HORSE SADDLES - WESTERN

[Sandy S.]

OUR NEW MARES BODY STYLE IS MORE LIKE HER GREAT GREAT GRANDPARENTS, SHE IS BIG BUT BUILT LIKE A THOROUGHBRED, OF COURSE SHE HAS THAT IN HER BACKGROUND. SHE IS A REGISTERED PAINT. WE ARE TRYING TO FIND A SADDLE THAT WILL FIT HER RIGHT. SHE MEASURED ABOUT 4 1/8 ACROSS FOR THE GULLET AND 8" HIGH FOR THE GULLET. TRY FINDING A SADDLE LIKE THAT. AND OF COURSE TO FIT OUR BIG BUTTS WE NEED A 17". MOST QUARTER HORSE SADDLES ARE ABOUT 6" ACROSS FOR THE GULLET. WESTERN STYLE OF COURSE.

GOT ANY IDEAS.

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Your best bet might be a barrel racer style saddle with semi QH bars. Many of them are made with a smaller skirt for those short-backed appendix type QH, plus they are ususally pretty light weight as well. However there is nothing quite like having a custom made saddle done if you have a hard to fit horse and many aren't much more expensive than a quality brand factory saddle.

To save a lot of trial and error there are plenty of sites that can give you step by step measuring guides so you can make a template of your horses back to take with you when shopping.

 

[FoRebel]

I ended up getting a cordura saddle from I *think* State Line Tack to fit my TB when he was alive... It's really nice because it's lighter weight and it has a little bit of give to the tree if their backs are a little wider. My TB, who was a gelding, was built like a brick poop house and that saddle was the best fit because of the fact it gave a little bit to accommodate his big butt! :lol: I actually am using the same saddle on my 3 yo. Appendix gelding!

Here's the link I found for you... Abetta All-Around Cordura Saddle. It's $300 but IMO, well worth the money!

 

[RENMACMINIS]

You might want to try one of the saddles built for a gaited horse they have more room in that area. Tucker makes a super nice one. Also you might want to check out Chicks discount Saddles.. they have a website I will post it later when I find it. They have lots of nice brand name saddles for sometimes mega bucks cheaper than other places.. just thought I would add my 2 cents worth

 

[minimule]

I've got the same problem. I just purchased a 16hh Thoroughbred mule. She's narrow in the back but has decent withers. It's obvious the previous saddle didn't fit her properly so we're trying to find one that does. I've looked at Tucker's but HOLY COW! They are very proud of their saddles.

: :new_shocked: The one's here start about $1500 and go up from there. They do tend to fit mules because of their shape but I just don't see it.

I've also been looking at the Flex Saddles. They are leather and cordura but don't have a real tree in them. The way they are built makes it more comfortable for more body types. They come in all sizes too so a 17" isn't that hard to find. They run about $500-$500 here. The draw back is if you want an "authentic" looking saddle (all leather) they don't fit that part.

I have a couple of websites bookmarked on my laptop that I can post later. There is one good site about how to know if the saddle fits properly. VERY informative page. Another I have sells a pad that you heat up and place on the equines back. It then forms to the animal and they can make the tree to fit exactly. His saddles are all custom made and really affordable for what you're getting.

This is my new ride, Cleo.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I'll admit I know NOTHING about big (or riding) horses, so this may not help you at all. But just in case I'll pass it along.

I ride a Belgian that is pretty leggy and refined for a draft horse. I had a hard time finding a western saddle for her that also would fit my wide rear-end!

: She's somewhat narrow considering she's a draft horse and her wither is very "tall" (I'm sure that's not the right word!). I found her a great saddle from www.drafttack.com. It has a big ol' seat for my butt and it fits her tall skinny wither just fine.

Good luck!

 

[iluvwalkers]

[SIZE=14pt]I think someone mention gaited horse saddles. www.nationalbridle.com , they are great to work with and they don't charge much to ship, they also give you 2 weeks (i think ) to try it out and no "restocking fees". They even sent me a neww saddle to use while they made one with a smaller seat. They paid all the shipping...nice people

. Nikki[/SIZE]

 

[dangerranger]

TBs are some of my favorites. I had an old TB [27] that was a hard fit. he had with age narrowed at the shoulder to the point that he was only 4" or so at the gullet but was still a big boy every where else. for a while I used a corection pad on him [ tapered foam only at the gullit area.] till I found a saddle that fit him well. it was made in Mexico. they tell me that they have a lot of foundation TBs down there from the prohibition days [ no alchohol sent alot of people down south to race there horses ]. any way the saddle fit him like it was made for him. I only wish it was that comfortable for me. I think I paid $350 for it about 10 yrs ago and sold it for $250 a couple of years ago. I wouldnt try to rope off of a forien saddle but as a trail rig it worked great. good luck DR.

 

[Sandy S.]

Yep, we measured our girl and she is only about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 for the gullet. She is long bodied. We will just keep looking close by, don't like to order one because without looking at it, it might not fit.

 

[ctgponies]

Perhaps an Aussie saddle would work for you. Down Under in Colorado sells models with adjustable trees that can be fitted using a wither tracing. I had bought one a few years ago for my high withered QH and it fit him like a glove. Most Aussie seats are sized 2 inches bigger than Western saddles so a 17 inch Western seat would be a 19 inch Aussie.

The Abetta saddle previously mentioned with the semi QH tree would probably work as well. Another option is to try a built up pad that has extra padding in the wither area. It's not a perfect solution but may help with saddle fit. You may also want to look into an Arab tree as Arabs tend to have some of the same fit problems that TBs have.