exist, I’ve learned the hard way) seems foolish to me, when she also seemed to like it so much.

paula, I apologize. I’m glad you are doing so much with Fella. I did assume a lot and I’m glad that you are making such great improvements.

Happy riding, everyone!

[Flash44]

[QUOTE=Pocket Pony;8217416]
:D:lol::D:lol:

I assume that’s directed at me, which I find very funny, since I always wake up on the right side of the bed and am happy all day long!

I just hate to see people throw money at useless stuff, and the OP has a history of looking at things that are cheap and seemingly of poor quality. But, whatever. It isn’t my money, it isn’t my horse, and she clarified her riding improvements, which is good for her. I certainly wish her no ill and my comments about the quality of the saddle come from a place of genuine concern about 1) wasting money on something that isn’t going to be useful, and 2) wasting money on something that’s poorly made and could potentially hurt her horse. She’s found something her horse goes well in. That has been a struggle for her. To dump that in search of the eternal perfect saddle (that doesn’t exist, I’ve learned the hard way) seems foolish to me, when she also seemed to like it so much.

paula, I apologize. I’m glad you are doing so much with Fella. I did assume a lot and I’m glad that you are making such great improvements.

Happy riding, everyone![/QUOTE]

Nope, aimed at Paula, who was looking for helpful information and was upset by some things posted, by people she did not name.

[Flash44]

[QUOTE=spaceagevalkyrie;8217403]
May I ask what type of saddle it is? I’m having quite a time finding a saddle wide enough for my lardbottom 13.1 pony who was apparently born lacking withers and is vaguely keg shaped :eek:[/QUOTE]

http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/cottonwood-circle-y-saddle.html#.VZrKHPm6fIU

I did the template cut outs, and the extra wide tree fit my pony like a glove. Here is the helpful hints site: http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/western-saddle-guide.html#.VZrKTvm6fIU

Check out the free gullet templates. I then called and spoke with a rep, who was good. Asked if the Arab saddle in a wide tree would be better (pony is half arab), but he said the extra wide tree is wider than the wide Arab, and if the template looked that good, go with the extra wide. I love my saddle, although it’s a tad long. But the rounded skirt makes that a nonissue.

Here is the link for wide saddles: http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/fqhb-wide-tree-saddles.html#.VZrLG_m6fIU

I’ve ordered 5 or 6 saddles via this website over the years, and they have great customer service. BTW, if you are short like me, you can get custom shorter fenders instead of the stock length. But then you can’t return the saddle.

[spaceagevalkyrie]

[QUOTE=Flash44;8217478]
http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/cottonwood-circle-y-saddle.html#.VZrKHPm6fIU

I did the template cut outs, and the extra wide tree fit my pony like a glove. Here is the helpful hints site: http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/western-saddle-guide.html#.VZrKTvm6fIU

Check out the free gullet templates. I then called and spoke with a rep, who was good. Asked if the Arab saddle in a wide tree would be better (pony is half arab), but he said the extra wide tree is wider than the wide Arab, and if the template looked that good, go with the extra wide. I love my saddle, although it’s a tad long. But the rounded skirt makes that a nonissue.

Here is the link for wide saddles: http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/fqhb-wide-tree-saddles.html#.VZrLG_m6fIU

I’ve ordered 5 or 6 saddles via this website over the years, and they have great customer service. BTW, if you are short like me, you can get custom shorter fenders instead of the stock length. But then you can’t return the saddle.[/QUOTE]

Perfect, thanks!

[paulaedwina]

I got on to Facebook to find one of our roving photogs had taken pictures. Here is an excellent shot of my Big Horn Flex Tree that Fella loves and that I go well in. Thanks for helping me understand that my bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52967336@N00/18854507963/in/dateposted-public/

Here I am clearly having a conversation with my horse.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52967336@N00/18854508863/in/dateposted-public/

Paula

[js]

Keep the saddle you have since your horse love the fit! The one you posted on eBay, stay clear of for reasons posted and because it isn’t worth buying if you can’t try it for yourself and your horse. Stick with what you have if its working. Circle Y makes a western dressage saddle, don’t know how it is to ride but maybe something that would work for you in the future. It’s pricey but rather than continuing to spend money on cheaper saddles, save up and get something that will work for both of you, even if it takes a while, it will be worth it in the end.

http://www.circley.com/shop/saddles-new-2014/the-dance-western-dressage/

[californianinkansas]

[QUOTE=paulaedwina;8217651]
I got on to Facebook to find one of our roving photogs had taken pictures. Here is an excellent shot of my Big Horn Flex Tree that Fella loves and that I go well in. Thanks for helping me understand that my bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52967336@N00/18854507963/in/dateposted-public/

Here I am clearly having a conversation with my horse.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52967336@N00/18854508863/in/dateposted-public/

Paula[/QUOTE]

I love these photos! Thank you for sharing them!