Western saddles - off the shelf vs. custom? And more questions...

[Pocket_Pony]

I may be in the market for a new western saddle as I’m not quite pleased with how my current one (trail) is fitting.

I’ve got an appointment with a fitter (independent) in the next couple weeks and in the meantime they gave me names of some saddles that they carry. I had never heard of them before: Crest Ridge, Allegheny?, Sky Ridge. From going on each website, it seems that mostly these saddles are custom made. Is this more of a thing in the western world than it is in the english world?

And wrt western saddles, there’s no flocking, so what happens when your horse changes shape and gets more muscled-up? Do you have to go and buy another saddle? Sheesh, some of the saddles I’ve been reading about or have heard about (custom ones other than these) start at more than $5k!!!

And how do you “shim” for any unevenness in your horse’s conformation, since none of them are absolutely perfect? Are there western pads with shims just as there are english pads with shims?

And what “style” should I be looking at? I want a balanced seat (meaning no legs out in front of me); I don’t think I want a huge fork (or swell? what is it called where an english pommel/the horn goes); I don’t like to be too confined in the seat, I like it to be a bit flat. I trail ride and do arena work. The likelihood of me roping a cow ever in my lifetime is pretty slim. I don’t want a big heavy saddle, I think I prefer a round skirt to a square skirt. What else should I be considering?

[rememberthenight]

Have you sat in a crates trail with a rounded skirt. I bought one after trying out MANY, and was considering going to a custom crest ridge, and it had been perfect for me and my horses. Balanced seat, perfect for WD or trails. You need to get a general fit through the type of bars/trees and then you can tweak with thicknesses and types of saddle pads. I like the many options that the Steele trees have.

[twoxover]

most of these “custom” saddles are really “bench made” meaning made one at a time, not on a production line. what would make a custom custom, would be a tree made to your horse.

having said that…as rememberthenight says, you get a general fit and then if you need to, you pad up. a little wide is ok, a little narrow is NEVER ok.

My horse fractured four vertebra several years ago…right behind the wither bone. he sheared off the long spines.needless to say, i’m paranoid about saddle fit for both western and English saddles. I worked with Joey Wenger (JR Wenger) and he built me a great work saddle. no show frou frou on it…but fits the horse really really well and puts me in a great position. shoulders, hips, ankles all line up. to be truthful, i’d bypass those that you mentioned (I looked at them all at some point) and talk to Joey.

[Narleta]

I’m not familiar with those brands but you can get western pads with extra padding in front or in the back. A good wool pad with a seat riser or front lift works well. I haven’t seen a western pad that has customizable shims but they may be out there.

[katarine]

Crestridge and Alleghany (sp) are gaited-oriented vendors. A saddle is a saddle but that’s where they put their marketing efforts IME.
there are many pads with shim systems available.

[katarine]

http://www.aboutthehorse.com/secure-web/html/videopadorderform.shtml

http://www.nationalbridle.com/product-p/1-5478.htm

I am going to send you a PM