REINING
SADDLES
I
am often asked what I look for in a saddle, so I am re-printing an
article I wrote for a horse publication that specifically addresses
this issue. I also designed a saddle that encompass all the aspects
of design that I desire. Click here to
see the Todd Martin Reining Saddle.
What
is the Difference in Saddles?
By Todd Martin
I
love horse tack. I could spend every extra dime that I have on good
quality tack and saddles. Unfortunately,
or fortunately, my wife does not share the same passion for tack as
me. Much like tack, there is a difference in saddles, not only in
the quality of craftsmanship but also in the design and function.
I thought that this month I would share what I look for in a saddle
and the difference in design of saddles that are made for different
disciplines.
First off lets get out of the way that I do know more about certain
saddles than others. For example, I do not know diddle about English
saddles. So lets start with what I do know best, of course reining
saddles. When looking for a reining saddle I want a couple of things
that are very important in the design. First is the freedom of movement
in the fenders. This is very important for the basic function of stopping.
Some saddles restrict movement with your legs forward. You will find
this very common in your roping and barrel racing saddles. You can
check the freedom of movement by just moving the fenders or by lifting
the fender up and checking to see to see how the saddle is made. You
will want to look at where the cinch attaches to the saddle and make
sure that this rigging will not interfere with the movement of the
fender. Along with freedom of movement you also want to make sure
that the leather that is used for the fenders is of good quality.
You want a lot of movement, but along with movement comes places that
rub and cause weak spots in the leather. If you have to have a pair
of fenders replaced it will cost you around $250 last I checked. I
like to see a saddle with double rigging or two D rings. One for the
front cinch and one in the back for a rear cinch. These two D rings
being connected by another piece of leather keep the fender from hanging
on either rigging, or better yet a similar piece of leather that is
just attached to the front rigging which wears better. This insures
better freedom of movement and adds longevity to your fenders, not
to mention your off and cinch straps. Lastly, I want to have the fenders
hung forward on the saddle. This helps
with better posture and keeps your feet further forward.
I look for a seat that
is built with the pocket for your seat in the middle of the saddle.
Unlike your roping saddles which are built to push your butt forward
and out of the saddle, a reining saddle should have a pocket that
keeps your butt in the seat. I also like to see the seat built up
in the front which will help you use the inside of your thighs more
when working fast circles or when working cattle down the fence like
in working cowhorse. I do not like a saddle that has a lot of dish
cut out in the cantle. I have found that if I ride in a saddle like
this for long they tend to rub on me in places I do not want a lot
of rubbing. Likewise I do not care for a saddle that feels bulky on
my thigh area because it will tend to rub there too. Especially if
you are wearing starched jeans while riding, the seam of the jeans
will take the hide of your legs. By the way you can tell if someone
rides horses a lot if they are wearing shorts. They have no hair on
the inside of their legs. I know, I am a wealth of information. As
for padding, it is not much of a concern. A well built saddle that
fits well is twice as comfortable than a bad fit with tons of padding.
Next, and probably the most important, is the quality of craftsmanship
and leather. It takes a lot of leather to make a saddle and the best
leather is part of the hide closest to the back of the bovine. The
closer to the belly the softer and thinner the leather. This is also
the cheaper leather and it doesn’t last as long. To help you
tell a little about the quality of the leather of the saddle, lift
the fender and look at the back side. See if the leather is as durable
as the top side. There will be a difference because one side is rough
and the other is smooth. Leather that is closer to the belly, the
rough side will be soft and kind of flaky or hairy. Almost like you
can pull hairy pieces off. For those of you who think cattle should
not be used for eating or making saddles, they have synthetic saddles,
but good luck finding one of those made with quality and craftsmanship
in mind.
Lastly, is the tree
itself. This is the skeleton of the saddle. There are a lot of different
kinds out there and a good one is not cheap. This is where it matters
to your horse because if the fit is not good your horse will suffer.
I like a tree that gives good contact to the horses back, in fact
as much contact as possible. The more contact there is, the more area
that your weight and the weight of the saddle can be dispersed. If
you have a small amount of contact area then all of your weight is
put into a smaller area on the horses back. It is also important to
look at how narrow or wide the saddle is at the swells and make sure
that it matches your horses withers and shoulders. Example; if you
have a horse that is thick and wide at the withers and you purchase
a saddle that is narrow at the swells, then when you cinch down that
saddle it will be pulled down on the muscles around the withers and
eventually make the horse sore.
When purchasing a saddle
remember you get what you pay for. A good, quality saddle will not
depreciate much, which is why it is hard to find a nice used saddle.
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