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Member
Posts: 10
Location: Woodville, AL | What is the saddle of choice for trail riding. Currently I only have a barrel saddle that hurts my knees after 2 hours. Looking to purchase a good trail riding saddle. What about the Austrailian Stock? |
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Regular
Posts: 90
| This one should be fun. I have a cheap ranch saddle from American Saddlery that I ride in now. I like it. I did have a roundskirt Bighorn brand Cordura saddle that I wore completely out. One of my good friends got a Tucker with the padded stirrups because she had really bad knees and she loves it. It is the Cheyenne model or something like that. Looking forward to all the posts about different saddles. I'd like to get a new one that is lighter for my horse and for me. I miss the 17 lbs that my Bighorn weighed. |
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Member
Posts: 17
Location: Southwest Mississippi | EASY ANSWER: TUCKER
BEEN RIDING FOR 40 YEARS AND HAVE TRIED THEM ALL. |
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Veteran
Posts: 216
Location: Chillicothe, Ohio | My wife and I both trailride in tucker high plains. She has the padded stirrups and really likes them. Previously we rode in Circle Y, they were fine also except that they were stolen. We really like the Tuckers.
Dont forget to get a saddle that fits your horse..not just you.
The tucker comes in a wide tree that fits one of our small quarter horses better than the normal tree. Also because of the high seat you will find the tucker size runs larger than most western saddles. We also like the tuckers because they are light weight.
You will get hundreds of opinions on saddles. Just try to ensure you fit the saddle to the horse, then purchase the best you can afford. A saddle should last nearly a lifetime for the casual rider. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Nebraska | I've riden in the feedyards and on ranches for 25 years, 5 to 8 hours a day, in the dust, rain, snow, and cold. Both saddles have been from Colorado Saddlery. I perfer an A-fork for comfort. |
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Veteran
Posts: 141
Location: Helena, Ohio | I just bought a Bob Marshall Treeless saddle (endurance style) and I LOVE IT!! So does my horse. I have a 15 yr old paint gelding that is a new boy since this saddle. Riding in this saddle feels like I'm riding on a pillow. It is like riding bareback without the dirt & a place to put your feet! I would recommend this saddle to anyone that rides. I have bad knees and this saddle doesn't get me sore at all. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 954
Location: Hagerstown, MD | Wow! After reading the other posts, seems my wife and I are in good company! I ride a Circle Y and my wife rides an Abetta barrel. I love my Circle Y since I'm over 6' and over 200# with a big crossbred under me. The Circle Y does a great for me. My wife is the real life "Princess" and can tell if there is a pea under a 100 mattresses. Needless to say, we tried a ton of saddles before I made the decision to put her in an Abetta. Her little gelding is "short backed" and the barrel racer from Abetta fits both of them perfectly. I'm thinking about buying an Abetta for my horse for a bad weather saddle. Happy trails. |
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Member
Posts: 10
Location: Woodville, AL | On getting a saddle that fits your horse. I have a two year old that will continue to grow for 3 years so how do I address that. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Nebraska | With a factory tree you really don't have much of a choice. You can be right on target, or miss by a mile. On young horses the rides are shorter in time under the saddle to better condition them. I palapate the back, looking for sore spots, and dry areas after each ride. with time off if needed. If you buy a custom saddle for your horse, hope it is a money maker, as he grows, you could be stuck with alot of saddles. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 644
Location: Odenville, Alabama | I have a wide backed mutten whithered Arab that a Tucker will not fit. Tried both tree sizes. I just bought a Circle Y Shawnee with the flex lite tree. It fits my horse GREAT! And SO comfortable for me. I'm an old endurance rider, and I don't think I've ever had a saddle that fits and is as comfortable as this one. I'm real happy with it. That now puts my saddle count at 11. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1011
Location: Oregon | We have always trail rode in roping saddles. We usually had a young one that needed to be ponied (or dragged) on the trail and ropers were the best. Mine always made my knees sore. Last year I got a brand new BC barrel saddle. My friend thought I was crazy to go on a 5 hour trial ride without it being broke in. She thought for sure my ankles and knees would be sore. Nope...it is the most comfortable saddle I have ridden in. I thought it was just me with my sore knees and back after a ride, but it was my saddle. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 634
Location: Tipton, IN | I ride in a Circle Y cutter/reiner. It is comfortable enough, but it weighs a bit. You say the horse is only 2. Is he actually 2, or 18 months or 30 months? Should he even be ridden on rough trails yet, due to the issue of his knees if they haven't fully formed yet. Anyway, back to saddles and away from issues of when to start a horse, maybe a soft saddle would be in your best intrest until he finishes growing. |
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Member
Posts: 41
Location: n/a | I have the Abetta Deluxe Trail Saddle... It is a good inexpensive saddle. Not sure about others, but I love it... http://www.buyabetta.com/products/saddles/act/20551.htm |
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Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico | I have an aussie that I love for long rides but it is a bit heavy for me and only fits one of my horses. I also have an abetta barrel cut saddle but it kills my knees. Do the foot pads make much of a difference? A friend of mine recomended them but I haven't bought any yet. |
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Regular
Posts: 71
Location: Edmond OK | I have a Fabtron Tennessean that is light weight. I purchased the EZ Ride stirrups and that helps SOO much. It's like riding in a cloud. I also have the Abetta Redi-Stirrups too that keep your stirrups in the ready position - A must for when you have a synthetic leg pieces. You really have to get a saddle that fits your horse though. This saddle didn't fit my wide bodied Tennessee Walker, but does fit my narrower Missouri Fox Trotter. |
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Member
Posts: 41
Location: n/a | If your knees are hurting, I would suggest something like the E-Z knee stirrup corrector. That should take the pressure off your knees, and check the length of the stirrup to make sure it isn't to short. I have the thick rubber padded stirrups. I wasn't sure if I would like them at first, but I do. They are comfortable too. Hope this help some... |
