Cultured Cowboy is especially proud to present this Martha Josey barrel saddle!  I was in Dallas at the largest WESA international leather & saddle show in our world. I was seen trying out a variety of saddles by sitting on them & getting the "feel" of each saddle's possibilities. (As pro horsemen, we actually go to experiential extremes to know what we offer to you.)  Sharon Camarillo came up to me, and said, "I noticed you needed a little help getting off the saddles."  "Yep, I can mount into them, I can ride as I need. It's just after a time in the seat, I can't lift my right leg enough to get out of a seat designed to do what it's supposed to do - Hold your bottom , your body in great position."  "One of the side effects of my chemotherapy treatments."  Sharon smiled. Paraphrasing: " I can still ride like the wind, but I too need a little help getting in & out of the saddle."  (Talk about a great intro into a deep conversation about rider experience, saddle fit, form, function, etc., & saddle design!)

We discussed some finer points we preferred in our saddles. I listened intently. This lady is good! Proven! And very nice to a fellow horseman! She expressed where she likes the breast collar dees to sit on her saddles. I prefer mine to sit a little higher than she, but these are fine points to debate. She explained how she likes her leggings to be. Balance & form. It was a lot of fun learning from such experience. Next thing I know, she invited me to sit with her for lunch. As moved toward the lunch sandwiches, there was Martha Josey. I felt like a kid in a candy store. I shared time with two of the most foremost gymkhana riders / trainers / mentors, in the world. 

We finished saddle talk & got a little into corporate & personal "hope for our best future" plans. Now we were in a specialty of mine. ( I have over 12 years & a couple certifications as a Team Coach & multiple more as an executive coach specializing in relationships. And I've performed successful consultant work with "more than one" company. My closest people also know that I have started and divested companies in manufacturing, distribution, service, & hospitality industries as well as this Cultured Cowboy.) 

SO, this was a saddle designed by both Martha, (has her name on it) with input from Sharon, & Circle Y made this one with my favorite centerfire capable rigging. This saddle is for the professional rider. It has just enough skirt to stay in place. The stirrup leathers are a unique. almost a centerfire design too. Capable of positioning / allowing as much swing, and as much stay as a professional rider requires, (often depending on the horse ridden & arena conditions). 

Deep ground seat that does not restrict. Roughout finish all over for looks & some sticking power. ( You probably know: as you ride, the rough finish will smooth out. You can get some sand paper or a fine wire brush & carefully adjust to just the right feel you prefer.  The tree will give every advantage to your horse. And all the rigging rings are built into tough leathers too.  Designed for the closest possible contact of your leg signals & hip / weight shifts to cue your horse. All this design work allows the horse to use that rear end to propel at its best. Your weight concentrates more over the front, where the horse balances as the rear propels. 

The pommel and horn are made to allow your best abilities to happen. Strong, like that cantle. Riding this barrel racing saddle is about as close to perfection as is allowed!  Even if you have a fav saddle, a "lucky saddle",  you will never regret your investment in this "Circle Y Ultimate Saddle".  The better you progress in your abilities, the more you will appreciate this saddle. It will become your partner, best enabling you & your horse become one team. 

 This saddle is designed to lighten the weight, allow easy turning, place less pressure on your knees and ankles, as well as hold up for a long time. 3-way rigging at the front, combined with the rear angled ring, allows a lot of flexibility in fitting many horse types. You have ultimate choice in your saddle placement, without worry of slipping into areas you prefer to avert. Stainless steel girth plates & breast collar dees. The comfort features will still take the stuff trails are made of. Soft leather is next to the rider so you don't chafe your skin. Seating is padded correctly. Comfy, Not pillowy. Leather on swells and cantle binding will not stretch out of place like some of the other imported water buffalo, or "belly leather" used by other manufacturers. Circle Y is using the best areas of cowhide for each piece & part of your saddle. (Didja know? Because I work with leather, I know how much of a whole hide has to be allocated to "resale packs" or "art" projects, or inner linings, because we don't want to take our time & effort with the leather parts which will loose shape, be spongy, tear easily, or just look cheap.)  A thick fleece lining is on the bottom of your saddle, with a pressure absorbing mid layer, to allow plenty of shock absorbing comfort for you & your horse too. Available in several seat sizes and both regular and wide width trees.

Flex 2 is a system that allows the saddle to flex with the movement of your horse. Not a treeless feel. The pommel & cantle will give you the support you need and the seat will feel secure for your hills, valleys & hair-pin turns. The bars of the saddle give slightly to allow your horse to perform with very minimal interference.

