Gaited horse people

[Chaos Ranch]

I'm heading down south to pick up my two Peruvian Paso horses tomorrow and I have been looking through the tack magaizines at saddles and such. I noticed that some saddles sell as "Gaited" saddles. Is there some big difference in a normal barrel saddle and a gaited horse saddle?

I ride my horses with a barrel saddle because it's very light weight and it fits them pretty good. I have been looking at a cordura saddle with breast collar and matching bridle for 150. I really like how light weight the saddle is... I have not had a chance to ride a cordura saddle but it's got smaller rounded skirts for the shorter backed horses.

I'm pretty excited about getting the two Peruvians. I have been saving up money for awhile now and I'm getting a nice bred mare that's broke to ride and a palomino that's 6 years old and ready to break this spring. I'll take pictures of them when they get here. OH...we're also buying a couple of regular cows at the local auction and keeping them a few months and then sell them to raise the money to buy a British White cow.... our plans have now been set to raise British White cattle and Peruvian Paso horses.

 

[iluvwalkers]

[SIZE=12pt]The tree is different and normally the are cut different to allow the horse to move "gait" properly.[/SIZE]

 

[Shari]

I have found.. personally.. there is not much difference between treed saddles...gaited or normal. Some will have the front points on the tree rolled away so it is less likely too interfear with the gaited horses movement.

I found Tucker saddles to work very well with gaited horses.

Google...saddle fit, there are a number of very nice sites that can help you fit a saddle to your horse. Would also recommend renting a "Port Lewis Impression pad" when trying saddles. This will help you figure out what really fits and what doesn't.

After a year of Demo-ing or buying 35+ saddles, trying to find a saddle both Dyfra and I liked. I ended up with a, Hybrid Sensation. Treeless will not work for every horse but it has worked for us.

 

[AngieA]

I had a Peruvian Paso for many years...he was the most wonderful horse I have ever owned. He was hot but sane, I still miss him today, and would own another if I could still ride.

I rode him with a traditional Peruvian saddle...You need to ride with a crouper as the gait will cause the saddle to move forward....they are not wide barreled so it is not easy to find a good fit. all of the motion comes from their shoulders as they wing out when in gait so the saddle needs to sit back some. I used to love it when I rode him and people would comment he needed his feet checked as they thought he had a stone in his hoof and was trying to shake it out...lol He had been shown so he never broke gait...most awesome ride I have ever had. Good luck with them.....they are wonderful animals. Also try as many saddles as you can ,as fit is very important.....I did try an English saddle at one time...OH what a mistake...I got in the seat and he started spinning....I believe it was because the saddle was to far forwarward which caused him to get pinched when he went into gait? Don't know for sure...but after spinning for 5 minutes..I got off and put His saddle back on..

..Also see what the owners are riding them with, they should be able to help you....

 

[Celtic Hill Farm]

Gaited horses have diffrent desgine in there tree to allow more movent so they can acutally do their "gait" but if you are just hacking and don't plan on showing i would think a regular saddle would do just fine. but i'm no expert.

 

[JourneysEnd]

The round-skirted cordura will work fine.

The cut back saddles are mainly for show. We show western in a regular saddle.

I've never found I needed a crupper with Pasos or TWH. May depend on where you're riding.

I'm in a flat area.

 

[Kellie in OR]

The "Gaited Horse" saddle trees generally have more flair at the shoulders, more gullet height, and/or more rock and/or less twist to the bars. Then when they are built the rigging is usually set back a little further.

But not all gaited horses require a gaited saddle, some do just fine in a SQH or FQH trees. Many others do NOT do well in traditional stock horse trees, the angles are wrong and pinch the shoulders, or the bars are too flat and they bridge causing four pressure points. I have also fit stock breeds into saddles built on Gaited trees. You just don't know. I fit the individuals back for its needs, not the breed of animal they are. NOT ALL HORSES OF ONE BREED HAVE BACKS ALL THE SAME.

The easiest way for me to get proper fit is by using the Steele Saddle tree Fit forms. It takes a little longer and cost more initially. But in the long run it is cheaper than buying saddle after saddle and waiting for the white hairs or uncomfortable misbehaving of a horse in pain.

Kellie Rahm

PNW Allegany Mountain Trail Saddle Distributor: Western~Endurance~Trail. Handmade using Old World Amish Craftsmanship on Steele Equi-fit Trees and the Fit To Be Seen System.

www.trailridingsaddles.com