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Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico | I was thinking of getting something similar to the E-Z knee stirrup corrector. I have tried adjusting the stirrups but it doesn't make much of a difference. I think I'm just out of riding shape. I haven't had much time to ride in the last few years since #2 showed up. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069
Location: MI. | Whatever saddle you decide on......get the padded stirrups! They help tremendously.............Some advice, be careful when your carrying your saddle because when those stirrups get to swingin', they don't feel too good against your knees! |
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Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico | Thats one of the reasons I like my aussie. You can take the stirrups off. |
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New User
Posts: 3
Location: Maine | If you have such a young horse still, I would recommend a Wintec saddle with the easy change gullet system. You can buy the Tucker after he has matured a bit. I ride in a Wintec endurance and I love it, so does my horse! They do have an Aussie version, but I'm not sure if you can get the changeable gullet with that one. |
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Location: KY | Just got a Circle Y endurance saddle, semi q horse bars, lovely padded seat and it fits my rather plump twh mare, but its too narrow for my twh gelding (he is a tank), but also still love my Thornhill Pathfinder. My other has a Big Horn endurance saddle (model 806) which he says is the best riding saddle he has ever been in. N2ridin, 11 saddles, makes me feel good altho I've lost count here....but aren't we good for the economy!!!!!! In the quest for the perfect saddle for a particular horse, there's nothing like a collection of saddlery. Happy Trails. |
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Member
Posts: 18
Location: Verona, KY | Rode with a Longhorn Billy Cook for 3 years, it was comfortable, but I couldn't balance in the stirrups with it. Rode a Genuine Billy Cook, Sulpher OK training saddle, and it fit and balanced well. I did a lot of saddle sitting and looking, found a slightly used Genuine Billy Cook Wade tree saddle, it fits real well. It is not a padded seat and is rough out, so it will take a bit of breaking in. I know a lot of cattlemen who spend hours upon hours sitting in the saddle, most of them ride hard seats. |
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Veteran
Posts: 274
Location: Memphis, TN | I ride a TexTan Flex Tree Trail Saddle, its light and fits my horse. My wife has a Circle Y Trail w/ full QH bars ( I think its called the Mother Hubbard) for her WIDE Blue Roan. Love 'em both |
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Veteran
Posts: 179
Location: Illinois | My husband and I have Tuckers. He had a Circly Y, He had back broblems and knees hurting. He got to the point he wouldn't get off because he wouldn't be able to get back on. Decided to try a Tucker and he hasn't had any problems, rides 5 hrs. or more without complaining.
Happy Safe Trials
Shari |
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Veteran
Posts: 179
Location: Illinois | My husband and I have Tuckers. He had a Circly Y, He had back problems and knees hurting. He got to the point he wouldn't get off because he wouldn't be able to get back on. Decided to try a Tucker and he hasn't had any problems, rides 5 hrs. or more without complaining.
Happy Safe Trials
Shari |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 644
Location: Odenville, Alabama | Circle Y Flex Lite is what I ride in now. Tuckers are nice, but I douldn't find one to fit my horse. Neither width tree worked. I also have a custom built endurance saddle that can't be beat. Desoto Saddlery. |
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Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah | I started out with a Crates ( standard western type) and it's a good saddle, but I feel my feet are a little forward in it. It's a little hard to stay centered in. I'm always just a little back in the seat. I had a custom saddle made by a retiring school teacher. It was a bargain at the time, now that he is a full time saddle maker his prices have skyrocketed. Plus a couple of his saddles made it to the Smithstonian. It's a great western roping type of saddle. Very comfortable for me. But 7-8 hour rides leave my Foxtrotter a little sore on the loins. I just bought a new gaited horse saddle. I got it off the internet and was pretty skeptical about ording it. (http://www.saddledealer.com) The price was reasonble. ($700) It was made in Larado TX if I remember right. I was worried about getting Mexican inferior leather, But it has herman oak leather and pretty nice tooling. They added some crupper rings and tie down rings for me. It has a synthetic fleece and a few small lumps along the cantle where they pulled the leather over the tree. A couple pack trips with panniers thrown over the saddle and an Elk or two this fall over the saddle and nobody will notice. It was about 6 weeks from order to delivery. It fits me VERY nice. I need a long ride on the horse to see how it fits him. My daughters use some Abetta Cordura saddle. They are inexpensive at $250, they are light enough for an 11 year old to lift up on a tall horse, and I'm not going to get upset if they spill pop or something on it.
Edited by Painted Horse 2005-07-14 12:32 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 524
Location: Lone Oak, Tx | I read one the threads that asked about a horse that keeps changing. The saddles that come to mind are a Synergist http://www.synergistsaddles.com/ which are really expensive but extremely comfortable and, what I ride in, a Marciante http://www.trailsaddles.net/ which are reasonable and also very comfortable. Both saddles can be sent back to the manufacturer and be "refit" to a horse. I've had one of my Marciante's refitted and I'm fixing to have my other done. They are very well balanced and very comfortable and they are all custom made. And I have to agree, get the padded stirrups.
Safe Riding,
Todd |
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Member
Posts: 10
Location: Woodville, AL | OK, I ran across a tucker on ebay and could'nt resist. I bought the Old West style and it is very nice, maybe a little heavy for me but I can manage. I had been looking at buying the Circle Y Flex lite because it was beautifully tooled and looked comfortable. But after sitting in it at the tack store, it was too small and with ordering and shipping charges, I lost interest. Along came the Tucker. So I just went on a 15 mile ride Sunday and was well pleased. NO SORE SPOTS! Definitely a trail riders dream. |
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