And those semi-Quarter Horse bars that fit the horse you owned back then might be too tight on the wide-withered horse you have now. That 15-inch seat that fit you fine 15 years ago could be too small today. As a nation, we’ve grown a little broader in the beam over the last couple of decades-and our horses have become bigger and broader, too. If you recently got a new horse and want to use your old show saddle or your beloved family saddle that has been passed down to you, check it over first to be sure it’s not going to be a pain in the back to your horse. And if horses could talk, they’d say, “It’s about time.” As the trend toward more natural ways of handling horses has taken hold, the comfort of the horse is now being taken into consideration. Today, as much attention is being paid to how the saddle fits the horse as to how it fits the rider. Sons and daughters proudly ride the saddles their fathers rode, not paying much mind to whether that heirloom is comfortable for the horse it’s being used on today.
Often a well-made western saddle is kept for years-even handed down in families-to be used on all of the horses the family ever owns. Although you don’t need to bow to every passing show-ring fad, silver is still a valued accessory in a show saddle.įew people would intentionally put a horse through such misery.Consider getting a higher fork and cantle for more security on the trail.For horses that could benefit from added range of movement, a saddle with a flexible tree or a treeless saddle might be an option.If you’re looking for a lighter-weight saddle, think about synthetics instead of traditional leather.With any saddle, old or new, spend the time to make sure it fits your horse properly.Without words, the horse that fidgets as the saddle is set on his back, pins his ears, or even reaches around to nip at the person pulling up on the cinch leather, may be desperately trying to say, “That saddle hurts me!” Sadly, some riders never recognize those words, and the poor horse might get whacked in the belly for his “bad behavior.” Western Innovations For some unfortunate animals, the saddles being ratcheted down on their backs means facing hours of pain and discomfort on the trail or in the arena due to bars that pinch, forks that grind down onto withers, and rigging that digs into elbows. Just like every pair of boots doesn’t fit every rider, every saddle doesn’t fit every horse. No thought was given to how it fit the horse. If the saddle was comfortable and fit the rider, it was just fine. He tossed it up onto any horse that came his way-tall or small, razor-backed or mutton-withered. In days gone by, a cowboy toted his saddle with him everywhere.
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