Winters100
Well-Known Member
Hi, does anyone know about these? I tried it recently and thought it would be a fun way to exercise over winter. Any ideas of good quality but not totally crazy priced brands / websites etc. Thanks!
Western saddles
- Thread starter Winters100
- Start date
TPO
Fly paper for freaks 🍀
Euro horse
https://www.euro-horse.nl/us/
Western Tack Trader on FB. She is in england but will provide a guide so that you can do a trace and she can find a saddle to fit.
The website isnt as up to date as Facebook
http://www.westerntacktrader.co.uk
WTT also sell a fitting DVD for £20 by Rod Nickel
https://westernsaddlefit.com/articles/saddle-fit-misconceptions
I'm sure you already know but one size definitely doesnt fit all. Avoid anything cheap in eBay, the market is flooded with badly made Indian and Mexican saddles.
I'll try to find it but there is a list floating about somewhere of the main brands to avoid.
Theres also a big Saddlery in germany I think that has lots of good second hand saddles and will work with you to find a suitable saddle but the name wont come to me ?
ETA it's Arthur's, I knew it was a mans name
https://westernstore.nl/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=2
https://www.euro-horse.nl/us/
Western Tack Trader on FB. She is in england but will provide a guide so that you can do a trace and she can find a saddle to fit.
The website isnt as up to date as Facebook
http://www.westerntacktrader.co.uk
WTT also sell a fitting DVD for £20 by Rod Nickel
https://westernsaddlefit.com/articles/saddle-fit-misconceptions
I'm sure you already know but one size definitely doesnt fit all. Avoid anything cheap in eBay, the market is flooded with badly made Indian and Mexican saddles.
I'll try to find it but there is a list floating about somewhere of the main brands to avoid.
Theres also a big Saddlery in germany I think that has lots of good second hand saddles and will work with you to find a suitable saddle but the name wont come to me ?
ETA it's Arthur's, I knew it was a mans name
https://westernstore.nl/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=2
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Winters100
Well-Known Member
Thank you so much TPO!!! That is great info!
TPO
Fly paper for freaks 🍀
Theres also this guy...Martin Murray in Wales. He comes highly recommended, I dont know what the deal is with distance fittings but he must have some.sort of arrangement. He appears to have good saddles at very reasonable prices
He commented on this thread about him so you can WhatsApp or message via FB
https://m.facebook.com/groups/294009593958150?view=permalink&id=4825792517446479
I'm 99.9% positive that this is his eBay account to so you can see some of his stock
https://ebay.co.uk/usr/mgmguitarist
Jennifer of Western Tack Trader just took in a big delivery of good saddles (shes american and will only deal in good quality american saddles, she doesnt even stock European makes afaik) in a price range of £500-1500 so there might be a bargain to be had.
I went to a fitting day that Jennifer was running and it was excellent. I previously used a "western saddler" and the whole experience was awful & very, very negative so dealing with Jennifer has restored my confidence and faith in western fitters. Highly recommend
He commented on this thread about him so you can WhatsApp or message via FB
https://m.facebook.com/groups/294009593958150?view=permalink&id=4825792517446479
I'm 99.9% positive that this is his eBay account to so you can see some of his stock
https://ebay.co.uk/usr/mgmguitarist
Jennifer of Western Tack Trader just took in a big delivery of good saddles (shes american and will only deal in good quality american saddles, she doesnt even stock European makes afaik) in a price range of £500-1500 so there might be a bargain to be had.
I went to a fitting day that Jennifer was running and it was excellent. I previously used a "western saddler" and the whole experience was awful & very, very negative so dealing with Jennifer has restored my confidence and faith in western fitters. Highly recommend
Winters100
Well-Known Member
Thank you - these are exactly the contacts that I need. I have already heard from 3 suppliers that they fit any horse, which is obviously impossible, and the last thing I want is sore backs from something that is only for fun. Big big thank you!
Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
There is a very active Western riding community and I believe that Western Horse Junky sells saddles and all tack.
TPO
Fly paper for freaks 🍀
Western Horse Junky is run by Jennifer Sheerin too ?
Male sure you use a good pad too. A lot of western pads are rectangles but obviously horse backs are not flat. Look for a shaped pad. There was a thread in here not too long ago about western saddle pads. 5 star, Classic Equine, Weaver (Synergy too) and Mattes seemed to be things favourites. Professional Choice are the most common but they have lots of rectangles and possible areas of pressure with some of the padded versions, they do have some shaped ones so you just need to be careful what version it is.
ETA link to pad post
https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/what-is-the-best-western-saddle-pad.791816/
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LadyGascoyne
Still Fig-uring it out...
I have a Barefoot Nevada for Mim. It’s really comfortable and she seems happy in it.
I think it looks a little chunky on her so I am considering getting an Arizona or Atlanta for her and using the Nevada on Milagra when I start riding her more.
I think it looks a little chunky on her so I am considering getting an Arizona or Atlanta for her and using the Nevada on Milagra when I start riding her more.
Winters100
Well-Known Member
I am now looking at the Barefoot Arizona - any tips? What type of pad do you use under it? Thanks!
LadyGascoyne
Still Fig-uring it out...
I have the Barefoot physio pad, and it seems to work really well. I have the sheepskin seat saver on it too which is really comfy.
Shady
Well-Known Member
Iv'e just seen this LG so I hope Winters doesn't mind if I just respond .
