From: Teresa
Jessica,
I'm sure you get tons of mail, so I copied this so you'd know what I'm talking about! Now, bear in mind, my idea here was to buy a saddle at the Horse Expo. I wanted something to take with me to ensure a good fit. Maybe this is crazy, but I really can't afford to have a saddle made. I want a good western saddle, and was thinking of a Cordora (synthetic western). I have seen some by Western Rawhide that I like too. I have heard a lot of bad things about Circle Y lately so I'm not too interest in them. My horse has very little withers, and is wide backed (a Bashkir Curly). Any suggestions on a good saddle, and how to buy one "off the shelf"?
Thanks tons!
Teresa
Hi Teresa! You're not alone with this particular problem. Many horses -- Arabians, Andalusians, Pasos, and some Quarter Horses -- share this tendency to low withers (or NO withers!) and wide backs. It's difficult to find a saddle with a tree that will fit such horses comfortably -- but it isn't impossible.
If you're going somewhere to look at saddles, here are some suggestions. Since you didn't mention that you were looking for any particular sort of saddle -- roping, cutting, showing, trails, endurance -- I'm just going to suggest saddles that are likely to be comfortable for this particular conformation. But I do want to mention some of the features of different types of Western saddles.
I'm assuming that you have a good idea of what sort of seat, rigging, and stirrups YOU find comfortable, so I'll just remind you that if you want a flat seat that allows you to move around more, you should look at cutting and reining saddles. If you prefer a deeper seat that lets you "lock in" to a particular position, look at saddles designed for equitation. These have a steeper rise from cantle to fork. If you want security, comfort, and a certain amount of freedom, look at saddles designed for endurance or competitive trail riding.
The bars are the frame of the saddle, and the type of bars will vary according to the sort of horse the saddle is designed to fit. When a saddlemaker talks about the "bars", he is actually talking about two things: the distance between the bars (this defines the width of the saddle gullet) and the "spread" from the outside edge of one bar to the outside edge of the other. Bars also come in different lengths, according to the type of saddle and the sort of horse for which it is intended. There are several standard types of bars, and an increasing number of custom variations for specific types of horses. But look closely at the fit of each saddle you try, for two reasons. One reason is that trees and bars VARY -- each tree manufacturer makes the trees a little differently. The other reason is that every saddle manufacturer makes saddles a little differently, and four different saddlemakers who build their saddles on identical trees will produce four saddles that fit the horse a little differently. TRY before you buy!
Your horse -- wide body, no withers -- would get the best fit from the widest, flattest bars. Look saddles with "Arabian bars" or "full Quarter Horse bars". These have the widest distance between them and the flattest angle, and are most likely to fit your horse. If your Curly, like some Arabians, has an especially short back, look for a saddle with a SHORT version of those bars. Most bars extend beyond the cantle -- if your horse has a very short back, look for bars that extend as little as possible, maybe one or one and a half inches instead of the conventional three inches.
Too-long bars aren't the only parts of the saddle that can interfere with your horse's comfort. Saddle skirts matter more than you might think! Short-backed horses are often miserably uncomfortable in saddles with large, square skirts. Many show saddles are being made with longer and longer skirts, the better to show off beautiful tooling and shiny silver. These can look wonderful on a saddle stand, but they can interfere badly with the movement and comfort of the horse. Shorter skirts and rounded skirts -- barrel saddle style -- are much more comfortable for horses with shorter backs. A too-long skirt will go too far back on a short-backed horse, touching the croup and interfering with the hip. This discourages the horse from using his loin and back, and causes him to take short steps in self-defense.
As for specific brands of saddles, there are far too many to list! I've seen some outstandingly good saddles from Double J Saddlery, and this particular saddlery even offers adjustable stirrup leathers -- not just length, but position (forward and backward). But there are many, many other good manufacturers of high-quality saddles. My suggestion would be that you visit area barns, find riders who are doing what you like to do, and talk to them about their saddles. This should give you a starting point, and if you can actually sit in some of these saddles or try them on your horse, you'll begin to get a feel for types and styles that suit you. Most riders have been through this several times, have learned good lessons along the way, and are very generous about sharing their experiences and information.
I will mention one specific saddle: Ortho-Flex has a new barrel saddle called the Cyclone. Even though it's officially a barrel saddle, it seems to be a good alternative to some of the conventional trail and endurance saddles, especially for horses with wide bodies and no withers.
Take your time and choose carefully -- ANY good saddle is going to represent a considerable investment. You shouldn't have to buy a custom saddle to get a good fit for your horse and yourself, but you may need to invest some extra time in the selection process. It's worth it. Good luck!
Jessica
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