| Shopping for your western saddle can be great fun, | | | | like you were saddling a horse. No w stand in front of |
| however if you don't know what your after because | | | | the saddle and look down the saddle from the horn to |
| you don't know what size/specification you're after it | | | | the cantle and see if it's sitting straight on the pole, if it's |
| can be extremely overwhelming. | | | | not strait it will be very busy. However just to make |
| The most common problem with buying a saddle is | | | | sure you know the saddle would be sitting on one side |
| that people don't check to see if the saddle is straight. | | | | or the other and will not line up with the cantle. |
| Often the store you are buying from will not point this | | | | If you don't have a saddle rack with a bar then the |
| is out, as they want to make sales! If you ask a | | | | other way you can check it is to take the saddle and |
| reputable saddle maker then they will be more than | | | | rest the horn on your foot with the fleece facing away |
| happy to tell you. | | | | from you, then look down the middle of the saddle to |
| Manufacturers of saddles often use fiberglass, which | | | | see if one panel is on a different angle to the other |
| you need to be aware of, as these are more prone to | | | | panel. Then site down from the horn to the cantle to |
| twisting and bending under pressurized heat during the | | | | see if the horn is off centre to the cantle - if it is off by |
| manufacturing process. | | | | more than half an inch the saddle tree will be crooked |
| Have you ever been riding and felt as though you are | | | | and you don't want that saddle! |
| leaning over to a side and had major difficulty in | | | | If more people understood these problems when |
| keeping yourself in the middle of the horse? If you | | | | buying a horse saddle then there would be less injuries |
| were to thoroughly check the saddle it is quite possible | | | | to horses backs and their riders, as horses tend to |
| the tree is crooked, which is not good at all for the | | | | buck with a crooked tree. One online store in particular |
| horses back. | | | | that have a 100% satisfaction guarantee when it |
| It is important to do a bit of your own inspection to | | | | comes to saddle trees is saddleladydotcom. These |
| make sure the tree is straight, to do this you can | | | | guys have a 15-day return policy for this exact reason |
| check it by setting the saddle on a saddle rack bar just | | | | and have been in the game since 2004! |