Having had a buckle fail on the off-side billet before I agree with this statement. I should amend my earlier buckle endorsement to add that I use a knot when riding in steep or technical terrain where I’d really had to have a failure.
Practically all ropers use the buckle and they depend on it staying put, as they rope and the saddle takes a jerk at times, so it better hold.
I think it would be as rare for a good cinch buckle to fail as for a well maintained strap to break.
[QUOTE=Bluey;5525474]
Practically all ropers use the buckle and they depend on it staying put, as they rope and the saddle takes a jerk at times, so it better hold.
I think it would be as rare for a good cinch buckle to fail as for a well maintained strap to break.[/QUOTE]
And that is one of the reasons I never buy cheap crappy cinches. Although I have to say, I’ve never seen a buckle fail on a cinch, even on very old ones that have been sitting around for 20-30 years, still work fine, a little rusty, but fine. Once I learned how to buckle it, I never went back. If I need additional holes to fine tune, I pull out the punch and add them; I hate having the knot under my leg.
[QUOTE=danceronice;5524540]
I don’t remember it being THAT scary, but it definitely felt flat! Now I have a problem shifting back to western and sitting back on my pockets!
See, I wish I could find a reasonably-priced western saddle that will fit Lucky (thin TB who goes in a m/n PDN). He actually fits a McClellan quite neatly, but there are so few narrow western saddles.[/QUOTE]
I grew up riding in whatever saddle I felt like, or driving, so various cinches and such are no problem. For entertainment try totally dismanteling a pair harness, cleaning and reassembling. After that a western cinch is easy :winkgrin:.
For a TB, I found an OLD (probably 60 years+, but no real idea) that fit my TB really well.
FWIW, I found it cheap on EBAY and when I got it the leather was shot. A friend found an Amish saddlemaker and he completely rebuilt the saddle to my specs on the old tree. This means I got my hard seat and stirrup fenders cut shorter than normal (I’m 5’ 3") AND a really nice, solid, saddle that fits a wide variety of horses.
Christa
[QUOTE=partlycloudy;5524879]
You’all should try a barrel saddle…I have one and love it. The fenders hang in about the same position as the flaps on my dressage saddle and it has a very deep comfy seat. Nice basket weave…not too blinged out. not as heavy as a pleasure or show saddle either.[/QUOTE]
:yes:
I almost always tie the knot-I can’t feel it in our saddles! And if anything happens between my and Mr. Lilitiger, I’m taking his older circle Y (which we got at a yard sale). And my saddle of course! I love comfy western saddles, which is to say, those that fit. I see people all the time in ones that don’t; too small and they are jammed in there, no way they could get their feet in a helpful position, or too large and they are swimming. Or rock hard. This might be why a lot of people don’t like western saddles!
Mine is a converted (to trail/general use) barrel saddle-deep seat, comfy cantle, actually more of a slick fork than usual barrel saddle, and I will never part with it. Bought it from a woman who was selling a horse I passed on (and a 10yo bought!!). With good padding it fits 3/4 of our horses, I need my husbands for the other one!!
I dismount the same way, kick free of the stirrups, then slide off, but of course its easier with a lower cantle.
and I love the nice fleecey thing to sit on!!
:lol: Hey, that is MY patented move!
[QUOTE=Coreene;5522081]
I bought a fab western show saddle a few years ago, and I think it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. Even bought a pimped headstall and reins and a show pad. Looks smashing on a 17.3hh Holsteiner. We never do anything in it except cruise around, though he has done a nice canter pirouette in it after a bit of Come To Jesus discussion.[/QUOTE]
You have to share a photo of that. 
I dunno how you ‘guys’ manage to get a bra band hooked on a saddle horn, a shirt caught between buttons is another thing and that is why western shirts have snaps. I HAVE managed to snag a baggy t-shirt on the horn and have torn off buttons and shredded button holes on loose shirts but never the bra band. Oh, yeah and winter coats can be kind of PITA to keep from getting hung up.
