Stumbled on this video over on VaqueroGirl’s blog.
This topic has so many nuances to it that I will probably come back to it later (many times). The main point I have to make is on the saddle subject is that if you are buying a saddle off the rack in a tack shop and are paying low prices, you will get what you pay for. A $300 saddle isn’t going to cut it for you or your horse if you spend any significant time in the saddle. Now, that’s not saying that you can’t find a deal somewhere. What I am talking about are those pieces of crap out there that are factory made by someone who probably doesn’t even know what a horse looks like, much less how it needs to fit. I kinda refer to them as white trash rigs. You know the ones...canvas with matching breast collars, headstalls, halters and of course splint and bell boots.
If you are at all serious about riding your horse and treating him/her with respect, save your money and invest in something that will fit and last. You probably can’t go wrong spending more money purchasing your saddle than what you paid for your horse, especially these days!
So, what’s your ride? English? Western? Endurance? Aussie?
Here’s my current saddle, when it was brand new:
