Why own a saddle that’s customized for me?
What’s
the largest problem I see when helping horse owners,
(or owners to be), with buying a new or used saddle?
People get caught up in some “deal” with “not
enough” regard to their true needs.
Often,
if the saddle seems to probably fit the horse, it's
priced somewhat “bargain”, you’re convinced
somebody else may snatch it first, and especially if
used and “good”, or “fixable”, shape,
there’s this “gotta have a deal” mentality
which will tend to push your purchase into a big
WRONG!
WHY
DOES the RIGHT SADDLE Make such a Difference in our
Lives?
1) The
Experience - We all spend very much time at
work, (or with other very necessary distractions),
don't we? Yet, there’s something about time in the
saddle! Every human needs a reason to, a way of, a
purpose for, enjoyment during our limited free time,
don’t we? So
horse people ponder & dream about our horse, our
previous rides, our next ride, our best ride, until
we’re really ecstatic about going to hit the
trails, or the arena. We want our chance to even
better our best experience! - This day might be
“the” day.
“There is something about the outside
of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”
- Sir Winston Churchill.
Our
imaginations are full of combining our balance with
the strength of our steed. We yearn for massive
meaning through such discovery as can be
accomplished with an animal this large.
Some
of us feel united with favorite movies, or heroes,
or warriors, of our memories! Some of us
relish the wind through our hair, the gentle bounce
of a canter, the strength we feel in an extended
trot, or accomplishment of a jump over a fence, or
refining our dressage or reining movement. Some of
us see ourselves pick strategically though creeks.
Some of us would rather jump & splash through
those creeks.
Some
of us love to show off the ribbon or trophy that
holds meaning of all the effort, time, and focus to
earn it. Some of us just need a time of quiet, to
hear the stillness, with reflections, honor &
grace. Some of us need to tend herds, inspect
fencing, check trees, or smell the fresh earth,
taste the terrain, as we plan for the next seasons.
Time
with your horse definitely invites romance, has even
led to extended families and children, has led to
better business decisions, has led to sanity in an
insane world! It invites a time of gratitude; a time
of bringing back to mind the best of the best things
that happened during the past year(s). Riding
encourages a person to realize that all the stresses
of life are there so you can have these few moments
of “Real Life” between God & Nature.
For
some, it is the ultimate in competition among peers;
for some, riding maintains a learning experience
that holds instant reward because we know we’re
really, gradually, improving our whole Self. We
avert stress. We’re not comparing our abilities to
impossibilities we face in other facets of life. For
most of us, riding is simply a comparison of, a
knowledge of, a presence of holding a place in this
life, this world, which offers meaning, entreats
growth, & affords opportunities that without
team of horse & rider, could never be
understood.
2)
Safety
– To know your child, your parent, your own self
will not rotate underneath the fleeting hoofbeats of
a scared or angry horse from ill fitting or slippery
materials! To know when a covey of quail, or a
bobcat growl, or a sudden turn in surprising, or
planned, direction will be an athletic circle and
not a broken arm, leg or back…
3)
Trust –
Knowing you are one with your steed; understanding this isn’t a kitten or
puppy, and that the risks and rewards are much more
superior! To nudge, not kick the encouragement you
both need to move forward on a life journey…
So,
if any of this reasoning identifies why you have a
horse, Why would you settle for anything less than the best “contact” between you
and your horse? I do understand
temporary. [However, (metaphor coming) you could
walk everywhere you go. You could ride a moped. At
times you do. But you usually chose the protection,
the speed, the safety, the security of a truck? Yes.
I own a bicycle and love that experience too. But I
need better means to be able to accomplish all I
need to accomplish.] And if you did not
identify with any of the feelings of power, and
authority, and awe, and belonging, above, maybe it's
time you did!
