i want to buy a western saddle

[midgey]

I would like to but a western saddle for my horse . I don't want to spend alot of money yet as I want to see how he takes to it. I have seen alot for sale on the internet but wondered if any one had any experience of low priced western saddles. Also I have not been able to find out about widths . I have a wide cob who takes an extra wide English style saddle but have n't been able to find out about widths of Western Saddles . I think I would need a 16 possibly 17 inch saddle ,but do they come in different width fittings? I have been told that they are more flexible in their fitting . I am a bit puzzeled. I have had some western lessons a couple of years ago . Can any one give me some advice please.

[misty]

If sixfootblonde is about she is the best to advise as she is a western fitter. Like English saddles the cheap ones are normally rubbish. They also need fitting properly. They are measured in qh bars for the horse and seat size for the rider basically but then you have to find the right fit. It took a long time to find a saddle for our Arab and it cost quite a bit. Robinsons used to do some decent synthetic western saddles I think by Bighorn, if you see one you might like make sure you find out the maker, all decent saddles will have the makers name on. Where abouts are you? If you do get a western saddle you will love it. lol

[specialized]

You will get what you pay for, cheap western saddles are a risk and you will not know if it fits until you get it so you may end up going through a number before finding one that works. It is no good relying on descriptions like full qh bars etc as the length of bars and the curve in the bars are both very specific to the horse and British cobs are very different in shape to the average Quarter Horse, and one manufacturers qh bars will not be the same as another's. The fitting of western saddles is much less flexible than english saddles - many western riders use their favourite saddle on every horse they ride, but the 'fitting' involved is a case of putting a thick pad underneath, the saddle rarely truly fits the horse.
That is not to say that there are no western saddles that suit your horse, there are flexible trees available that make fitting easier, and there are saddles like our own that can be tailor-fitted to the horse and re-fitted simply as the horse changes shape or if you want to use it on another horse.
Price-wise, everything is relative - you can spend a lot of money on wrong saddles or a reasonable amount of money on the 'right' saddle.

[Dragonmaster]

Have PMd you.

[jen1]

Someone I know has a bob marshal for sale at a reasonable rate , they may well be able let you try it, lady is also a specialst in fit and back etc

[marsay]

Western treed saddles can be tricky to fit, especially on a cob, no such thing as a cheap good fitting western, have you thought about treeless, My friends and I all ride in a barefoot Arizona or Cheyenne they are very good, last for ages and reasonably priced, you will see one or two on eBay but not many as once you have one you never give it up. I really rate it but if you are a very classic rider who likes that sharp English saddle then this isn't for you, like western saddles they are more comfortable you sit deeper and armchair like but they do not have knee rolls. I have one friend who I would say was top end dressage type person and she hates it. But western riding is softer and more relaxed so if you don't ride western and like that floppy feel the barefoot might not be for you. If you want more info PM me I can talk all day on treeless and Barefoot.

[holi]

In used sixfootblonde for mine - you do have to be careful. I went to a clinic recently where a cahp woh was under the illusion that one fitted all was being told he had wasted his money. Its just as important to get a really good fit and even with treeless you have to be careful as they all have a horn which does have a restrictive shape.

[marsay]

Didn't mean to intimate that treeless is a fit all they do need fitted correctly but they are a little more forgiving. They just seem to fit those wider horses better, couldn't afford the western that fitted my highland, it started at £1200.