Western Saddles

[Salmon]

I would like to try a western saddle on my TB mare with a view to using this for hacking out. It would be nice to try one before I buy. I don't know anything about western saddles. I do know I don't want a heavy one and have been looking at the Wintec and a Treefree western saddle. Anyone any advice out there.

 

[Shiraz]

In my experience I've found it hard to find western saddles to try and have had to buy and then try to resell if they didn't fit.

Look on www.thewesternshop.com. There was a recent thread about saddle fitting synthetics on there and also links to lots of tack shops etc.

I bought a wintec western saddle to try and it wouldn't look at my mare (bulldog QH type). It was rigid and bridged over her back. I wouldn't have thought that it would have given any wither clearance on a TB.

Here is a link for a western saddle fitter. I really recommend emailing or phoning her. She is very helpful
www.western-saddler.co.uk

It should be fitted much the same way as an english saddle. Make sure it sits behind the shoudler blade and does not pinch the withers or shoulder. The tree should end just past the last rib. It shouldn't bridge along your horses's back. DOn't listen to the "one size fits all" brigade, it's simply not true (as I know 5 saddles later and several hundred £s lighter!) It's not a case of simply padding it out either, although you must use a saddle pad under a western saddle, the more you add the narrow this makes the saddle over the horse's back.

Hope that's of some help to you. Really recommend you post up on thewesternshop forum as the peeps on there are more experienced than me and that you contact Maria the saddle fitter.

Good Luck!

 

[parsley]

I thought I would like to have a go with my boy and found a place that did lessons and hacks using them. Half an hour later I knew that I hated it, and I had real trouble getting off! Can you make some enquiries about a western lesson or hack?

 

[Daisy11]

i had ago on my friends one i hated it as said hard to get off also you cant rise to trotting it felt horrible

 

[ISHmad]

Another one here whose ridden a friend's horse in a western saddle and struggled to get off... That was from a 14.2 pony, there's no way I could step down from a 16.2 without ending up flat on my backside!