Don't
you deserve better? It's not just
the used saddles. You don’t have to settle for
what’s immediately available. Many saddle makers
have hundreds of production models on their floor,
ready to ship. Many of the best saddlers simply make
them as orders come in. They stay 100% busy by doing
their best for you, and reputation keeps them busy,
1 at a time. I
have from 130 to 150 new saddles most days, in
stock, ready to try on. I say try on, because today, you don't settle for what I or any
other dealer has in stock. The saddles are here to
discover your best choice. (And sometimes, one of
them works really well for you!)
I
remember being 17, starting Cultured Cowboy as
Walking T Stables & Tack, with 3 Simco saddles.
1 barrel 1 pleasure 1 roper. I rode English, but my
major market did not. (I had another half doz
saddles in the barn to try on too. – They
weren’t for sale.) In those days, all we knew was
either round skirt, or full skirt, seat size,
(usually too big), and lots of pads to make stuff
work. Wow – Ralide trees were brand new! And this
was just before everybody was beginning to wear 2
lbs of feathers & fur clipped on a really tall
crown hat!
Today
we have more pad selection than ever. That's good!
Most of the padding we used in the 70's is (thank
goodness) long gone. Much has improved over the
years. Gels, foams, fleece, covers, even wear
leather positioning, the way we join sides to make
better air channels & wither relief, and pockets
on pads are so much better, today. We understand
everything from chiropractic to bridging much
better. WE know there are specialized saddles today
for every event. The opportunities for fit &
function are tremendous now. So why are over half our riders
settling for less?
Perhaps
because of the same reasoning of much unhappiness in
life, from families splitting to lack of confidence.
- Not having the right guidance, the right
instruction; going by the “seat of our pants”,
or hearing from influential others who know less
than they should, to be giving you advice. Sometimes
we trust a name brand. But the brands usually make a
large selection, while only specializing in a couple
things. Brands understand target marketing, and
confusion too. Brands are great! Ya just gotta
know how they think!
I
began this writing with used saddles. If the saddle
is in good shape, will it perform for you as you
need? fits both horse & rider as it should? Get
it. If it’s not what works, just resell it, right?
This might take months of your valuable time. Well,
what about new saddles? They come with warranty to the original
purchaser. Not the second guy, unless the maker is
exceptional. (Some Are!)
With
new saddles, and the right makers, you have a lot
more options available to get exactly what meets
your needs, than you might think. And semi-custom, or customized saddles
are really the best bargains for most riders.
Cultured Cowboy has working relationships with
several experienced saddle makers who also
understand how important fit and function are to
your years of enjoyment. But unfortunately, there are
more profits in cheap junk than the good stuff!
Read more to see what to avoid:
Two
saddle examples I recently took on trade (and Why
they were traded) were: 1st) made in India. India is
best known for water buffalo tack: often belly
leather, lots of open pores, stretchy; tarnished
“before you get it” silver plate; not
tightly bound, cotton stitching; low
wages, accused of child labor whether true or not, ‘nough said. Yet, I
love “Bobby’s Tack”, best maker of English
bridle leather stuff! His quality is unsurpassed,
and made in India too. He is one of life’s
exceptions. Ya can’t slam a country that is trying
hard to change! They are on the “uplift”. Both
India & China understand and relish the
horsehair & leather potentials! (God Bless that we’re all
understanding economic inter-dependency, and may
economics begin more unity which leads to a whole
world that treats our “neighbor” as our self.)
(OK
back to saddle relevancy) One customer bought a
“deal” brand new. She assumed the cloth was
Cordura nylon. It wasn’t. It was a stiff canvas
glued to bonded leather. The canvas wrinkled loose
on her first ride. Rubbed blisters under the
rider’s thighs. Manufacturer’s warrantee – You
return to the maker for inspection. Cost too much to
return (more than paid for the saddle) to the maker
out of the USA. (Buyer beware of auction rules.)
Buyer Dealer was USA addressed, but was actually the
agent for the company in India.
2nd
nightmare) Supposed to have been a Cordura nylon
combo saddle. It was not Cordura. Looked great when
rode the 1st time. But, a few rides later: cotton
edge binding on the skirt tore out. Everything metal
rusted. The leather used got so stiff… Cultured
Cowboy has conditioned it 3X, and it still won’t
soften. I asked someone how old they
thought it might be. They guessed about 20 years.
