Who rides in a western saddle and what brand do you prefer?

[Jazzy_s_mom]

I have an older Saddlesmith Todd Bergen reiner. The leather is far better than the new ones, I think it is quite good quality for a non custom. I have no cartilage in my knees and this has been the best saddle for me on long rides. It is very comfortable and has fit everything I have put it on from my mom’s arab to my very broad paint. I like the freedom that the reining saddles have.

I have had the saddle for sale and a lady who came to try it said it was one of the most comfortable saddles she had ever tried, loved the look of it and the good care it has had. She didn’t buy it because it wasn’t a Bob’s and her friends all have Bob’s. I just shook my head. I am only sellling it because I am out of horses until my babies are grown and thought someone else might really love it too. I just can’t imagine loving something, loving the price but not being able to make a decision without worrying about what your friends think. Oy.

[UrbanHennery]

My Billy Cook Classic Pro Reiner. It’s probably 15 years old, so nicely broken in that the suede is almost smooth. Love it. I rein in it and trail ride in it.

http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/classic-reiner.html
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/5972412533_93b3f58b53_b.jpg

We had a custom Y-L Saddlery wade tree for a while. Also loved it, but it was a wide tree (bought for a specific horse) and I sold it earlier this year since it doesn’t fit any horse I know.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6072/6092981767_18c5ec0c75_b.jpg

I had a Crates for a while because it was the only thing that fit my crazy paint. I never found it all that comfortable and wouldn’t buy another except in the same situation.

[7HL]

Light NRHA Reining Saddle by Bob’s

[Tee]

I used to have a Crates trail saddle and loved it. Til I shrunk out of it and my young horse got too wide for it. Now I have a Crates gaited tree and it is super comfy. Hoping to find a nice Crates reiner once my 4 year old has finished growing and filling out.

And I’ve drooled over my fair share of Martins as well.

[goneriding24]

I’m a Billy Cook fan. All arounds mostly. The Sulphur Springs one. But these days, they sure are getting heavy on my old bones…

[zipperfoot]

Fallis Balanced Ride–puts you in the middle of the saddle with your legs under you instead of in a chair seat. Rigged so you don’t have a bunch of stuff under your leg too. I had mine custom made years and years ago. Used ones can be hard to find, but they turn up occasionally. Worth the money.

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=zipperfoot;5876780]
Fallis Balanced Ride–puts you in the middle of the saddle with your legs under you instead of in a chair seat. Rigged so you don’t have a bunch of stuff under your leg too. I had mine custom made years and years ago. Used ones can be hard to find, but they turn up occasionally. Worth the money.[/QUOTE]

I had one of those many years ago and it didn’t stay together, fell apart quickly, they are not made too well.
I used it mostly to start colts gently, no wild stuff.,
For a western saddle and more than light work, I would not put money in one of those.

[spinandslide]

I have a Bob’s, a Teskey’s and a Double C.

Surprisingly, the Double C I bought from a friend to help jumpstart his tack selling…and its a nice saddle…a breaking saddle, but super comfy and fits a variety of horses…including my 13.2 hand pony.

As Bluey said, a good course of action is to stick with the better known saddle makers…it doesnt always guarantee quality workmanship, but it does increase your odds.

When I barrel raced, I rode in a circle Y and a Billy Cook. They were alright…Ive noticed, recently, espc in the circle Y’s, the quality seems to have gone downhill abit.

My next saddle I am going custom I think.

[Auventera_Two]

I own two Bob Marshall sport saddles, which are technically endurance saddles and not “western” although they are more western styled. I absolutely love them and can’t imagine going back to a treed saddle.

But…if aliens came and ate all the Bob Marshalls in the world, I would go back to the Abetta endurance saddle. They are lightweight, comfortable, affordable, and easy to maintain.

[M.K.Smith]

Circle Y Equitation saddle- love my saddle!

Looking for a saddle for my 3 year old son :winkgrin: He enjoys riding and has an english saddle. I want to find a western saddle for something that won’t completely break the budget (don’t mind to pay a little more for something that will hold value and can resell- not looking for anything to show Congress with). Want something that is safe, well built, and puts him in a good position. Hopefully something he can use for quite a few years. Any ideas?

[MunchkinsMom]

[QUOTE=M.K.Smith;5878154]
Circle Y Equitation saddle- love my saddle!

