My pony goes western (pics) And Q for anyone who knows western tack.

[Hattiehorse]

For my photography we borrowed some western tack off a friend, bare in mind that it is for a 16hh-ish horse so looks a tad ridiculous on my tiddly pony!

And for anyone who knows a bit about western tack.

After seeing him in this tack and riding in it I'd LOVE to eventually buy my own western saddle and bridle. The problem is that we were told by his previous owner he could take up to 12 stone in weight (He's 14.2 5year old, do you think he could take more?) and with my weight (I'm just over 11) with a saddle like that, we would be well over the weight. Can you get extremely light saddles? Or do you think he could take more weight?

Thanks! Hope you like my pony!

 

[3Beasties]

Great Piccys, I'd love to try western riding

Not sure about the weight of the saddle but I guess synthetic ones would be lighter, not quite as nice as a proper leather one though.

 

[_HP_]

You can get synthetic western saddles which are relatively lightweight. I have one. Its a Wintec..like this:
http://www.equestrianclearance.com/weatherbeeta/wintec_western_saddle/

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Nice pics. I would honestly say, owning a good and similar built 14.2 that I think they can carry 12 stone easily enough but more than that becomes more of a struggle unless a heavy weight 14.2hh.
Yours looks of medium build like my mare so personally I think your horse may feel it a bit more if you get to say 13stone of weight on his back

 

[Enfys]

I have several western saddles, one weighs over 40lbs and I can't even lift it, my favourite is a synthetic one which only weighs 12lbs, fine for trails etc. There is so much to consider when guessing what weight a horse can comfortably carry, age, condition, conformation, rider ability etc, so you are right, you do have to consider the weight of the saddle too. I had someone, 6'5", must have weighed 15 stone at least, that wanted to buy my 15h QH for roping, I have no doubt that he'd have a leather saddle, so my horse would have been expected to carry upwards of 17 stone.

As long as the saddle fits, and you are not showing or roping etc, then it being a synthetic only matters if you want it to. A GOOD leather saddle, not one of these tacky imports off ebay, will set you back at LEAST as much as a decent English saddle.

ps, In that photo, the cinch should, correctly, be through the billet not wrapped around the horn, presumably it was only put up there for the photo shoot, the back cinch can be taken off if it isn't needed as well.

Have Fun.

 

[Hattiehorse]

The cinch was wrapped around the horn as it was so epicly long there was no where else to put it once we'd done it up!

 

[jaypeebee]

The cinch is actually the girth, not the long leather latigo strap. That long latigo needs to be wound round the rigging and cinch a couple or 3 times and then you will be left with a shorter piece of latigo which then can be placed through your latigo carrier, sometimes known as the tag, which is the pear shaped piece of leather with the long slit in it, often with the saddlers name embossed which is located up by the swell. Hope that helps.

Dont forget that when riding in a western saddle the weight distribution is not comparable to the weight distribution on an English saddle therefore heavier riders can ride in a western saddle and it wont necessarily feel heavier to the horse.