It’s closer to three.
OK,
3rd surprise) Another saddle was supposed
to be leather. Hand laced. Buckstitched. Good lookin. Loosened
up as it was ridden. So it was just left abandoned
by the owner. The “finance” lender brought it to
us. A very thin piece of tooled leather was glued to
what is in effect pressed paper, even the skirts.
When damp, you can dig it out with your fingernails!
What was supposed to happen when it got wet from
sweat, or rain, or riding through a creek? Again,
buyer beware sales. Why did I take ‘em on trade? To show
people some of what/why not to buy!
The
first two: traded for a saddle they really needed.
The last one: lost their dream. Got out of the horse
“business”.
#4)
This saddle came to us with a broken tree. The owner
thought it was because the horse suddenly went
“wild”, threw the rider and fell rolling over
the saddle and cracking the tree. Nails were poking
in places they should not. Inspection
revealed the saddle probably broke when pressure was
placed on the bars of the saddle as it was
tightened. Wood split from ill placed screws. Then
the nails and broken wood hurt the horse which began
the wreck that happened. When asked if it could be
fixed, the answer was easily no.
Most saddle dealers could tell you a lot of these stories of how
“lucky” people are that they didn’t get hurt.
And this doesn’t address wrong use, ropers looking
saddles never designed to catch a cow, and such. The
wrong barrel saddle can cost you time, can hurt your
horse so it actually quits, balks, or injures itself
trying to run. Bad fitting saddles can exacerbate
rider injuries.
What if the stirrups can’t come up enough to allow proper
pressure on ball of your foot, with a comfortable
leg position? Your ride sucks. Too big a seat or too
small a seat – thigh/calf position -
al make a difference in your comfort and
riding ability! You’re
probably a better rider than you think – if you
have the right tools.
So
are you worried about price? Saddles depreciate, but
not at the thousands of $$$ that your truck will. Or
your trailer. Still you buy a truck. What’s
the cost of trading saddles till you get the right
one? If yer tradin’ horses every week, go ahead,
you’ll pair it with an animal, if it halfway fits
the rider, yer OK, huh? If you’re
trying to outfit your 1 or 2 personal horses,
without some guidance from a riding coach, or a
dealer that actually works with horses, and riders,
I’ve heard from hundreds of horse people, that
they trade a few saddles till something works.
If
so, the average expense of getting towards the
correct saddle is about $600.00, or a $200.00 drop
per, thrown away as “learning” experiences,
before you ever buy a saddle that works. Studies
show that the average price of a new saddle sold on
the Internet is about $1680.00, US. Most horse owners have income
enough to afford this easily. Cultured Cowboy can
fully customize saddles starting at $1900.00 and
semi, starting at $1300.00. (Fall 2017 pricing)
We
have some production imports that sell pretty low,
and can ride pretty high. (Cheaper silver plate
parade/show/pleasure saddles sometimes start at
$650.00. Finished in USA, mostly built overseas.)
But they will look worn quickly, if you’re riding
them hard. These are best used to package with a
horse and make a deal look sweeter upon re-selling
the package.
Cordura
cross, (worth riding) start at under $600.00. Better
ones average about $790.00. Best ones are $1250+.
Beware those made with inexpensive couch fabrics,
polypropylene support straps and nickel plated
stirrup buckles. Rust cuts into the poly. And the
poly gets harder and brittle over time. Nylon will
stay soft. Stainless will last much longer before
corroding. We prefer BigHorn & Fabtron over
other brands.
We
have a line of JT International saddles, treeless,
very adjustable, modeled after a $2800.00 Australian
saddle, (but all synthetic) for under $320.00. (This
saddle has to be ridden to be believed. Beats a
bareback pad all to death!) We have Kathy’s Tack
& Sterling P, and Bowman saddles that are
available for the more discriminating competitors.
