What type of Western Saddle?

[WaddWatsonEllis]

For the last ten years, I have avoided horses like the plague due to allergies. In the words of my '90s allergist, "I'm not saying you should give up riding; just make sure that the paddock you ride at is immediately adjacent to an Urgent Care Facility..." LOL

I just went to the allergist again, and he says that, after testing, that I have outgrown the allergies and can begin riding again.....YEA!

I would like to do some western riding, perhaps even do some mounted shooting.

But my problem is with saddles ... my favorite saddle that I have ever ridden was a very well used Steuben jumping saddle.  I liked it for three reasons:

1.) It moved my body weight 'way forward, just over the horse's front withers.

2.) The Steuben placed my calves right in the  groove behind the front shoulders; so any move that the horse was about to make was telegraphed throught my calf muscles; I knew what the horse was about to do before it made a move...

3.) And possibly why I could 'read' the horse so well, was the absolute lack of fenders on the saddle... My calf was direclty against the grove behind the front shoulder of  the the horse.

So I am stumped as to what kind of saddle would be similar but appropriate to SASS...

The only one I can think of is a McClellan Saddle >>> Am I right?

So I am starting this thread to let all you saddlmakers chime in with yout thoughts ....

[ChuckBurrows]

Take a look at what was then (and still is) known as a plantation saddle.......

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Chuck,

I went to school in a small military academy that had a riding stable .... and, strangely enough, it had a plantation saddle there which I often rode  .....

But would it fit in with all the SASS and NCOWS people, or would I be told that it really wasn't 'period'?

I would think that the possibility of owning a McClellan Saddle in the West would be much more likely thatn any English rig ....

Again, I am playing the Devil's Advocate, and asking questions out of a total lack of knowledge ... or just enough to be very dangerous ... LOL

[Icebox Bob]

The plantation saddle is a reasonable suggestion, especially if you have a southern connection.  You will sometimes see them called a Buena Vista saddle.

Another suggestion is the trooper saddle, otherwise known as the British "universal pattern saddle".  This is the British cavalry counterpart to the McClellan.  The first version appeared in the mid 1800's.  The North West Mounted Police/Royal Canadian Mounted Police have used the early and later versions -
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/hist/hnud-nhut/saddles-selles-eng.htm

Here is probably more than you need to know about UP saddles -
http://www.militaryhorse.org/upsaddle/1890.htm
And here is a thread of comments -
http://gaitedhorses.net/forum/index.php?topic=6172.0

There are a few makers producing them now;
two are in Salem, IL -  http://tarpinhill.net/saddle.htm  &  http://www.heskettsaddleworks.com/about_us.html
Here is another - http://trailandfieldsaddlery.com/troopersaddles.shtml
In Canada - http://www.haggissaddles.com/

I have a trooper saddle and appreciate that there is only one layer of leather between my leg and the horse.  My wife (an ex-three day eventer) can't stand it!  The original was used with a surcingle and some people prefer using one.

So if you ever managed to 'travel' abroad into any corner of the Victorian British Empire, you might have acquired one!

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

You've probably heard several of us here on this forum speak highly of David Carrico of Carrico Leatherworks. Right now, David has some slightly used McClellan Saddles used in several films at a very reasonable price, around the $450.00 range. Damn good deal!!

Dave supplies saddles to the film industry, that's what he does for a living, and he makes his own saddles. If the McClellan doesn't suite you he can probably make anything you want. If you've watched any westerns in the past 20 years that used mounted Cavalry Troops, you've probably seen David and his saddles at work.

Dave is a contributor here on the leather shop forum and we try to support those that post here. Check out his web site below.

Bill

Carrico Leatherworks web site.
http://www.carricoleather.com/

[Freedom]

Glad to hear that you have outgrown the allergies!!! I couldn't imagine life without my horse.


Here is the saddle that I make with the mounted shooter in mind.

I really like the Meanea tree with the Sam Stagg rig. This leaves a lot of room up front for your pistols and the open sturrup leathers of the half seat give your legs a Lot of flexabilty

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,27100.msg357107.html#msg357107