Saddles

I frequent the saddle listings on eBay, looking for those great deals on saddles that I’ve always wanted to try.

I was once in a tack shop looking at rows of used dressage saddles. I asked the owner why they were mostly 17″ and 17 1/2″. She told me that people often bought saddles in smaller sizes than they actually needed, mostly, she speculated, out of vanity.

I frequently see horses with their saddles placed too far forward. This photo represents a most extreme case, and to be fair,

Treeless saddles are all the buzz. While conventional saddles with wooden or fiberglass trees have reigned supreme for thousands of years (the first “treed” saddles appeared in 200 BC in Asia), during the last decade there has been a vocal movement toward treeless saddles.

Almost every week I see horse owners asking in on-line forums whether or not their saddle fits their horse or, knowing that the saddle doesn't fit, asking what type of padding can be used to make it fit.

The Barnes Buckle is an innovation that doesn't get much mention here in the U.S. -- but it should. The Barnes Buckle is

One of the beauties of going synthetic is that care is minimal and easy. They have all been extremely durable and showed little to no wear. Synthetic saddles are pretty impervious to sweat or rain and they don’t really show dirt.

I had a terrible time finding my last dressage saddle.

I'm continually amazed by how much money people spend on saddles that don't fit. I frequently see saddles that sit right on a horse's spine or that are so narrow that they look perched above a horse's back.

I'm continually amazed by how much money people spend on saddles that don't fit. I frequently see saddles that sit right on a horse's spine or that are so narrow that they look perched above a horse's back.