All these are custom made for high end clients. As
an investment, one of the best! (When the prize money available
is well over the investment required, experienced
competitors understand that the 20 – 25% of 1st through 5th place rating is upon the tack &
dress presentation …)
The
best deals for usin’ saddles – we got ‘em.
Figure $1600 to 2800.00. Trail saddles? BigHorn has
Sil-Cush, a dream come true for older riders. And
they have variations made for those under 60 too! Our
Dakota 213 can be customized with almost any tree,
any seat size, any inseam need, at pricing we are
not allowed to advertise. Hard to fit horses, Call us. Does the rider have a
previous injury that is of concern: knees, lower
back? Call us. Young rider? Mature rider? 1st time rider? Professional horseman? Call us. Reinsman, Tucker, Circle Y? Garoutte, Dakota, BigHorn,
American? Sterling P, Kathy’s, Bowman? Many of
these companies are onto 2nd or 3rd generation. Some are made start to finish by one saddler. Some are
made on a production line where a worker only does a
couple steps on every saddle in their production
line. Did they pass forward their legacy? Some did. Some great
makers are so busy that they don’t advertise like
other major brands. They choose to spend time doing
what they love – making quality saddles. Remember
that advertising costs must be passed to consumers
by large advertising manufacturers.
If
your legs are short or long, will you buy a truck
whose reaching the pedals will make driving
dangerous? Then, why not so with your saddle? GET THOSE STIRRUPS WHERE YOU NEED THEM.
Not all saddlers offer this option. Yes, all saddles
stirrup leathers have a lot of adjustment. But, do
you want a great big glob of bulk under your leg to
make the things short enough to touch your toes into
the stirrup & not lose them? NO. You want proper leg contact with your horse. You need to be able to
place the weight of your leg onto the ball of your
foot with your heels downward. You need to have this
relaxed position to better cue your horse as well as
for proper balance. And without a “bulk” under
your leg to interfere.
What
about seat size? Are you buying a 16 inch seat
because it's the most popular? It is, but that does
not mean it’s best for you. I had one PRCA
professional rider downsize just 1 inch in his seat.
His position improved enough to make him a lot of
money he would have never made before. I had another
rider go up an inch. This allowed better positioning
on her horse. It relieved lower back problems for
both horse & rider. For most rides, have 2 fingers between the cantle top & your
back. And 2 fingers between front of your thigh and
the base of the pommel. (this can change with
certain horse sports, “growing kids” and rider
agility)
What
about cantle height? What if you ever/never had a
lower back injury or defect? You have certain foams
available, that the US government spent NASA
millions to develop. Could the right seating make
the difference in how long, or how comfy, or how
supportive you ride? What if you like to stand in
the stirrups to ease yer body some from all that
sitting, or to throw a rope? Would a bicycle seat
make all the difference, or is a full seat best for
you?
Almost
everyone is familiar with gullet width, and some
with gullet height. These play tremendous importance
in fitting your horse. But did you know that center
fire rigging, which actually adjusts from 7/8 to
center, can affect more than most standards in many
riding endeavors? This allows you to find that
“sweet spot”, (forward to back,), where the
saddle rests comfortably, with the girth positioned
as is needed for rider security. No elbow
interference. Did you know that Semi QH bars
are made to fit more on the top of rib cage for
speed, and getting out of the way of a barrel horse,
while Full QH bars wrap around most horse side a
little more for security when turning or roping?
They both fit 80% of horses running. It's a lot of
other little subtle differences that cull the
winners from losers.
What
about rigging diversity? While center fire
variability could be best for your trails? Would a
re-enforced flank help set the saddle as you work
your cattle? IS
the sweet spot of your horse gonna work better with
7/8 or ¾ rigging?
Can you get a plate that allows both?
What about a deep drop rig vs in-skirt
rigging? Which is better for your use? (call us)
I
could spend 30 – 60 minutes discoursing the
advantages of roughout/ smoothout/ sanded topgrain
leathers next to the rider. Or, Real Sheep Vs.
