Opinions on Australian stock saddles

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FayeHobbo

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I am considering getting a stock saddle for when hacking. Does anyone use these for extra security when hacking? Just looking for opinions as I have never sat in one! Thanks!
 
I rode for a couple of hours in one when on holiday in Australia and I remember thinking it was very comfortable. Much nicer to ride in than the western saddle I rode in on holiday in Canada.
 
They're brilliant! When I first had my loan horse I borrowed his owners stock saddle, and it was both very comfy and kept me in the saddle on several occasions :D
 
I rode in them and the half breed fender saddle when working on cattle stations over there.

Not the comforts but they are built for function/work and they definitely help.ypi stay in the saddle considering everything was half feral!

I would keep in mind that they are built for typical aussie stock horses. I see lots of people wanting them for cobs and that's definitely not what they are built for. The traditional full flap stock saddles made in Australia are on the narrow side. I've seen some nasty rubbed out backs because these saddles haven't fitted.

I wouldn't touch the winter version of them, or western, with a bargepole.

If you happen to have a stock horse (typically weedy tbx type) build of horse then it might be ok.

Have a look at Kent Saddlery au website. Their half breed saddles were really popular.

If it is comfort for hacking then what about a trail saddle? Jennifer Sheerin of Western Tack Trader is excellent. Having had a bad experience that left me out of pocket with another western saddler I cant recommend Jennifer highly enough.

ETA Jennifer stocks lightweight trail saddles that are specifically designed for comfort of horse and rider.
 
I fancied one for extra security but was told I’d be very unlikely to find one for my cob.
Instead I bought a gel out seat saver and it does a good job for far less ££
 
I ised one to get my confidence on my first horse. He had a tendancy to buck and got me off quite efficiently. The saddle was brilliant it gave me security and i could concentrate on staying in control. The horse gave up bucking and we had 12 years together after that.
 
TPO said:
I rode in them and the half breed fender saddle when working on cattle stations over there.

Not the comforts but they are built for function/work and they definitely help.ypi stay in the saddle considering everything was half feral!

I would keep in mind that they are built for typical aussie stock horses. I see lots of people wanting them for cobs and that's definitely not what they are built for. The traditional full flap stock saddles made in Australia are on the narrow side. I've seen some nasty rubbed out backs because these saddles haven't fitted.

I wouldn't touch the winter version of them, or western, with a bargepole.

If you happen to have a stock horse (typically weedy tbx type) build of horse then it might be ok.

Have a look at Kent Saddlery au website. Their half breed saddles were really popular.

If it is comfort for hacking then what about a trail saddle? Jennifer Sheerin of Western Tack Trader is excellent. Having had a bad experience that left me out of pocket with another western saddler I cant recommend Jennifer highly enough.

ETA Jennifer stocks lightweight trail saddles that are specifically designed for comfort of horse and rider.
Click to expand...
Thankyou! I have found a company that which hand make them to mine and my horses measurements, typical he is a cob! I just don't want to spend a fortune and it not be correct for my horse so will do some more research 😊
 
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TPO said:
I rode in them and the half breed fender saddle when working on cattle stations over there.

Not the comforts but they are built for function/work and they definitely help.ypi stay in the saddle considering everything was half feral!

I would keep in mind that they are built for typical aussie stock horses. I see lots of people wanting them for cobs and that's definitely not what they are built for. The traditional full flap stock saddles made in Australia are on the narrow side. I've seen some nasty rubbed out backs because these saddles haven't fitted.

I wouldn't touch the winter version of them, or western, with a bargepole.

If you happen to have a stock horse (typically weedy tbx type) build of horse then it might be ok.

Have a look at Kent Saddlery au website. Their half breed saddles were really popular.

If it is comfort for hacking then what about a trail saddle? Jennifer Sheerin of Western Tack Trader is excellent. Having had a bad experience that left me out of pocket with another western saddler I cant recommend Jennifer highly enough.

