Be Sure About the Horse Saddle You Want

There will be no talk about the love of horses here, but the appreciation of their very important saddles. If you just got a horse for the sake of riding it or you’re thinking of changing your saddle, then this article might help you make an informed decision. 

Firstly, you need to understand that there are various types of horse saddles out there. Each of them has been designed for specific purposes. Some are good for pleasure riding, while others offer advantages for sports, longer journeys, and so on. What will be left is for you to know the one that suits your needs. 

About Horse Saddles 

A horse saddle is a seat-like structure that is fastened to a horse’s back by a girth in order to support the rider or load being conveyed. It’s known as the most common type of animal saddles. Other less common ones are for camels, oxen, donkeys, and so on. This specialized seat is used for protection, support, padding, comfort, and balance. 

Blankets attached by a kind of girth or surcingle were considered to be the earliest forms of saddles. The designs became more and more advanced after that. The parts of this product may include the objects listed below: 

• Tree 
• Seat Pommel (Pomnel)/Swells 
• Cantle 
• Stirrup 
• Leathers and Flaps or Fenders 
• D-ring 
• Girth or Cinch 
• Panels, Lining, or Padding 
• Surcingle 
• Monkey 
• Grip 
• Horn 
• Knee Rolls 
• Thigh Rolls

In modern times, there are two common types of equestrian seats used for riding in the Western world. They are the “stock” and English saddle. For the stock types, the most popular are the American western saddles. The Australian stock types are second on the list. 

English Saddles

This type is used all over the world, not only in England. They are the official products used in the Olympics. The major feature that most people use to identify this product is its flatter appearance. To people who don’t know much about saddles, all products of similar design look the same. 

English types include various styles that are used for polo, eventing/horse trials, horse racing, show jumping, dressage, hunt seat, saddle seat, and so on. The “tree” is one of the parts that buyers use to check for the quality of a product. Nowadays, manufacturers are utilizing other materials other than wood for the tree. 

Stock Saddles 

The western types under this category are made for use in various western riding activities. They are the ones that you see at rodeos, tourist trail rides, or in movies about cowboys. These types of seats have no padding of their own, therefore, they are used with pads or saddle blankets in order to fit the horse. 

Various Purposes

• Horse-riding is considered a fun activity and can be a good stress reliever. Saddles used for pleasure rides are made with soft, padded seats for the sake of comfort. 

• Products for show jumping are lightweight in order for the horses to jump more easily. The seats are also soft and padded. It would help the horse if the seats have padded panels for the sake of comfort. 

• A horse barrel racing saddle may have reinforcement for the stirrups to make the seats extra safe while riding. It should be lightweight so that the horse can have more freedom during competitions or while running. 

• For long journeys, it is advisable to go for products that have padded seats for the sake of comfort. 

Buying a horse for the sake of riding it means that you need to find the right saddle that will suit you and the horse. You need to consider the product’s manufacturer, quality of materials, and purpose too.