Saddle strings are on Clip N Dees so you can add longer ones for trail riding, or take them off in a couple minutes. Stainless breast collar dees prevent sweat from corroding, like the inferior plated metals. (What's that mean to you? Plated metal corrosion will ruin your skirts - an expensive replacement, and makers that use the cheaper stuff know it won't happen until your warrantee runs out.)  4 clip n dee attachments for 4 strings. We can add 2 more if ya need. Easy to hand horn leans forward to allow you to move. 

If you look carefully, you'll see the famous Circle Y Air Channel, which stays off the spine of your horse. Neo-shock pads line the bottom of the tree. 

The smaller skirts & deep seat with the Flex 2 design not only have allowed riders to use this for barrel racing & other gymkhana sports, but longer trail rides & just plain riding fun too!.

With the competition among today's best, your reputation depends on every saddle you design and build. The expertise of top trainers, top executives, and artists all come together to present some of these "world's best" saddles for you. 

This Circle Y barrel saddle gives you a professional grades of saddlery.  Cultured Cowboy, with over 50 years experience in the saddles of some of the best saddlers, can tell you we are proud that Circle Y has improved the Flex 2 design this well. Our dream is to continue making them affordably available to you. These Western saddles are best suited for the rider who is, or has the mindset, of a professional horseman. If you dream of becoming all you can be as a rider, you're in the right place.

Circle Y will use a quality skirting leather that will look rich, even without a lot of tooling. Some riders often want saddle leather that is not as intricate, (easier to clean). However, when we simply use a regimen weekly wiping the saddle down, it gets really easy to care for! The roughout finish hides scratches that you might otherwise see as you use your saddle! Yet, it is prime leather in strength & durability.  Both Circle Y & Cultured Cowboy understand what professional style saddles are supposed to be, and we make them to give you every positive edge in riding.  

Grain and selection of leather is planned and placed for each position on your saddle, instead of looking like an afterthought. Each handmade saddle will have little subtleties to enhance the individual horse and rider experience. Rather than a die cut piece of leather with oversized leather conchos to cover the gaps, each piece of leather is hand fitted and properly molded for a tasteful and useful marriage between parts. Pre-conditioning is available on each saddle. (It will slightly darken the leather, but still look rich! )

Whether or not you have the experience of a professional, anybody can sit in one of these engineered saddles and tell it was made to ride with style, balance, confidence. The tree maker and the saddle maker have made it easier to travel by placing emphasis on your leg position. Perfected fenders assure you can move your leg as movements require. These Martha Josey barrel saddles allow good close positioning with your horse. You'll feel balanced whether you are riding uphill, downhill, on a flat or rounding a curve. The ground seat and rise is proper to aid you in your riding, rather than restricting you.  No feeling left behind.  No awkward slipping in your turns.

Built for strength and endurance. Unlike saddles which are made for a couple years of showing and then to be traded, Your Circle Y gymkhana saddle is built with selected high tech materials mixed with timeless natural fibers, placed in positions according to their flexing and their rigid properties. Then properly finished to add life. The Circle Y tree maker gives a full warrantee, but today's trees are even better than the type of tree that lasted many years in your grandfather's saddles. Using the best leather on top of all that foundation will keep your seat in the saddle till it's time to give up riding.  (then, Pass it forward!)

Available in  multiple seat sizes, and in 7 regular, 8 wide gullet widths.  

Custom lettering and brands are available if you like them.  Trophy Saddles are a Circle Y and Cultured Cowboy specialty. 

Would you like to get a new saddle that feels like it's used? We will heavy oil any saddle for you. We prefer to use Lexol. Lexol will darken less than any other conditioner. It is PH-Balanced for the leather used in your saddle. We have been using Lexol on our personal saddles for over 40 years. Add $160.00 for Lexol and some several hours of application. Lexol is best applied in many thin layers. To finish the treatment, we hand rub extra virgin olive oil. This both drives the lanolin further into the leather & completes a rich looking finish & "softy feel" to your leather.  Upon your request, to darken more, we will blend in some pure modern neatsfoot. The choice is yours! Your saddle will then come out of the box ready to ride in ultimate comfort!

Remember that a breast collar is a great addition to your saddle purchase. For a small investment, you can add an emergency measure that could prevent a saddle twisting under your horse, should a girth loosen without your knowledge. 

Have you ever had the experience of getting a new saddle to find the stirrups won't take up enough to fit, or let out enough to fit? No more...We like to get your real inseam, (and other measurements, like we were making your chaps), then assure the saddle will fit when it arrives. Hey, by the time we get through spoiling you, you'll always want to buy your saddles and tack from us! 

Your saddle can be shipped to you in a padded saddle bag by Big D Blanket company or JT International. This protective saddle bag will help insure the proper finish of your investment for many years. (Call for current saddle bag price.)

