Western Saddle Types
Title: Western Saddle Types
Author: TJ Stanton
Article:
Whether you are a Western rider yourself or you are simply
interested in the variety of riding out there, you’ll find that
there is a Western saddle designed for any riding activity or
discipline. Take a look at some of the varieties of Western
saddles out there, and remember that there are plenty more that
can be found as well!
A trail or pleasure saddle is a Western saddle that is a saddle
design mainly for comfort during long rides. It’s lighter than a
working saddle, and there are many different variations on it.
It tends to have a higher fork and a thinner horn, and it often
features a padded seat.
Barrel racing saddles are built for speed, and they are often
even lighter than pleasure saddles. They are meant to anchor the
rider to their horse through all sorts of twists and turns, and
you’ll often see them at sports events. They tend to feature a
tall thin horn, and a deep seat for additional stability
Show saddles are meant to be seen, and it shows. These saddles
are highly decorative and can be considered quite trendy as they
can fall in and out of fashion very quickly. You’ll find that
they tend to have lots of silver trim, intricate leather tooling
and deeper skirts to show off the stylings.
As the name suggests, a roping saddle is meant to help rope and
dally a cow. These saddles tend to be extremely sturdy and to
have a wooden saddle tree with a low and rounded fork. You’ll
find that there is often a full double rigging for stability and
a tall thick saddle horn.
A reining saddle, with its low seat, free swinging fenders and
thinner stirrup leathers are designed to show off the horse’s
conformation and precision. When looking at a reining saddle,
you’ll also find that there is no flank cinch, and the rigging
is dropped in order to reduce the bulk that occurs under the
rider’s legs.
When a horse and rider are involved in cutting, where a stock
animal will be separated from the herd, you’ll see a cutting
saddle with high and wide swells to keep the rider seated, a
tall thin horn, which makes for a good gri,p and forward hung
fenders that will help the rider stay balanced.
The endurance saddle, which is meant to see horse and rider
through 50 to 100 miles at a stretch, is typically made ligh,t
but sturdy, with a padded seat, deep stirrups and no horn. This
is a saddle that is designed for durability and comfort, and is
made to be fairly small and light.
Ranch saddles are also known as “all around” saddles, and these
saddles are meant to about as multi-purpose as you can get. They
are heavier saddles that are suited to both full work days and
long rides, and they are meant to keep you and the horse
comfortable for long stretches of time. They tend to have a deep
seat, a thick saddle horn, and are usually double rigged.
About the author:
TJ Stanton is a life-long cowboy and editor of
www.TheWesternSaddleShop.com, a source for new western saddles
of every type.
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