About Western Saddles
Western saddles dates back to the era when the west was known as the “Wild Wild West”. It was mostly inhabited by the lawmen and cowboys who knew their navigation through the valleys up the mountain and through the desert at the back of their mind. The western saddles are used on the back for the rider to sit on.
Use
Western saddles are designed for the purpose of providing comfort and security to the rider and the horse. It is very ideal for long hour of ridding and in the past it was used by ranchers and for long rides across the deserts, valleys and mountains.
Features
The western saddle is made up of the seat and the cantle that the rider seats on and it enables the rider spread their weight on the horse’s back. The pommel is raised and is found at the front of the saddle. The saddle horn is also raised and is attached to the pommel. The saddles stirrups are found on each side of the saddle and allow the rider to step on them. The finder attaches the stirrups to the saddle and they can be adjusted according to the rider’s height. The girth is normally found on the saddle and is secured using a cinch and a cinch ring; it is responsible for adjusting the saddle. The girths are normally bought separately from the saddle.
Types
There are different types of saddles and they have been made to serve different purposes when riding.
Trail Saddles
The trail saddles are designed for people spending long hours on horses to provide maximum comfort to both the horse and the rider.
Roping Saddles
Roping saddles are used for people with cattle and the ropes on the saddle are used for tying cattle. They are heavy and have a high saddle horn that is strong to withstand the weight of the cattle.
Cutting saddles
Cutting saddles are designed for horse racers. These saddles have deep seats with wide swells that help maintain the rider’s balance during a race.
Endurance saddles
Endurance saddles are meant for longer rides and faster gaits. They have no horns and the saddles allow the riders to spread their weight and they have no horns.
The show saddles
The show saddles are more like the endurance saddles but they are decorated.
Caution
It is important to note that saddles are tailor made for each horse. This will ensure that the horse is comfortable throughout. The saddle that is used should be one that distributes the rider's weight to the back of the horse and provide maximum comfort to the horse. Since the horse's weight and length change, be sure to get a saddle that fits properly after the changes have been observed.