ETA Jennifer stocks lightweight trail saddles that are specifically designed for comfort of horse and rider.
Click to expand...
Out of interest TPO why don't you like the Wintec? I have the Pro with Cair and I love it , as does the horse. You can be honest:)
It's on a big baroque PRE . Short in the back but very high withered so the 16 was perfect. I can adjust the gullet and have never had any problems with his back, in fact it spreads the weight nicely and he goes happily in it over very varied ground for hours. Sweat marks are always spot on and physio happy when she comes.
It seems very well made too and was not that cheap! I did want a Syd Hill but couldn't afford one.
 
Shady said:
Out of interest TPO why don't you like the Wintec? I have the Pro with Cair and I love it , as does the horse. You can be honest:)
It's on a big baroque PRE . Short in the back but very high withered so the 16 was perfect. I can adjust the gullet and have never had any problems with his back, in fact it spreads the weight nicely and he goes happily in it over very varied ground for hours. Sweat marks are always spot on and physio happy when she comes.
It seems very well made too and was not that cheap! I did want a Syd Hill but couldn't afford one.
Click to expand...

I dont like the stock saddle because it's too narrow in the gullet and changing the head plate doesnt fix that.

I dont like the western because it's not built on a proper tree and you can feel the tree through the sheepskin easily. At a push it would only be suitable for very lightweight riders (under 9st)

I'm not a fan of Cair/Flair per se because it's a hot weather invention. In countries like ours where its blinking freezing the panels harden in the cold. If the saddle is stored in a warm place that negates that issue (that I have). That aside I dont have an issue with wintec/bates.

My mum has one of the new wintec dressage saddles against all my advice and she loves it. It has a new fitting system so that you can shim/adjust the gullet and panels too but I haven't looked at it properly. It was fitted to her last horse and she liked it over "better" branded leather saddles.

But yeah my comment was mainly about the western version and the stock saddle.
 
IF you have a cob, and need something nice and comfy to hack out on, I can highly recommend the TreeFree Tor saddle.

Sorry probably not thread-related! But I did think about an Australian Stock saddle, but rejected it as I had heard/read somewhere that they won't fit a cob.

You can trial the TreeFree saddles for a week for about fifty quid if I recall; well worth doing. As an older rider I found they were the only saddles that I could ride in with any degree of comfort. Good after-sales service too.
 
Love them. I used to back baby horses in them when I worked in Australia and they make you feel really secure.

I also rode in them in this country when I used to exercise someone's polocross horses - but I agree that seem to make them narrow. My mare has a huge buck on her when backed but sadly all the polox saddles were too narrow.
 
My first full loan horse came with an Aussie stock saddle. She very neatly dumped me on our first ride, and I stuck to a standard GP after that! I have dodgy hips and tend to ride quite short, and found the Aussie saddle stopped me doing that.

(She also dumped me out of a side saddle, which is also reputed to be quite hard to fall out of. She was a very crafty mare with a good line in dropping a shoulder, and I was horribly out of practice.)
 
I have a half breed Syd Hill synthetic Half Breed Stock Saddle and it is just wonderful. Ugly as anything but as I do lots of long rides, CTR's and multiple day treks it's just the best thing ever. I cannot imagine going back to the days of using my dressage saddle. It has fitted a wide range of horses as the tree is different to a traditional tree and it sits further forward than a traditional saddle. Would be lost without it now.

Many of my trekking friends have the Wintec Stock Saddles and they love them, you can get them in flock if you don't like Cair and they are available with swinging fenders if you prefer. I would imagine a Bates stockist would be able to find a trial saddle for you to to have a ride in. They do here.
 

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TPO said:
But yeah my comment was mainly about the western version and the stock saddle.
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Lol, it's the Pro stock saddle that I have, should have made it clearer!!!
Agree about the western they do and that Cair could be an issue in a cold climate but as it's hot here it works nicely.
I will have to politely disagree about the gullet! :)
 
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