Looking for a saddle for my 3 year old son :winkgrin: He enjoys riding and has an english saddle. I want to find a western saddle for something that won’t completely break the budget (don’t mind to pay a little more for something that will hold value and can resell- not looking for anything to show Congress with). Want something that is safe, well built, and puts him in a good position. Hopefully something he can use for quite a few years. Any ideas?[/QUOTE]

I have a terrific lead line western saddle, I tried for a few years to sell it, but decided to just hang onto it, before I know it I might have grandchildren that can use it. My daughter started riding in it at age 3, and outgrew it when she was 9. It has more silver on it than my Blue Ribbon. I don’t know the name brand (can’t find any name on it anywhere). I bought it at a small back yard tack shop, the owner would go to the auctions, and resell stuff that he bought at the auctions.

Just so you can see it - here is the youth saddle on my 15.2 hand QH:

http://pic90.picturetrail.com:80/VOL2147/2908252/8807817/397594783.jpg

Billy Cook makes a nice youth saddle, you might want to check EBay also for deals.

[MunchkinsMom]

Also, Alamo makes a decent Youth saddle as small as 12".

http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/kids-show-saddles.html

If you don’t want all the silver, here is the plain version:

http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/alamo-youth-saddle.html

[zipperfoot]

[QUOTE=Bluey;5876806]
I had one of those many years ago and it didn’t stay together, fell apart quickly, they are not made too well.
I used it mostly to start colts gently, no wild stuff.,
For a western saddle and more than light work, I would not put money in one of those.[/QUOTE]

Wow. I’ve never heard that before about Fallis saddles, nor has it been my experience. There was a company that manufactured the same design of balanced ride saddles, but they were mass-produced not custom. I don’t know what their quality was like. My saddle was made way back in the late 70s, if that makes a difference.

[Everythingbutwings]

@Bluey;5876806

I had one of those many years ago and it didn’t stay together, fell apart quickly, they are not made too well.
I used it mostly to start colts gently, no wild stuff.,
For a western saddle and more than light work, I would not put money in one of those.

We’ve got a Fallis balanced ride and it’s fabulous! We’ve had it for over 15 years with no problems such as you’ve experienced.

We recently took a co-worker (relocated Texan ex-marine) for a trail ride over at Meadowood and he loved it.

[purplnurpl]

[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]

Richard shrake equitation. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I think Richard shrake is the same as circle y. We bought a circle y trail saddle for my mom. It’s really nice too.

[HydroPHILE]

Earlier model Textan or Simco saddles for me unless there are tough trails, then it’s a Billy Cook saddle (real Billy Cook…not fake.)

[spurgirl]

I have a Bob’s Custom Saddle “Monte Foreman” pleasure saddle. I have never seen another one, it’s a basic basketweave pattern, with a gel seat, and SUPER comfy… Not a lot of leather under your leg/thigh area. Hubby bought it for me for my birthday at a hole-in-the-wall consignment tack shop for $700 about 6 years ago.

Come to find out, new it was about $2,200, and the previous owner had customized it a tiny bit by putting sterling conchos on it. We happened to meet the tack shop owner who originally sold/customized it-he would give us $1,200 for it if we wanted to sell it…that was about a month after we bought it. NO WAY-most comfortable Western saddle ever…for me, anyway!

[M.K.Smith]

Cute saddle!!!

[QUOTE=MunchkinsMom;5878177]
I have a terrific lead line western saddle, I tried for a few years to sell it, but decided to just hang onto it, before I know it I might have grandchildren that can use it. My daughter started riding in it at age 3, and outgrew it when she was 9. It has more silver on it than my Blue Ribbon. I don’t know the name brand (can’t find any name on it anywhere). I bought it at a small back yard tack shop, the owner would go to the auctions, and resell stuff that he bought at the auctions.

Just so you can see it - here is the youth saddle on my 15.2 hand QH:

http://pic90.picturetrail.com:80/VOL2147/2908252/8807817/397594783.jpg

Billy Cook makes a nice youth saddle, you might want to check EBay also for deals.[/QUOTE]

[DJB]

I learned to restore saddles while growing up so I never developed a brand loyalty just because I always bought used saddles and restored them for use. My favorite saddle was a no brand (custom build?)saddle from the 1940s, it was rock solid and the quality was so great that 60 some years later it was still going strong.

[spinandslide]

Looking for youth saddles-

Teskey’s in weatherford makes a variety of youth saddles…some as small as 10"

I just sold my sons 10" and bought him a 13". they seem to retain value well…a big plus in a kids saddle.