I had a feeling the Nevada would be a bit much for Mim as they are a big square saddle and only come in one size which is a 2.
I would not buy the other two styles LG without testing both. I had the Arizona for Shadow and it sat on him like a hat and wouldn't stay put no matter how I girthed it. The Atlanta is similar. Both are really better for narrower horses , not chunky Arabs. I spoke at length with Barefoot Belgium and at the time there was a lovely lady there who looked at photo's of Shadow and saw straight away that I had chosen the wrong style for him. She agreed that length was fine ( short back like Mim) but given his withers and barrel body something like the Cherokee or similar with longer side panels would suit better and give better stability. She also recommended looking at Trekker if I wanted more adjustability for shape change and this is what I bought in the end. The Luxus. It was a really good choice . They are amazing saddles.
Later I had to replace the saddle as it got damaged and I went back to looking at Barefoot and ended up with the Cherokee classic in size 1. It fits really well and stays put!
If it's the more western look you prefer with a fork, Barefoot can make you one to suit using the Cherokee or Cheyenne. It costs a little more and you can't send it back if it's wrong but you could test a Cherokee and then if you like it get one made with a fork .
Anywaaay just adding my piece, sorry to hijack Winters thread a bit . x
Note for Winters tho. Please test the Arizona or any Barefoot saddle before buying new. They also take a while to settle so you can feel perched for a bit ! Honestly,you don't need the physio pad unless you are heavy or have a problem backed horse. They add too much bulk.
Tarragon
Well-Known Member
I have a lovely Barefoot Cheyenne saddle that I bought from new many years ago and use on my wide backed Exmoor ponies. It did take a good couple of months before it bedded down, but once it had, i could mount from the ground and it wouldn't slip. I know that it doesn't suit every rider; some people who have tried mine have hated they position it puts your legs.
SBJT
Well-Known Member
A good western saddle that you can still walk after a 6 hour ride is hard to find.
Winters100
Well-Known Member
Oops - I have just seen this but I ordered the Arizona a couple of hours ago! Let's hope that I am lucky, although they did say that I can send it back if I have problems. Will let you know and thank you to everyone for the advice!
Shady
Well-Known Member
Lol,Yes oops! I hope it's ok
. Please do update Winters .I would really like to know how it fits and if you like it. When I was originally looking for treeless saddles for my impossible Arab, all reviews good and bad helped enormously and always HHO comes up in search engines.I had the original Arizona and if by chance you have the Arizona Nut the leather is different will probably take longer to settle . It's a beautiful saddle but at the time I was looking it had just come out and I couldn't afford one and couldn't find any reviews . If you bought the Arizona you will have to get your head around cinching ! the seat is very deep and very comfortable. I was disappointed that I couldn't get it to stay in place as I did prefer it to the Cherokee ( except for the cinch).
Good luck x
Winters100
Well-Known Member
Lol,Yes oops! I hope it's ok
I had the original Arizona and if by chance you have the Arizona Nut the leather is different will probably take longer to settle . It's a beautiful saddle but at the time I was looking it had just come out and I couldn't afford one and couldn't find any reviews . If you bought the Arizona you will have to get your head around cinching ! the seat is very deep and very comfortable. I was disappointed that I couldn't get it to stay in place as I did prefer it to the Cherokee ( except for the cinch).
Good luck x
I will let you know, I had to order it from Germany as it was not available here so it should arrive in about a week - but probably it will not be used for a couple of weeks as I am recovering from a broken hand! I think the girth will be OK for me as we use a similar system for polo. The problem that I had was that while in other countries you can borrow one from the supplier to try it was not possible here as they didn't have the saddle available. But I am super interested to try it, and I think I will like it as the saddles we use are not so comfortable - no knee rolls at all. To be honest my only real concern is will it be comfortable for the horse!
Shady
Well-Known Member
Oh no, broken hand ...eek. Yes take care of that ( says the person with two arthritic hands.....pain)
That is a pita that you couldn't try that style, but as long as you don't have a table top horse you should be ok!
Both my horses really like treeless saddles and move completely differently in them. Much looser and more relaxed, especially the Arab.
It was a strange thing all round when I first got one. I couldn't believe how comfortable it was and how much I could feel and I noticed straight away that my horse's body language was completely different and his stride longer. I am in no way dissing treed saddles . I just couldn't get one to fit my horse or me to my liking at that time and he was very fat and under muscled when I bought him so I was also anticipating his shape changing a lot, which it did.
I had fenders on my Arizona which were really nice! x
Winters100
Well-Known Member
Hi, just to let you know that I agree about the pad - very bulky. But apart from that I really like the saddle, feels very secure. I only rode one in it today, but he liked it and seemed quite comfortable.
Thanks for the advice!
W
Shady
Well-Known Member
Oh that's great news Winters and thanks for posting.
Yeh way too bulky and quite honestly if a rider needed that much bulk under the saddle I would question whether they should be riding a treeless.
What I did in the end was go straight to Grandeur and chose how I wanted the pad to look. You pick the correct shape and size and then start adding what you want or don't want. I obviously wanted pockets to shim but I didn't especially want sheepskin so opted for cotton on the underside. It worked out cheaper and you can choose a different colour / trim etc ! It took a bit of working out but I have been happy with it. The only complaint was it wasn't split to fall either side of the withers which actually is much better with a Barefoot. Might be possible now tho.
Or if you decide to change the pad but stick with ordering from Barefoot just go for the special.