What is your western preference? Crates, Circle y, Simco…an ebay cheapie???
I ride Clydesdales, and my favorite saddle for them is the late 80’s to mid 90’s circle y equitation seat. Preferably a richard shrake version, as they have a super wide low profile that fits a draft horse very nicely.
Two local saddlers have made saddles for most cowboys around here and have made ranch saddles for me many years ago.
Here is one, the other has retired:
http://www.oliversaddle.com/page/page/535187.htm
We also have some old Ryons saddles from Fort Worth, TX, that are excellent quality and fit very well all around:
http://www.seanryon.com/Qstore/Qstore.cgi
If you go with top of the line saddlers, those rarely put out a bad saddle.
If I was looking for a saddle, I would check local saddlers first.
They may have something you can try on your horse and your behind right where you are, no guessing about it.
For reining, I have a Bob’s lady reiner, as those are just right to keep you where you need to be while reining.
Those are also good for any other flat work, not so much for hard outside riding or roping except in a pinch.
I had long ago a very hard to fit arabian ranch horse.
English saddles fit him fine, but the only western saddle that fit him was a medium quality Courts barrel racing saddle, that didn’t have any padding and was hard on the rider’s behind.
Since it was the only one that fitted him, well, the rider just had to endure.
A friend bought it later and it fits her very well, hard seat and all. She is still using it all these years later.
It was a tough saddle, hard work didn’t tear it, but of course you could not do any serious roping with it either.
I ride reining horses and I bought a nice custom made Martin’s a few years ago and I LOVE it. It is fantastic quality and fits every horse I have ever put it on. I probably would always buy a Martin’s now. However, my second choice would be Bob’s.
With western saddle you really get what you pay for…
Lately I have been using my husbands Crates. My draft cross mare that I was taking dressage lessons on was diagnosed with EPM and I am not sure what her recovery is going to be. But, with her also have hock and neck arthritis I am thinking she will be limited in what she can do. So I am horse shopping and looking for a quarter horse, and have been using the Crates. I leased a horse for several months, took lessons using it, and it is very comfortable. My plan is to keep up the dressage lessons, but also looking at possibly doing some western events, ranch versatility type stuff, in the future… once I find a horse.
Not to stray too far off topic, but I tried a horse the other day using my saddle and when we longed him, he acted like he was spooked and even humped up his back a little. This was a nicely trained reining horse, started roping. My trainer immediately saw the problem. The saddle strings! She said show saddles, reining saddles etc, don’t have saddle strings. We tied them up and sure enough, no more problems. Then a roper friend of mine said they don’t have strings on their saddles either. So for those more familiar with western saddles… do most western saddles not have strings? I thought it was pretty common. I would think they would be handy to have working on ranch or trail riding to tie stuff on the saddle.
I ride my TWH in a Tucker saddle (western, Cheyenne model, before they went to the Gen II series) and love it - except for the horn. It just kind of gets in the way when we’re climbing a hill or if I have to duck under a low branch.
Still, I don’t think I would ever sell or trade it unless it was to get another Tucker.:yes:
I ride in a variety of saddles, both English and Western. For young horses, nothing beats the security of a nice deep Western seat when you first start one. I’ve had a couple of times when I was glad for the added grip and security.
Plus with the weight difference, the English saddles are nothing to them after that.
For my trail riding/young horse starting I have a nice trail saddle by American Saddlery. Full bars, decent twist for me, fits my chunkier QH well. When riding English, I usually use my Courbette A/P saddle with a nice deep seat on the broader horses. I have others, including a Congress leather show saddle, but these two are the ones most often used.
Sometimes switching up the discipline on my horses helps keep them engaged in training rides, and it keeps me a bit sharper too.
I have a Crates, 2 Circle Y’s, and a Dale Chavez. Mr G has a Bob’s Custom.
My western pleasure saddle was a circle Y, liked it.
My brother’s reining saddle (now mine for breaking babies) is a Billy Cook, LOVE it!
I have two western saddles. One for my friesian and one for my tb X draft.
Circle Y flex2 trail topeka
Tucker Gen II high plains saddle
I prefer the tucker to the circle y. The tucker had for me better quality. It came with wool lining, leather latigo and and billets, and flank strap. It also came with nice saddle strings. The seat is deep and cushy and makes a really nice comfortable trail ride. The fenders were already turned and the saddle had a very good broke in feeling from out of the box.
The circle y was lighter in weight, but the leather seemed “cheaper” the latigo and billets were nylon instead of leather and the lining was synthetic sheepskin.
The gel seat is not as comfortable as the tucker’s seat. and the saddle had no tie strings. I’m still working on softening the fenders and turning them. Overall the saddle is not what I expected from a brand I used to love. I would gladly trade it for another Tucker or older circle Y.
