Saddle review/advice

[dodib]

Does anyone recognize this type of saddle. I am sure its not a good brand but does it look like a cheapy--I am looking for a middle of the road saddle--cannot afford the big names but do not want a completely cheap saddle. Now that said. I happen to like Buffalo saddlery saddles--if its at least that good of a quality I would like it(well its for my daughter)

[reiningfan]

Looks like a cheapy to me. Look at the slot where the back billets go, that just screams cut rate. I just don't like the general look of it.

[David]

While I wouldn't recommend this saddle for any kind of hard riding, it maybe suitable for your daughter. How old is she and what kind of riding will she do? I agree with reiningfan that slit in the skirt for the back billet looks kinda bad. You may even want to consider a cheap english saddle for her. If she wants the security of something to grab if she's gonna fall you can always get one of those $10 "monkey straps" that go across the front of the english saddles. Plus you have the added benefit of it being small enough for her to saddle her own horse, and they are cheap on ebay and other places.

ETA: those stirrups are a dead give away for a cheap saddle, I have never seen that kind of stirrup on a good quality saddle.

[dodib]

My daughter is 14 --she shows english, western, reining. Local shows and 4H, also wants to jump this year.
She has an english saddle as well as 2 western saddles BUT her new pony is too fat(ok wide) to fit either of her western saddles comfortably. My saddle woudl fit the pony but the seat is too big for my daughter--also its probably to long for for the pony.
thanks for the advice/opinions

[Tobiesmom]

You're right Dodib... I think it is a cheapie. Another item to check is to look at the stitching in the seat area of the saddle.... see how the stitching wobbles around a bit? Sign of a poor saddle. The tooling looks like a cheap embossed job instead of deep tooling you'd see on a good saddle. I also like to see the 'rigging' of the saddle to be built into the skirt - especially for kids, because that bulky ring can get in the way of their leg. A good saddle can make a huge difference in the quality of the ride (for both child and horse).

What is your price range? I always recommend older Circle Y, Billy Cook, and Billy Royal. Try tacktrader.com. You have to keep a keen eye, but you can find used quality saddles for $350-$500. Local auctions are also a place to buy - but keep to the brand names to be safe.

[Soliae]

Cheapie.

If price is the major issue, you may want to choose a synthetic saddle made by a reputable company for everyday riding. You can get an excellent quality saddle for the price of a low end leather one, in most cases.

At the 4-H level I would expect them to be less concerned about silver on the saddle than properly fitting, safe gear and good riding.

[dodib]

I hate synthetic-- even the good quality ones--have had one and didnt' like it at all. And for showing she cannot use synthetic even at the 4H level in our area she would get laughed at
I do look at the local auctions and have bought some nice saddles BUT it seems they are always semi quarter which will not work for this pony-- also they never tell us when they are auctioning it if its fqb or semi etc
I will keep looking I know I can find a decent one with a reasonable price BUT she would also like it to be black--which I am having a hard time finding

[Tobiesmom]

Here's a few from Track Trader: http://www.tacktrader.com/show_item.php?tack_id=241278 and http://www.tacktrader.com/show_item.php?tack_id=231864 (I'm not as crazy about Silver Royal - but that's a good price on a nice Silver Royal) http://www.tacktrader.com/show_item.php?tack_id=239824 (Pricier - you'll see it's nearly identical to the Billy Royal in the first ad.... first ad is a real deal on a Billy Royal)!!! This is just food for thought. I'd recommend that you go for as much quality as you can afford. Good luck! (Your daughter sounds like a real rider - you'll have to post some pics!!!)

[CowhorseGal]

I am very anal about my tack and even though I think Buffalo saddles are not a good quality saddle this one is not as good as Buffalo Saddlery. Look for used and I bet you can find something that is in your price range.. I would not jeprodize the safety of my daughters by using "cheap" equipment

You will not be happy with this saddle the leather is cheap the silver is cheaper and the rigging could not possibly hold up to the rigors of a horse and a 14 year old girl..

I actually saw a girl break her arm in three places due to a cheap saddle comming a part (she had bought the saddle new and only owned it for about a month)..

[reiningfan]

Dodib, what price range are you looking at? There were a few used full quarter horse bar saddles I have found while I've been looking for a saddle for my 8 year old daughter. Good quality ones, but too big for my teeny tiny girl's behind.

[lopintoo]

This one is made out of cheap "cardboard" type leather. If you go to the sales, take a small measuring tape with you so you can check the width before you buy. If she has a couple other saddles that don't fit her pony how about selling (or trading) them to get a good quality one that fits?

[Slim Pikkens]

Something else to watch for is stitching on the skirts that is not recessed into
a stitching groove. This is to prevent friction (fenders) from wearing and breaking the threads.