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| | The Different Saddle Types
| An article from Used Saddles and Bridles UK
| | The Different Saddle Types
The English Saddle is the main saddle used for horse riding throughout the world. It has a spring tree as a foundation
and is well padded for the comfort of both horse and rider and is designed to allow freedom of movement for the horse whatever it is
asked to do - jumping, dressage, galloping cross country.
The main types of English Saddle are:
The All Purpose English Saddle As the name implies a general saddle useful for showing, hacking and the occasional
jumping class.
The Jumping Saddle is desgined for show jumping, cross-country and fox hunting. The main difference between this and
the all-purpose saddle is the design of the flap which is cut forward to make it possible to use shorter stirrups to bring the rider's
leg into the correct position for jumping. The flap also has added knee rolls to support the rider's knees.
The Dressage Saddle is designed for working on the flat so has a flap that is cut straighter than the all-purpose
saddle and the seat is set further forward and made deeper, all to allow for the rider's straighter leg and body position. This saddle
has less padding so the rider has more contact, and therefore more fine control of the horse. The girth straps are usually much longer
so the girth can be attached nearer to the horse's elbow.
The Endurance Saddle is designed for competitions in endurance riding so is all about comfort for both rider and
horse. It is well padded, including the seat, has wider stirrups and a larger skirt to spread the rider's weight. It is provided with
multiple d-rings for attaching equipment needed during long days in the saddle.
The Showing Saddle is designed for showing competitions, and as such is made as small as possible in order to allow
the judges to see as much of the horse's conformation as possible. It has little padding and mimimal support for the rider, with no
knee rolls.
The Western Saddle was designed to be a working saddle, to provide comfort and security to the cowboys working cattle
for long periods across uneven ground on trails and ranches across the United States. An addition to the English saddle is the horn
placed at the front of the saddle to be used to fasten a rope used to control another animal, typically a cow.
A western saddle
usually has fancy decoration with tooled leatherand silver plates, often customized for the rider. The tree is larger than an English
saddle and there is no padding between the tree and the skirt so a saddle blanket is needed to make the saddle comfortable for the
horse.It is used with a cinch, instead of a girth, the cinch being tied to the saddle with a flat leather or nylon strap (the latigo).
The stirrups are fixed to the saddle and do not detach in case of a fall by the rider.
The main types of Western Saddle are:
The Barrel Racing Saddle is designed for the sharp turns and fast runs used in the rodeo event of barrel racing. It
is a small, lightweight saddle with a flatter seat and high cantle and pommel to give the rider a more secure seat.
The Roping Saddle is a strong, heavy saddle with a thicker horn to attach a rope to.
The Endurance Saddle is a lightweight, saddle with a larger tree to distribute the rider's weight over a larger area
and is designed for long rides over rough terrain.
The Show Saddle is a fancier decorated saddle, with larger areas of tooling and silver decorations and a deeper
seat
The Treeless Saddle Instead of the saddle having a rigid tree as a foundation the treless saddle has a fibreglass
pommel and cantle to provide a rigid base. This saddle is very useful if you have a horse with a very wide back that doesn't fit a
standard saddle.
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