Easiest way to dismount is NOT to put your right hand on the cantle but keep the reins in the left hand on the horse’s neck and the right hand on the horn. Swing the right leg over, and when both feet are together drop to the ground regardless of horse height. I also never mounted by holding the cantle but left hand on the horse’s neck and right hand on the horn and when I was young and silly, would cheek a bad one and mount completely one handed. Now, with all the aches and pains, I would need a crane, a la those jousing guys!!!ROFL
I have a Blue Ribbon work saddle that is the most comfortable saddle ever. It weighs a ton, though, but not as much as my show saddle. I trail ride in a Circle Y flex saddle, which is much lighter. I show my gelding in HUS and EQ, as well, so make the switch to an English saddle every few days. It helps that I started riding English decades ago, so after the first couple of minutes when I switch back and forth both styles feel normal to me.
And hooking your bra on the horn? Yep, have done it several times. Ripped a shirt once, too. Embarrassing.
[QUOTE=partlycloudy;5524879]
You’all should try a barrel saddle…I have one and love it. The fenders hang in about the same position as the flaps on my dressage saddle and it has a very deep comfy seat. Nice basket weave…not too blinged out. not as heavy as a pleasure or show saddle either.[/QUOTE]
I LOVE mine! I tried a BUNCH of different saddles that either didn’t fit me or didn’t fit my horse. I finally bought a Circle Y Flex Tree Barrel Saddle and my horse will now canter on her right lead without bucking and swishing her tail. And I am GLUED in it. It only weighs about 20lbs and I have no problem getting my legs underneath me. I can even feel my horse through it.
[QUOTE=sorrelfilly721;6300099]
I LOVE mine! I tried a BUNCH of different saddles that either didn’t fit me or didn’t fit my horse. I finally bought a Circle Y Flex Tree Barrel Saddle and my horse will now canter on her right lead without bucking and swishing her tail. And I am GLUED in it. It only weighs about 20lbs and I have no problem getting my legs underneath me. I can even feel my horse through it.
To find a saddle that fits you so well is wonderful.
In general, barrel racing saddles are some of the lightest of western saddles to save weight when running.
If someone wants a saddle for trail riding, it is better to have a little bit bigger housing, that is the leather skirts on the back.
Mother Hubbard housing is the one layer ones, standard are two layers, the one on top smaller.
The smaller they are, the shorter they are, the more over time, the longer we ride, they can poke on a horse’s back, the less surface to drape over the horse around the back of the saddle.
Of course, too long skirts also can be a problem, those may even rub a horse in front of the hips.
Many old saddles had big square skirts because when your horse was the only way you had to get around, you would find in a hurry what works best for hours of riding.
Since we don’t ride horses that much any more, we have made skirts rounder and smaller, saving weight and leather.
Since every horse’s back is a bit different, it is hard to make rules of thumb about what is better.
This is just one comment so those that are new to western saddles pay attention to fit on the back, that the skirts don’t poke or rub, as that can happen some times with western saddles.
I love my Rocking R Lady Trail saddle. It is so comfortable.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31281399@N06/2929502464/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31281399@N06/2928636111/
simple, not overly detailed/tooled, heavy as lead, LOL, but very well made.
and if you tangle with a plastic bag, it’s easy to stay in it 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tricia-n-dusty/2232867785/
In high school I got hung on my cutting saddle’s horn; on a normal saddle it would be more of a trick LOL
I grew up riding bareback so neither western or english bother me. I don’t really know a dang thing about riding english (posting, etc), though I do have a saddle. Sadly, it doesn’t fit my mare because I liked riding my gelding in it.
I LOVE my old, old, old Circle Y western saddle even if it does weigh a ton. I could mount my gelding from the ground without doing up the girth at all it fit him so well. I only did it a couple of times but I really could.
As for buckle/knot, I do a knot now but I grew up using a knot. It always looked like a man’s tie (knot) to me.
And if I’m getting on a horse I’m not sure of, I want to be bareback. I can’t get hung up on anything that way.
