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saddles for a TWH

8K views 30 replies 13 participants last post by  AnrewPL 
#1 ·
i have a few saddle questions. and would like to get opinions of those that have/had experinces with different types, styles etc of saddles for a walker.

im going to be looking at new saddles in the future. and im staying with a gaited horse, come what may, and so comfort for myself the horse and then one that is good for the gait:

1. if money was no object (just for conversation value of course), what type, brand, style saddle would you purchase? all opinions welcome. even if is just dreaming for this particular question.
 
#2 ·
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Some people make make one size in a Gaited Saddle, some make two and some make three.

A good brand is one that fits the Horse and You, prices can run 1k to 3k, depends on is it an off-the shelf, custom, how much bling, tooling, silver, upgrades of fleece, leather, etc.


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#3 ·
I have spoke with TONS of TWH peeps around me because i am doing the same thing.I have held off on getting a good saddle because i wasnt sure what i wanted to do with my horse yet but now that i know EVERYONE has said Tucker is the way to go.A new one is about $1200 or more. I have been checking craigs list and have found some for about $800 and i think i will go that rought seeing is i am not concerned about it being brand new and anyone that spends over $1000 on a saddle more then likely is taking care of it. But i have talked to many people about many saddles and thats the name that keeps coming round and round so thats what i am going with
 
#4 ·
well dont get a Circle Y endurance gaited. The bottom may be perfect for the horse but seat is designed for posting and sitting straight up. Not something you do on a walker. Was actually painful to sit in the seat was so narrow. DIxie lands were well regarded for awhile but there quality has fallen and the customer service is beyond horrendous. All nice and friendly till they get your money then Dr Jeckle time.
 
#5 ·
I have a Simco Endurance. It is comfortable.. I just feel naked without a horn. So it is listed in the Tack Classifieds.

I have a Older Dixieland that I bought has never been on a horse before I got it. It is a nice saddle. 16" wish it was a 17" but so far so good. It is one of the earlier versions and the quality is excellent.

Was told today that Tuckers are great. I am good with the Dixieland but would like to try several and see how it compares.
 
#9 ·
My wife and I both ride Stubbens (I've got a Scout and my wife has a Siegfried VSD DL; seen here Stübben North America - All Purpose Saddles). They are VERY well designed, engineered, and made. They are not cheap, but then neither is the value of my horse's back. :)

Good, used ones are around. I can't recommend them enough.

Would they work for a Walker? They should do just fine assuming the horse has no physical/conformational issues.

Remember that you want a saddle to work best in the job you have in mind for the horse. So that what looks just peachy at rest may be a horrid failure as soon as the horse begins to move. That's why you need a "test ride." Steele Saddles has the best program going in this regard.

G.
 
#11 ·
I have a National Bridle Company Tennessean Supreme that fits my SSH/TWH to a tee....This is a mid 1990's saddle made by Crate in Chattanooga.

Some time ago Crate fell out of favor with National Bridle and the new ones are made some where in Texas I've been told, but Crate still makes a similar designed saddle.
 
#17 ·
I only got that horse out of a walk a few times, mainly just putzed down the trail, never had any rubs, but not any clearance either.
I am interested in this saddle
Flex-Lite Gaited Saddle or endurance one like it. I had a circle y high horse gaited endurance. Fit my horse perfectly but hurt me to ride in so I returned it, Basically felt like the seat was too narrow and I was riding a fence rail. I have a suspician this National saddle is the exact same one made in same factory. But maybe not. I like the Abetta seats they sema to be a bit wider and more comfortable for me, Buttt the abetta I have is a QH tree and doesnt fit my horse.
 
#19 ·
my riding buddy, uses a wilburn, or wilbourn, not sure what the proper name of it is. i cant really find much info on it either. but he says its about 150 yrs old. hes owned it 50 himself he says. anyhow, the gullet on that old saddle sits right on top of the withers just like that simco looks to be doing. but thats all he rides and has ridden for decades now.
 
#20 ·
Joe I have the leather/cordura gaited endurance from Nat. Bridle. Looks like a Big Horn but definitely not as it has a fiberglass tree which appears to be reinforced with the webbing and glassed, which Big Horn doesn't use. They use either wood encased in fiberglass or Ralide. The bugs have been so bad I haven't got it on my wide, low withered horse yet. I'll bet your Simco has a Ralide tree. If money was no object I'd buy the tools and custom build my own tree then build the rest of the saddle.
 
