Bear Creek Horses and Saddles
Buying the wrong western saddle is a very common occurrence in the western riding world. It's also a very expensive learning experience. You can skip this painful lesson by avoiding the top seven western saddle buying mistakes.
1. Buying Pretty ~ While we'd all like a nice looking saddle, letting looks drive your buying decision is asking for trouble. The quality of the saddle materials and the construction are far more important than
the look of the saddle. A poorly made saddle can look awfully pretty, especially to the uninitiated. Don't fall for this one.
2. Buying Image ~ Have dreams of riding the range and working the cattle drive? Or maybe riding to a NFR championship buckle in barrel racing? While the cowboy and cowgirl dreams and imagery can be strong and enticing, don't let those images determine your saddle choice. Choose a saddle type that fits the actual type of riding that you'll be doing.
3. Buying Cheap ~ Cheap saddles are not a bargain. Poor quality materials and construction will shorten saddle life, and more importantly, will cause discomfort and impair movement in your horse. If you can't afford at least a middle-of-the-road new saddle ($500 and up), then buying used is a great solution. Quality saddles last a long time, making buying a "pre-owned" saddle a smart buy.
4. Buying Dumb ~ You need to educate yourself on some saddle basics before buying. Ride in as many different saddles as you can. Talk to all the horse people you know about their saddles. Pick the brain of knowledgeable saddle folks. And, always, before purchasing a saddle, know the seller's tryout and return policies.
5. Buying Selfish ~ You found a saddle that's high quality, pretty, and fits you well. You're all set right? Wrong. You're forgetting one very important partner in this deal - your HORSE. If the saddle doesn't fit your horse well, than the rest doesn't matter. Make sure you understand the basics of horse fit and determine beforehand whether the saddle will be a good fit for your horse
6. Buying One-Size-Fits-all ~ While you shouldn't need a different saddle for every horse you ride, one saddle will not fit every horse you run across. The best approach is to choose a saddle that will fit the basic physical type of horse that you'll ride. For instance, if you ride Quarter Horses that are on the smaller size, than you should have a saddle that will fit most horses of this type. If you ride more than one type of horse, you'll need multiple saddles.
7. Buying Brand (or Endorsement) ~ This ias a little trickier. Buying a well-established brand is not a bad idea. You just need to be aware that a number of saddle brands have been around a long time and the quality of their saddles have varied significantly over time. The quality can also vary over their current product lines. Never just blindly buy brand without thoroughly inspecting the quality of the saddle in consideration. Additionally, celebrity endorsement can seem like a stamp of approval, but it really doesn't mean more than that the celebrity is receiving payment for use of his or her name. Very few celebrities have any input into the design and construction of the saddles bearing their name.
Western Saddle Buying Mistakes
Inspection Tips For Buying Used
When you're looking for a quality western saddle, a used saddle can be a smart choice. The best saddles will last a lifetime with proper care. So, like luxury cars, a quality used saddle can be more aptly described as previously-owned. You can buy a lot more saddle for your money in the used category.
But buying used requires close inspection of the saddle prior to buying. A used saddle is bound to have some wear and some scuffs and scrapes. That's to be expected. What you're really looking for are structural problems. The following are the top 7 used saddle inspection tips.
1. Saddle Tree ~ The saddle tree is the foundation of a saddle, so if it's not solid nothing else matters. To test the tree, set the saddle on it's fork, nose down. Press down hard on the cantle and twist, looking for bending which is an indication of a broken tree. A broken tree is a deal breaker. DO NOT purchase a saddle with a broken tree.
2. Leather Quality ~ High quality leather will be thick, soft and supple. It has a much longer life, especially if well cared for. Low quality leather will be thin, often cracked and will not keep its shape. Avoid buying used saddles with low quality leather. There's no bargin there.