Better Synthetic bottoms. (I hate the slick acrylics
& will no longer give them as an option, though
they may save $50.00 to $200.00 on the price of a
saddle.) Or, fender styles, or short back
horses & weight distribution. (Don’t assume
the skirting is too long. Skirts flex out of the
way. Where does your tree bar hit?) Almost all
saddle tree’s bars now flair out or are angled
away at the front/rear edges, to prevent “digging
in”.
Or
“does a 19 lb saddle” have any advantageous
influence on the affect of your horse of 950 lbs.
(As a 14 yr old Boy Scout, I carried 45 lbs on my
back for 10 mile hikes, without any undue distress.
It was adjusted to fit properly. I weighed about 135
lbs. What was
the percentage distribution of even 35 lbs on two
1.5 inch padded straps over each of my shoulders,
pressing into my small clavicles, Vs. 55 lbs of tack
plus your weight on a 1000lb equine with bars of 5
inch width & 20 inch length along both sides of
the ribcage?) If the saddle is a properly
designed trail saddle, one that weighs 35 lbs will
be as easy to lift as a 25 lb saddle which does not
allow you to lift as close to your body. (Call us)
Your
boney structure of horse worry should maybe
concentrate on the amount of closure of leg
bones, the epiphysis & diaphysis of the leg
bones. (wikipedia.org). This is indicative of the rest of
the horse’s body structure. A 16 hand 2 yr old has
no business doing the loads expected from a 14.3
hand 4 year old! Over 45 years of experience tells me, you either have a great
mature horse, or a “wonder” young horse. My
bro-in-law is a scout for the Atlanta Braves. He
will quickly advise that young pitchers develop
skill. Diversity, rather than a 90 mph fast ball is
key in a young pitcher. Throwing too fast too early
is a path to injury! Ditto, your horses! Wrong tack,
as well as starting too early, will emphasize injury
in young horses. Got a good horse? Take the time the
“HORSE” needs.
TIME
BITCHES, CONCERNS: Regardless, …
saddles made just for you, can usually be delivered
from 6 to 12 weeks., depending on the tree maker’s
availability to the saddler. (yeah, those custom
show saddles from our best makers can take up to 6
months or even a year, depending on your requests.)
There are limits on the number a person with quality
of skills, can deliver. Ya want ‘em delivered
right! If it’s worth having, it’s worth waiting on! Plan ahead, or borrow till yours comes.
When you purchase your horse, you could make this
time of tack, a condition of your total purchase.
OK,
so I have a lot of saddles ready to go. With makers
who have stuff on the floor & my inventory, over
2000 saddles. I appreciate the immediate variety. I do care that you get
what you want & need, so your rides are
“dreams come true”; not “masters of
disaster”.
If
ya want the “BEST” experience with your horse,
give this experience all you can! I’m not bashing
anybody. I am suggesting that you search for long
term satisfaction, rather than spur of the moment
gratifications. How many of you have called, and
I advised you think about it a day? Send me pics of
the horse? Tell me more about your riding? What are
your goals? If your horsey dream came true, what
would that be like? I purposely delayed a day or
two. …Most of you.
I’m
not in this business for just the $$$. Or, I’d
have “buy” buttons, overnite shipping, cheap
crap sold high, and such. Rather, I help people with
saddles, boots, chaps, and bits, because of my love
for many God-given opportunities for us all to have
our “experiences” of our lifetime!
God Bless you all.
Do
me a favor… Write
questions, comments, concerns, to cowboy@culturedcowboy.com Don’t expect an immediate response, just a reasonable response
time. I’m 61 & have a family life too. And I
like to play with my horses, as do you. This
ain’t a foreign deal. Not an automated click deal.
It’s a real deal.
I
get somewhat concerned about people coming to me after they made
several mistakes. (It's the Daddy in me.) Though
I’m more than happy to help, their frustrations
could have been avoided. Please
copy/paste this article to your buds, so we can,
together, best help everyone own their best choice!
Please keep my contact info with it as you
do.
ChuckyT
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Cultured Cowboy as author, preferably a link to our
site, and our phone numbers Thanks.
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