We strive to keep about 150 of the basic saddles, (and several specialty saddles) in stock. (Horse people drive from several states away to SC, to experience sitting in a wide variety of saddles. We keep additional saddle forms and many bring their horses for fitting that best combination for horse & rider.  In-stock saddles can be to you in a week or less. But, there is nothing like having a saddle semi-custom made for your horse and your body. Allow about 2 to 6 weeks for a tree to be made, if necessary.  Then the saddler needs about 4 to 8 weeks to make your saddle. Leather is cut, wet, steamed, dried, fitted and pulled. It cannot be rolled off a bolt and processed like fabrics. This does take time to do right. Allow another 3 days to a week for UPS delivery. Overseas orders will usually go through UPS, or Airborne express, (depending on your best rate or most security). Any more time is because the saddler is catching up on previous saddles, or waiting on parts, or needs to take one night off for his wedding anniversary. 

Saddle makers are as excited about making your saddles as you are about riding! They would rather get it right, than rush it. We have chosen our saddle making partners because of their consistency in quality of product. Cultured Cowboy knows that most of our customers will be riding for many years to come. A short wait for a really good saddle is worth your "wait" in gold!   OK - Do ya need a rental saddle while waiting?  We now have several used saddles that might work for you in the interim.  Yes, shipping sucks on a temporary saddle,  But would this enable it possible to have your dream saddle on a permanent basis?

With the experience of thousands of saddles made for thousands of horse people, Cultured Cowboy looks forward to helping you with your needs. Tired legs, hurting knees, lower back pains, need grip, need freedom, need speed, need to impress your friends, need to impress your equine, need help, need a hug? Give us a call.

God Bless,
Cultured Cowboy

The "offside view".  Notice the stirrup positioning. Cool thing: With this "V" attachment, you'll feel secure at every position! Shorter skirts work well with shorter backed horses.	The Circle Y Saddle bottom of this saddle combines a layer of dissipating, shock absorbing material which is finished with a final layer of thick pile saddle fleece next to your horse. Both you & your horse are gonna love this saddle bottom combo for decades! The "DURAhide regular width treeworks best with a high well defined wither. Use the wider width fro the more mutton withered horse.
Details: High positioned Stainless Breast Collar dees. Clip & dees allow easy attachment/removal  of saddle strings.  Lightning Bolt conchos.	Attention to detail.  Yes, the rear flank Plate is strong. More Lightning conchos. There's a hoofpick/knife holder on back of the cantle. And look how tight the seat approaches the cantle. Shows the quality of handmade craftsmanship.
	So, here's a great view of the proper fitting possibilities: Full, 7/8 or 3/4 rigging choice on the front ring. Use the rear ring with the front to adjust for center fire rigging. These options allow the saddle girth to get off that horse's elbow and still position the saddle tree properly on the horse's back.   If you ride multiple horses, You're going to really appreciate the variety of fitting options! Correct saddling positions the leading edge of the tree bars behind the horse's shoulder blade. This is the sweet spot where the saddle will not interfere with horse movement.  Notice the way the stirrup leathers attach - This design to allows structure & security in all your riding positions! As much skirting as possible has been "cut-away" for much direct leg contact with your equine!  ***  ALSO: Lightweight is important, but not as important as knowing the "cutout" design on these skirts, engineered with the comfort bottom eliminates extra pressure on the horses' back when in competition.  Translation?  The horse can move with all it needs, giving you all that it has!   Have a balanced ride for both horse & rider.
	I really appreciate that Circle Y understands the benefits of a well padded seat. Made of the newest, greatest, bestest, fit to your body, seat cushioning. Still, It doesn't seat like wearing a thick feminine napkin.  Nor is the leather seat "hot in the crotch" to ride in hot weather.  Chap grade suede seat adds to security in those "unexpected" moments!  Seat is padded with a comfort foam. It gives the rider ultimate comfort without feeling bulky, or interfering with the "feel" of your horse.
	Front view shows both the "shock pad" and fleece combo bottom. This saddle is engineered so you don't need to allow for extra layers of seat cushions or excess  saddle padding for horse & rider comfort. One proper pad will do the job!   Also, see the front of that Air-channel. The Pommel has a good height & swell size pommel which combines with the rest of the seat & cantle for rider comfort & security. Yet the slightly forward leaning horn allows riders to bend over the pommel without discomfort, when leaning forward is needed.  Wide swell & 5 inch cantle keeps you in ideal position through your rides.
Need Better Picture	A top view of the seat for you.
	Underneath. Easy to adjust Circle Y "blevins type"  slide adjustment. Numbered & reinforced leather stirrup strap.    Got questions?  Call Chuck. Send pics of you, your horse.  We really want a conversation to befriend your style of riding and any particulars that will make your rides, your best rides!  (It's all this experience which enables almost no saddle returns, once we work together.)
Rawhide braided barrel horn. 3 3/4 height & just over a 2 inch cap allows you to use as needed. And adds a special look to the overall. Slight forward lean on a wide pommel swell - sturdy!     Nice horn cap. !
	Matching 3 way breast collar.  Most Racers are not using an exact match with this rough out styling.   Beaded, and / or fringed, and / or silkscreen prints, and / or plaited styles with color seem quite popular.  All the scallops & fancy lines allow the breast collar to flex with the rider's needs.  And almost all of these come in sets with headstall spur straps & such to match! Why do we like a 3-way breast collar?   It's like an emergency brake. Nice to have when it's really needed, though we thankfully don't need to always depend on it!   Yes, It can keep a saddle from sliding back on the horse, but the primary focus is that if a horse (Which can lose inches in a short time on a hot day) should develop a loose girth, the 3 straps wrapping around your horse's neck will prevent the saddle from sliding sideways all the way under your horse, potentially injuring both horse & rider.  I especially recommend always having your children riding with a breast collar. It's at least as important as their riding helmet.
	The stirrup is 2 3/4 at the neck, and has a 3 inch tread width. Laced bound bottom is enhanced with a slip resistant rubber tread pad. The rounding of the stirrup sides will accommodate some of the wider soles on popular boots.  Kinda looks like a flat bottom cutter!  The Martha Josey Brand logo is seen in this pic.

