kitten_Val said:
BTW, I posted the question because the guy in local tack store told me it's IMPOSSIBLE to fit high withers horse with western...
I think they guy who told you that is mistaken.
In my experience, I've found that there's two kinds of Western saddles.......
There's some that are made for selling.
There's some that are made for using.
Maybe your guy don't know the difference ?
To my way of thinking, when you find the right saddle-dealer you'll know it imeadiately because the guy will be just as concerned about your horse as he is about you. Maybe moreso.
I've also learned to be very cautious about buying pretty saddles out of a catalog. :wink: .
Having said that......
The best saddle that I've ever owned is an old 'Ranch King' which was made by the Tanner Leather Co., of Dallas Texas, some 50+ years ago.
That particular model is made from buffalo hide, has solid-brass D-rings, real sheep padding and a rawhide-reinforced oak tree that is made for high withers. I got it second-hand from a friend who's father owned it since new and I used it for 12 years on a TB which had withers about-like the photo which Appyt posted. Since that time, it's been used on ther horses which were built simular...and without a single problem.
One of the drawbacks these old-type saddles have is that they are quite heavy by modern standards and are often difficult for a youngster(or weaker adult) to handle. The horses that I used it on liked it a lot. I like it a lot. My 95-pound wife hates it. :lol: .
What I'm trying to say here is.......
Don't neglect looking over the used saddle rack while shopping around. There's a lot of good used saddles that gets traded-in, simply because they are no longer trendy.
You might find just the right thing and save some money to boot.
Good luck in your search.
DGW