What saddle are you using?

[KarenC]

Just curious as to what type of tack you are using, as most of us on this board prefer English style saddles.

I was riding in a Bob Marshall sport saddle, but needed something with more support (I have an old injury that causes muscle spasms on my right side). I just tried and feel in love with a Duett companion trail saddle – and it actually FITS my horse (miracle of miracles). Since the weather has been horrid, I haven’t been able to test drive it on the trail, but I’m really looking forward to the first trail ride in it – the seat is very comfortable!

I also have a Zilco bit hanger (instead of the more traditional halter/bridle combos that I always found cumbersome) that I absolutely love. I just strap it on over a regular leather halter and I’m ready to go.

[system]

>> What I WANT though is a Tucker Endurance! OMG!!! My friend let me borrow her’s twice before, and that is undoubtedly the most comfortable saddle that I’ve ever ridden in and my horse thought the same!

Hello…I have a Tucker Endurance Saddle for sale, if you are interested, please contact me at darkhorsegoddess@aol.com Raven

[gothedistance]

I ride in an older (1987) modified County Competitor – modified by me to get rid of the leather underpanels which I replaced with flocked wool covered in heavy duty cloth. the change allowed for a lighter saddle, more air flow allowed under the saddle and better wicking of the sweat upwards through the sheepskin pad and away from the back.

However, I have a very lovely Crosby Gran Prix saddle that I use for foxhunting that is a joy to ride in. I may have to try it on an upcoming ride sometime to see how well I like it after 50 or 100 miles.

[ChocoMare]

Hey KarenC…have you gotten to ride yet in your Duett Companion? Would love to hear the tale

[Trakehners2000]

<span class=“ev_code_PURPLE”>I use an Ortho-flex Patriot, also use breast collar-(with sheepskin on the collar, sheep skin girth & carry sponges, I found that putting more than 1 sponge in the net works best, as it gets more water and is heavier, so it soaks up more water as you move on…and we use a pinchless bit.</span>

[lawndart]

I have a Abetta endurance that I like a lot because it is lightweight, fits the horse, and the stirrup will swing backward far enough so I can touch the hindquarters with my foot still in the stirrup, and forward far enough that I can touch the shoulders. Great on those low brushy trails. However, after about 4 hours my hindquarters go numb.

When I rode Peruvians, the saddle that fit them the best was my Wintec AP, and was actually very comfy for me as well. Does not fit my current horse as well, and I’m saddle shopping.

Have heard good things about both the Bob Marshall trail saddle, and the Tuckers, but my goodness soo much $$$$$. I just trail ride so justifying that much money is hard.

[Phaxxton]

Right now I ride in a Crosby Prix St. Georges Soft Ride saddle and I also have an older wintec saddle, too.

I have never owned an endurance or trail saddle, but I have ridden in the Wintec endurance saddle. I absolutely loved it. Even before I had any interest in endurance riding, I wanted one just for schooling and trails (but with regular irons, not endurance stirrups).

[pattiann]

Penny loafers!??

I’m impressed! (Of course, I get actual chafing pains when I hear about the “old timers” riding in jeans.)

Hub and I have three/four saddles in rotation at the moment (someone is always growing in or out of one) for the three horses:

Bob Marshall Endurance
Arabian Saddle Company Solstice
Campbell Paragon
Albion Style Ultra

All with EZ ride stirrups!

–Patti

[EBO]

I have a Reactor Panel endurance model which is very comfortable for me. My elder is now retired so I’ll be using it on my youngster. It has the “ears” (big thigh blocks like on an aussie) which keep you in place in case some killer leaf happens to fall onto the trail.

[KarenC]

Chocomare, I am LOVING the Duett. Sat throw a tantrum on my mare this week in it, and it was the first time I was able to ride through it instead of hopping off. As much as I love it for myself, though, I’m most happy with how it fits my horse. In fact, I’m in the market for a second one - my little tubby mare is on an insulin resistant diet and has lost almost a 100 pounds… I think she’s going to end up being a 32 inch tree.

[IronwoodFarm]

I really lucked out last fall and got a used Abetta in VERY GOOD condition for $100 at the local equine rescue tack sale. I was not planning on buying a saddle nor do I specifically do endurance riding. However, I do breed Norwegian Fjords, which are from the wide back/no withers line of equines. This saddle just looked like it would fit and it did. Besides – at $100 it was screaming “buy me, buy me, buy me!”.

I like it because it is lightweight. I do use it for training young stock. It’s also fun to ride in on the trail. So I am pleased with it. And now, finally, I know how to cinch up a Western style girth! Who says we English riders can’t learn a few new tricks!

[prudence]

I actually once rode a 100 miler in a park saddle and penny loafers. Sort of a spur of the moment thing…

[beausgirl]

Stubben cutback with a tush cush, love it…

[Prairie]

I trail ride with a Circle Y Flex Tree Lite trail saddle. I find it very comfy and like the way it looks too. I have two friends that I ride with a lot. One rides in a Bob Marshall and the other in a Tucker. I’ve tried both their saddles, and still prefer mine. The BM (treeless) feels very different from horse to horse. The Tucker is comfortable, but I don’t feel secure at all in it.

[Reginapony]

I am a recreational trail rider. I use a Smith-Worthington Endurance Maxx trail saddle. It is an English all purpose saddle that leans towards dressage, and it has a bunch of brass dee rings if I want to take everything and the kitchen sink with me.

I had it custom made to fit my QH and myself in 1997, and recently had it redone to fit my Peruvian mare. I use the nylon E-Z Ride stirrups with the cages, and pre-stretched buffalo hide stirrup leathers. I like the stiffness of the buffalo leathers. I put synthetic fuzzy halter tubes that fit on the crown piece of a leather halter on my stirrup leathers to keep them from pinching.

As far as a bridle, I use a basket weave, cross over brow band Cowboy tack bridle with a mullen mouth Peruvian bit and Peruvian romal reins. my mare looks really spiffy in her bridle. If I need a halter under my bridle, I use a rope halter.

I don’t mind using leather tack because I clean it after every ride. I do use a PVC neoprene humane style dressage girth that can be just hosed off. Peruvians are really great at kicking up mud and sand onto their bellies, so a leather girth would be ruined in no time. I would like to try a string girth, but my mare might get rubs if she kicks sand on to it.

[A_P]

I ride in a Wintec Pro Endurance. My only complaint it that the stirrups are hung a bit too far forward, making it hard not to ride with a ‘chair’ seat, but other than that, I like it. I have yet to ride in an endurance ride, but hope to one day.

[alabama]

I ride in an old Circle Y calf roping saddle. It’s really comfortable but very heavy. I also have an Abetta endurance that I like pretty well but it has too much swing in the stirrups for my taste.

[bpatp5066]

When I want to just “float” down the trail, I drag out my old Abercrombie Triple T endurance saddle. Gives me a lot of support (my 2 point in my passier leaves a lot to be desired). I can let my horse trot down the trail, and I just stand in the stirrups and float, and don’t interfere with the horse at all. Not the most comfortable saddle for the rider, but my horse never had a sore back, even after the l00’s. Of course, it was a real challenge later in life when I started having to sit in a saddle for the trot and canter work of dressa ge.

[Piaffe56]

My husband and I both ride in Schleese Jes advanced all purpose with the Flaire. We love them!! We had to go to a Schleese custom saddle because his horse is a barrel shaped QH and every other saddle just slid around on him. I liked my husband’s saddle so much that I had to buy one too.

[WildBlue]

Alexisonfire-

I’ve ridden in a dozen or so borrowed Aussie saddles, most with the stirrups replaced with English leathers. I don’t recall manufacturers marks–they were all used and from different sources.

I really liked a couple of the Aussie saddles that had great balance and were very comfortable–rode very much like a good AP English saddle, but with the bucking rolls on the front.

The others sucked rotten eggs. Very uncomfortable, the seat tipped you forward into the bucking rolls, the stirrup bars were too far forward, etc.

So, if you’re considering one, do make sure you can get it on trial. Also, make sure you can get on and off easily–that’s where most people get hung up and have trouble.

Considering that one of my favorite saddles is a TB exercise saddle (literally about just a tree with a scrap of leather and stirrups), I don’t like how trapped I feel in an Aussie and didn’t get one. I would, however, pick one up in a heartbeat if I was mounting someone who needed a bit more saddle to be comfortable.