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Trail Saddles

Nothing at Holtz gets quite the amount of free press as our trail riding saddles. They’ve been featured throughout history’s greatest films – from John Wayne and Clint Eastwood in the early 1950s to Russell Crowe and Jeff Bridges during the 21st Century. The biggest advantage you’ll find to a trail or pleasure saddle is the level of comfort (hence their popularity in Hollywood). Although they come in a variety of styles, at their core they’re designed to be lighter and more accommodating to you and your pack. Often built on a lightweight tree, these saddles are not meant for heavy ranch-related work but more for pleasure on exhausting trails. And when it comes to an overnight trek, you’ll certainly feel the effects of an inadequate or cheap trail saddle. So unless you want to waddle like a duck after your ride, we suggest you do your homework!

Traditionally, you’ll find most trail riding saddles come standard with a lower cantle and a padded seat (again, both components meant for added comfort) Those with the opposite are used for greater protection. The rigging: in-skirt because of the stress placed on the saddle. They’re equipped with many leather ties to ensure you’ve got everything for your journey.

Musts of Trail Riding Saddles

It’s important that you prepare accordingly before starting your ride. As we all know, tack changes en route are not fun nor easy. Having the optimal saddle fit when leaving will ensure a smooth and comfortable ride even after 8 hours on a horse.

Now when it comes to your saddle’s design, make sure it fits your horse properly. This mean the bars (the part of the saddle tree that sits on either side of your horse’s spine) are lined along the spine of your horse. Again, we stress the importance of the bars being free from the spine as this will cause a great deal of discomfort for the animal over the course of your ride. And be sure to check this yearly as your horse’s weight can fluctuate, causing shape changes that ultimately call for a different saddle fit.

Next, make sure you select the proper cinch. Don’t count on the cinch to correct a saddle that doesn’t fit – this is an all too common mistake and not suggested. If you have a saddle that’s double rigged, use both cinches. A word of advice: consider a cinch that doesn’t rub or pinch your horse but is also easy to clean and stays clear of debris and trail detritus.

Lastly, we wanted to review rider frustration with stirrups. If you do quite a bit of riding and find you’re plagued with sore knees and ankles, it’s likely the cause of straining your stirrups to point forward when their natural position is sideways. We suggest two options: soak your fenders in water, twist them into the desired position and put a pole or broomstick through the stirrups to hold the fenders in place; this usually does the trick. If not, Stirrup Straights from companies like Cashel Company are available.

Now we’ve only described a few pointers to get you started on the trail. Yes, we’re here to sell saddles at the cheapest prices available but we’re also here to help you along your journey and answer all your questions along the way. Use us as a knowledgeable resource then hit the trails with your new horse saddle safely and securely.