Many people enjoy riding their horses bareback, but most also own a Saddle for rides where they need more control or comfort. And everyone who owns a saddle, at some point had to shop for that saddle. Picking equestrian saddles is not the easiest task in the world, and there are a few things to think about beforehand.
There are two basic disciplines of horseback riding, Western and English. Western riders use bigger saddles that were invented for the comfort of cowboys spending entire days at a time on horseback. Events like roping or barrel racing are usually done in Western tack. English saddles are smaller, and are the type used in events like jumping or dressage.
A rider needs to consider what they will use the saddle for. If they plan to compete in a specialized discipline, the choice of type is easy. But if you aren't intending to compete in dressage or roping, the saddle you pick will need to meet your other needs.
For novice riders and those who plan to ride multiple different ways, a general purpose saddle can be a good choice. The English versus Western choice must still be made, though, as each discipline has its own type of all-purpose saddle. Western saddles are often picked by people who spend a lot of time trail-riding, while English saddles have the advantage of giving you more choices -- it's easy enough to trail ride in English tack, but it's hard to jump in Western tack.
Fitting the saddle correctly is very important. A poorly fitted saddle can cause long-lasting damage to your horse, so be careful to get the right one. Saddles are made with hard wooden frames which must be considered when matching saddle to horse. Horses backs are different widths, and the prominence of their withers is individual, too. The saddle must fit properly for your horse's unique measurements.
The saddle also has a length, which is generally more important where rider comfort is concerned, because the length only varies by a few inches. Larger people might need longer saddles in order to feel stable. But since a saddle is curved, smaller people may feel that larger saddles don't fit them well. Your choice of saddle should represent a model that fits both you and the horse.
Traditionally, saddles were made out of leather, and many still are. Synthetic ones are available now, for people who prefer them. Synthetic materials make the saddles lighter and are easy to dye in a variety of hues, but leather is typically more long-lasting. If you choose cheap leather, however, you might wind up paying more for a saddle that doesn't last any longer than synthetic would, so make sure any leather saddles you buy are high quality.
Besides what you paid for your horse, the amount you will pay for your saddle is likely the most expensive part of becoming a rider. To help ease the financial burden, well-maintained used saddles might be considered. Equestrian saddles might be a mystery at first, but take a little time to understand the important points, and you will find it easy enough to pick out the right saddle for your needs.
If you love riding those horses, then surely you know how important equestrian saddles really are. Horse saddles are our specialty and we have some that we would love to show you.