#21 ·
thanks for the reply saddle bag. thats what i was looking for....a "if money was no object" scenario.

im riding an aussie endurance saddle right now, but one day i want to switch over to something else. thats why im wanting to know what the best of the best is in other folks minds that have alot more experience than i have. it gives me something to think about.
 
#22 ·
Get a tucker gel seat in the style you like and dont look back.
Which model of Aussi endurance do you have and what do you think of it ?

The Big horn clone may be a one of there's that they just use a cheaper tree for NBS, sorta the way walmart makes special deals with manufacturers to cut corners to lower prices. (another reason I wont shop there) As far as the National Bridle, I was looking at the Flex lite gaited, with horn. I just noticed it has different tree. This one has a ralide tree. The gaited endurance doesnt come in 17". They do have a no restocking fee return policy, may just order the thing and find out , can him and haw and guess forever, but wont really know till I sit on it on a horse. I would just like to know who makes it and cut out the middle man. If it is the circly Y then I know it wont work as they use a narrow painful for me twist. Several of the saddles at national saddle shop mention narrow twist, this one doesnt so maybe it is ok. I have an abetta that in need to ride in this weekend, it doesnt fit my horse but I can ride in it enough to see if I like the seat. I do like the cordura, or the leather/cordura combo.
 
#27 ·
Every gaited horse I've owned has been on the stocky side...because I am, and I refuse to ride a slab sided horse whose rear is more narrow than mine.

SO..I have a wide treed Eli Miller Endurance saddle that I've used for years and it's been wonderful. This is one of the ones that Eli made...not the newer ones made by his cousin/nephew/whatever??/ It is incredibly comfortable for me...and the horse. My old SSH was having some issues moving out and when I went to this saddle, it was just like getting a new horse! He loved it. I love it. I especially like the crossfire rigging and no saddle horn. It's not like I'm going to be roping any cattle!

I'm really hoping that my next horse will fit the saddle. That may be weird, but I LOVE this saddle.
 
#28 ·
yes i too am not partial to a saddle horn. i dont need it, and dont even care for the look of a western saddle. in my opinion the plantation style is a beautiful saddle. some endurance types look good too.

ive ridden a buena vista some, and that was pure pleasure to ride. not much there to help keep you in the saddle. and im a new rider. thats why i use an aussie on my mare i have now. she tends to spook at things. but that buena vista was a pleasure to ride on a bomb proof mare i was using.
 
#31 ·
I learned to ride in a stock saddle, specifically a Syd Hill Barcoo Poley, and I would never recommend anyone ever inflict one on their horse or their own backside. Going from there, there are many other types of off the shelf stock saddles, some better than others, but they all tend to position the rider appropriate to the old Australian riding position. This tends to be sitting back a bit with your feet out to the front a bit with your thighs under the kneepads. So if you tend to sit straighter in the saddle the more traditional Australian saddles would probably not be so comfortable. The first saddle I bought was custom made for me by a friend of mine who is an exceptional saddler (taught me most of what I know about horses and riding too actually), and it is what is called in Australia a “half breed” saddle. It is essentially a stock saddle built on a tree that is more like a western saddle, has a hard seat, fenders instead of saddle flaps, and skits like a western saddle but pommel and kneepads like an Australian saddle. If you go to my page and have a look at the second page of my photos, you will see one of my horses with this saddle on it. When I got it (about 19/20 years ago) these saddles were kind of new fangled, but they are probably the most popular saddles in Australia these days. A year or two after that I had my friend build me a custom Wade saddle (also among my photos if you want t look at it) and it is the most comfortable thing I have ever sat in, has never hurt a horses back and you could probably do a day’s work in it without the cinch on it, it sits so well on a horses back. Frankly, in my honest opinion, nothing compares to a wade saddle. Back when I got it I got some pretty funny looks riding in it, and some pretty rude comments too, but they have caught on in Australia now and are becoming very popular these days, particularly among ringers (cowboys). The other saddle I have is a Charro saddle I built for myself on a wade tree that I use for training younger horses. My other two saddles tended to be a bit too big so I wanted something for the little ones, unfortunately the tree maker made the tree a bit too narrow so I want to sell it and build another one. So basically the half-breed saddle is probably the most popular these days, with things like Wade saddles creeping up in popularity.
 
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