Circle Y Ultimate Barrel Saddles Notes: There is no difference in the pricing in seat sizes 13.5 through 17. Circle Y builds this model on their own tree. Your weight will be continuously distributed along a proper area of the horse's back. This custom made tree is made to specifications for a better fit. This saddle is rigged in the skirt for closer contact. 

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CY- MJ08 Ultimate Saddle  also known as  the Martha Josey Lightning Ultimate Barrel Saddle This Circle Y Saddle is USA made with the finest quality leather available. Just the right amount of flex designed tree. Beautifully handcrafted and finished. Options: Seat sizes. Nylon or Leather girth tie straps.  Simplistic beauty comes through in both the choice of the leathers and in the quality of the trim. Each saddle is made by an artist with many saddles of experience under their belt. Their pride rides on the saddle made just for you.  When you begin with the best quality leathers, and use professional craftsmen, you can finish with a look that can compete in your most important arenas.    Rear View allows a good look at the thickness of the neo-shock and fleece bottom.  This creates an air channel to cool the horse's back, and alleviates spinal pressures.   Hoofpick / knife holder on cantle. No. CY- MJ Ultimate Lightning Contender  Shown saddle options.  Saddle:  Lightning Contender  Saddle Type:   Rough Out Pro Barrel Saddle Tooling Style:  none Tooling Amount:  Martha Josey Logo on Fenders Seat Style:  Full  Seat Size:  113.5 - 17 Saddle Color:  Deep Brown  Seat Color:   Chocolate    Tree:  Ultimate DURAhide 10 Year tree Warranty. 1 year craftsmanship warrantee.  Gullet Width: Choose Regular or Wide  Swell Width: 14 inches  Seat Size:  13.5, 14, 14.5, 15, 15.5, 16,  17 inches. Cantle Height:  5 inch.  Horn:  Rawhide Braided. 3 3/4 inch,  2 1/4 inch cap. Skirt Length:  22 inches Rigging: Stainless Steel  Dees. 3 Way front positioning.  Rear Angled Ring plate. Stirrups: 2.75" neck 3" Rubber grip pad tread. Balanced Bell Contest stirrup. Finish:  Dark Brown Trim:  Lightning Conchos  Weight:  Approximately 23 Pounds Price Also Includes These Extras:  Premium Grained Skirting Leather, Rough Side Out. Comfort Cantle, Hand fitted Chap Suede seat. Fender & Jockey adjustable to your length. Nylon girth tie straps. Synthetic Fleece over a mid-core of Neo-Shock tree liner CY- MJ08 Lightning Contender Saddle  Seat Sizes Compare At: Our CC Price   13.5" Thru  16", & 17" $3000 $2749.99       Did You Know?  Cultured Cowboy can work out an affordable payment plan for your purchase. If you can raise about half down, we can start making your saddle. The balance can be paid as the saddle is finished. Split payments with no extra charges. No Credit card? No problem!  We can take a money order or your personal check.  Oh yes, there is Matching Tack! Order your matching Breast Collar tooled with your saddle so the leather artist matches them together.  Reinsman, a partner with CIrcle Y, began with bits and pads. They still make some of the best. Check out the links below to saddle pads and other Reinsman products.   Did you know that your supporting tack is as important as your saddle? Having a breast collar that is sturdy enough for the job, yet will move with your horse can make a difference in safety or falling off.  Be sure your girth is properly fitting and always do a pre-flight check on all parts of reins, headstalls, bits, ...everything, before your ride. Cultured Cowboy can match every saddle. Several styles are made to fit each saddle.