Trail Saddles The most popular type of saddles, trail saddles are specially designed to be as comfortable as possible for long hours of riding over rough terrain. trail saddles are also light weight as they are not designed for heavy work like ranch style or roping saddles. New designs, features and materials often appear in trail saddles first as they are the most widely purchased saddles. They also come in many different styles of horns, seats trees, swells etc.
Some styles may include a higher fork for more stability in the saddle, a thinner horn that is easier to hold, comfortable height cantle with a deep recess, wider stirrup treads, padded seats, round skirts or cutouts to lessen weight and more.
Ranch Saddles
These working saddles, known as cowboy, old time, all around or buckaroo, are sturdy, heavy weight working saddles made for long hours of riding and functionality around the ranch. Features include deep seats for comfort, low swells to to be unobtrusive when working, thick horn with horn wrap, plate rigging for maximum strength, high cantle, rope strap, double rigging and more.
Roping Saddles
Designed specifically for roping these saddles are made for freedom of movement and heavy use. The saddle must have a strong horn and saddle tree and allow maximum freedom of movement for chasing, roping and dallying with the cow. Features often include a wooden saddle tree with bullhide cover, a low rounded fork, double rigging a deep saddle with suede or other rough cover for grip, allow cantle to allow easier mounting and dismounting and forward hung stirrups for bracing effects.
Cutting saddles
Designed specifically for separating single cows from the herd, a cutting saddle must keep the rider well balanced when executing sharp turns, stops and starts. With probably the wildest riding taking place during cutting, the saddle must assist in keeping the rider seated! Some features include a thin, tall horn for easier gripping, swells that are high and wide, long flat seat for good maneuverability, forward hanging fenders for balance during sharp turns, slim stirrups, a low cantle and more.
Reining Saddles
Designed for reining sporting events a reining saddle must provide close contact for maximum communication when executing patterns of spins, circles and sliding stops. In addition the close contact will allow communication that will not be seen by spectators.
Reining competitions are all about the athleticism of the horse and the subtle communication between rider and horse. A properly designed reining saddle will allow the rider to be in the correct position and out of the way of the horse. Reining saddles are often used as training saddles as they allow maximum communication between the horse and the rider.
Endurance Saddles
Endurance saddles are made for competition rides of fifty or a hundred miles a day. The saddle must be light weight but well made to stand long rides often over rough terrain. Close contact is needed but bulk must be minimised. Endurance saddles are comfortable and are gaining in popularity as general trail saddles. Features include a comfortable, padded seat, no horn, short skirts for lower weight, deep stirrups, single rigging, saddle strings for gear and more.
Show Saddles
Designed for good looks rather than work these saddles follow fashions and change accordingly. In the horse show arena the emphasis is on the latest fashion and last years style just won't cut it! Some show saddles are exquisitely styled, some hideous so pick wisely. Some features of show saddles include deep and ornate tooling, deep skirts to allow more decoration, silver trims on stirrups, horn fork and cantle, turned stirrups for better looks and padded seats.