15-lb. Big Horn. Love it!
[QUOTE=Bluey;5874754]
Two local saddlers have made saddles for most cowboys around here and have made ranch saddles for me many years ago.
Here is one, the other has retired:
http://www.oliversaddle.com/page/page/535187.htm
We also have some old Ryons saddles from Fort Worth, TX, that are excellent quality and fit very well all around:
http://www.seanryon.com/Qstore/Qstore.cgi
If you go with top of the line saddlers, those rarely put out a bad saddle.
If I was looking for a saddle, I would check local saddlers first.
They may have something you can try on your horse and your behind right where you are, no guessing about it.
For reining, I have a Bob’s lady reiner, as those are just right to keep you where you need to be while reining.
Those are also good for any other flat work, not so much for hard outside riding or roping except in a pinch.
I had long ago a very hard to fit arabian ranch horse.
English saddles fit him fine, but the only western saddle that fit him was a medium quality Courts barrel racing saddle, that didn’t have any padding and was hard on the rider’s behind.
Since it was the only one that fitted him, well, the rider just had to endure.
A friend bought it later and it fits her very well, hard seat and all. She is still using it all these years later.
It was a tough saddle, hard work didn’t tear it, but of course you could not do any serious roping with it either.[/QUOTE]
WOW those are pretty saddles! I LOVE the one that pops up when you open the Oliver Saddle Shop especially!
My favorite saddles from the mainstream are Ammerman saddles. I also like the ranch-type Billy Cooks but I do not like their barrel racing models.
Bob Marshall treeless aren’t bad, but I had to stick with short rides in them. They always made my hips sore after a longer ride (or it was fatty Arab’s fault), but I do love being able to feel my horse under my bum! Also great for pole bending and barrel racing for a horse that really turns hard 'cause you aren’t going anywhere in one of those!
ML Letty Cutting saddle is what I rode in for YEARS! I still have it at the house though the chances of me swinging that rig over the back of anything big enough to carry it are slim to none. http://leddys.com/prodcat.asp?id=4
Barrel racing I rode a 1970s Circle Y that did not have the huge honkin horn at the front. I outgrew that saddle and miss it so much! They don’t make them like that anymore. 
Show saddle was a Circle Y square skirt that I won at my first congress. LOVED that thing!
NEVER EVER EVER buy a western saddle new unless you want to spend lots of time sore and cranky. I always go to the local auction to buy mine and it’s where I got all of my saddles. Sold lots of saddles at the auction too. Nothing like picking up a real Stubben circa 1960s for $65 at the sale. 
My absolute favorite is a Billy Cook reiner!
BUT, since I couldn’t afford it, I got a Corriente Association saddle. It weighs 40+ lbs, but it is so comfortable and it is (supposedly) made by the same people as the Billy Cooks.
Coats Cutter
Tamara
[QUOTE=Luckydonkey;5874739]
What is your western preference? Crates, Circle y, Simco…an ebay cheapie???
I ride Clydesdales, and my favorite saddle for them is the late 80’s to mid 90’s circle y equitation seat. Preferably a richard shrake version, as they have a super wide low profile that fits a draft horse very nicely.[/QUOTE]
1994 Circle Y Park and Trail saddle. I LOVE that thing and despite it being too wide for my horses (therefore sitting unused) I refuse to sell it. Some day I will have something super wide, just so I can use that saddle!
Years ago I had a Dale Harwood saddle, and sold it when I was very poor. Kind of sick about that.
Kent Frecker studied under him and makes saddles now, I have my eye on one of those.
[QUOTE=DLee;5875166]
Years ago I had a Dale Harwood saddle, and sold it when I was very poor. Kind of sick about that.
Kent Frecker studied under him and makes saddles now, I have my eye on one of those.[/QUOTE]
I bet you are!!! Those are nice!
I ride in a Cactus ranch saddle and LOVE IT!!! This is my saddle
http://teskeys.com/cactus-rancher.html
My husband has a Martin Wade and he loves it but it is too wide for me. I would love a Bob’s or a Mad Cow Saddle.
[QUOTE=ddashaq;5875153]
1994 Circle Y Park and Trail saddle. I LOVE that thing and despite it being too wide for my horses (therefore sitting unused) I refuse to sell it. Some day I will have something super wide, just so I can use that saddle!;)[/QUOTE]
I had one too! an early 1980’s model and when I rode in it I loved it. I also used it on a variety of horses and it never caused a problem. Wish I never sold it now…
[QUOTE=Tamara in TN;5875148]
Coats Cutter
Tamara[/QUOTE]
I want a Coats so bad. Currently I have a Dakota roping saddle. Got it used, nice and comfy for long rides.
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