3. Leather Condition ~ Check whether the jockeys and skirts lie flat or curl up. Curling is a sign of either poor quality leather or leather that is used-up. It's pretty much impossible to get curled leather to lie flat again. If the leather looks to be of good quality (thick, doesn't curl), but looks dried out, a good cleaning and conditioning can do wonders and bring back a lot of its luster.
4. Underside Fleece ~ Expect to find a good amount of wear and dirt here, but excessive wear may require having the fleece replaced which isn't cheap. Also, uneven wear can be a sign of a badly designed saddle that doesn't fit well and should be avoided.
5. Stitching ~ Check the stitching to make sure it's intact. Minor problems can be repaired, but a saddle with a lot of rotting and missing stitching should be avoided
6. Surface ~ While a quality saddle can last a long time, the care it receives will impact its lifespan and its appearance. saddles are made to be used and passing on a quality used saddle because of some scratches and scuff marks is a mistake. But, you'll have to determine what you can live with.
7. Parts Inventory ~ Do a check to see which parts might be missing. Most parts (stirrups, stirrup hobbles, billets, cinches) can be easily replaced (and many will prefer their own choices anyway), but missing parts should factor into the price.
Buying a used saddle can be a very smart choice, IF you carefully inspect the saddle prior to purchase.
10 Most Common Replacement Parts
With proper care, quality western saddles will last a lifetime. There are, however, a number of saddle parts that will have a shorter lifespan than the base saddle, or that may be replaces for personal preference reasons. The following are the ten most common western saddle replacement parts.
1. Cinches (Front and Flank) ~ In addition to being cleaned regularly, cinches need to be inspected for wear and replaced when necessary. The front cinch, especially, is a crucial part that's failure could cause a serious wreck.
2. Latigos (aka cinch straps) ~ These straps take a lot of wear and can get worn relatively quickly with heavy use. You DO NOT want to be on a ride when your latigo breaks. Inspect and replace these relatively inexpensive straps regularly. A good way to test a leather strap is to try to tear it. If it tears, the leather is spent and should be tossed out.
3. Off Billet ~ The off billet attaches the cinch to the saddle on the off (right) side. Like the latigo, it receives a lot of wear nd needs to be inspected and replaced reularly for safety reasons.
4. Cinch Connecting Strap ~ This strap connects the front and flank cinches, holding the flank cinch in place. While it doesn't receive a lot of wear, failure can cause the flank cinch to slip back and spook the horse. It's a cheap part. Inspect it regularly and replace it when necessary. If you ride with a flank cinch, DO NOT ride without a cinch connecting strap in place.
5. Stirrup Leathers ~ Leathers receive a lot of wear and can wear out before the base saddle. Look for wear around the holes or where the hardware rubs against the leathers. Also try the "tear test" mentioned earlier.
6. Stirrup Hobbles ~ These straps hold together the fender extensions and the stirrup leathers so that the rider doesn't catch his foot in between and get hung up. They are much more important than most riders realize. DO NOT ride without hobbles in place. Since hobbles are small and often removed to adjust stirrup length (although this isn't necessary), they tend to "disappear" more than they wear out. Hobbles are another cheap part. Buy extras and have them on hand.
7. Saddle Strings ~ Additional saddle strings can be added to any saddle dees or rings. You can never have too many saddle strings to tie your gear on with.
8. Horn Wrap ~ If you're a regular roper, you'll need to replace your horn wrap often. Non-ropers will find that one will last the life of their saddle. Horn wraps come in a variety of leather and rubber materials and choice depends on personal preference.
9. Rope Strap ~ Like Horn Wraps, replacement of the Rope Strap will depend on use.
10. Stirrups ~ Stirrups don't tend to wear out. Most will last as long as the saddle. However, most riders have a very specific preference about their stirrups, aso they are a very common replacement part. There are a wide variety of stirrups available in prices ranging from cheap to very pricey.
Whether due to wear or personal preference, there are a number of parts on a western saddle that you'll probably replace at some point during its life. Most of these parts are relatively cheap and easy to replace. Make sure the key parts are inspected and replaced when necessary.
