Well, your search for a barrel saddle is going to depend on your horse. The number one most important factor is that the saddle fits your horse.
The number two important factor is that it fits the rider. ;-)
What type of build is your horse? Can you post pictures?
Double J is a very good saddle brand and they do have a variety of saddle trees available, depending on your horse's build.
My two horses, surprisingly, are built similar. They are both very beefy quarter horses, and don't have much for withers (but they aren't mutton withered). They both fit well in the Circle Y Flex2 WIDE tree (I have the lisa lockhart saddles).
A Crates Freedom saddle (Meleta Brown) fit well as well, but I myself could not get used to the flatter style seat.
Martin Crown C didn't fit.
Billy cook didn't fit
The "normal" Circle Y full QB bars didn't fit.
Triple Creek didn't fit.
Double J .... shoot can't remember which tree I tried .... didn't fit.
And there were quite a few others I tried that didn't fit.
Saddle shopping is hard! Best thing I can recommend is going to a local tack shop in your area if one is available, and try whatever you can on your horse. Or at a barrel race, don't be shy and ask people if you can try their saddle on your horse. It's just trial and error and there's no standard in the industry.
Thank you for the response It's hard to try different saddles when you ride in answers 15.5" most are 14" to 14." I feel I have tried a lot and just haven't found anything to write home about for me. Just was looking for brands I may be over looking! There aren't any tack stores that carry too many barrel saddles near me and I don't go to barrel races (good suggestion though )
I really like Double J just the trees are a pain. The pro for double J standard tree was tight thru her shoulders. Though out of the 3 I tried that night that was the one she reacted the least too.
Double J is a mystery for trees since I have talked to a few different dealers and I get different answers to my questions from each.
Here is a list I have tried.
Haven't been a fan of circle y with their newer saddles but haven't tried a Lisa Lockhart yet! Not sure on the whole flex tree standpoint.
I like Martin but the one I tried put me too far forward, I think it was the older style Crown C.
Haven't tried a Billy Cook in a while, I had owned two older ones and sold them both due to not fitting my horse.
I tried a Marlene McRae and it felt like I was sitting on a melon.
I really like Double J just the trees are a pain. The pro for double J standard tree was tight thru her shoulders. Though out of the 3 I tried that night that was the one she reacted the least too.
Double J is a mystery for trees since I have talked to a few different dealers and I get different answers to my questions from each.
I would contact Double J directly (rather than a dealer). I'm sure they would be able to send you bare trees to try on your horse and help with the fitting process.
I've never tried one personally, but I know people who get fit with Caldwell. It's a looooong wait to have a custom saddle made, but boy they have some nice saddles.
I've really liked it. Honestly can't tell its a flex tree. And myself personally, I'd call it more of a "hybrid" tree because it's not the whole tree that an flex.
Maybe give a new style corriente a shot? I've heard lots of good stuff about them!
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