| The Western Saddle is used for "western riding" | | | | include the following: |
| and is the saddle used on working horses on | | | | * "Equitation": A show saddle with an especially |
| cattle ranches throughout the United States and | | | | deep seat to keep the rider in place. |
| especially in the west. The "cowboy" saddles are | | | | * Show: Saddle is characterized by the addition of |
| familiar to rodeo fans and movie goers and to | | | | leather and tooling with lots of silver decorations. |
| those who have gone on trail rides at guest | | | | Can be based on roping, cutting, pleasure etc. |
| ranches. The Western Saddle was designed to | | | | * Trail: A comfort saddle for the rider as well as |
| allow the cowboy comfort and security during | | | | the horse. Deep padded seat for long slower rides. |
| long hours of work herding cattle in a time when | | | | * Endurance: Lighter weight saddle often without a |
| that was their livelihood. | | | | horn built in. The tree spreads the riders weight |
| We give credit to the Spanish vaqueros for the | | | | out over a large area of the horses back. Many |
| design of the Western Saddle. They were the | | | | times the stirrups are rigged slightly forward for |
| early horse trainers and cattle barrens of the | | | | fast dismount. |
| Southwest and Mexico. A combination of the | | | | * Barrel Racing: Lightweight with wide swells and |
| Moorish style saddle and the jousting style were | | | | high cantle allowing rider quick dismounts. |
| employed with the added innovation of the saddle | | | | * Cutting: Has a deep seat and wide swells for |
| "horn". The horn allowed the vaqueros to control | | | | control in quick turns and fast sprints. |
| the cattle with the use of a rope that could be | | | | * Roping: Heavy, sturdy saddle with a thicker horn |
| quickly tied to the horn. | | | | for securing a rope. Low cantle and a slick fork |
| Today, there is not much roping of cattle except | | | | that allows the rider to dismount quickly when |
| in competitions, but the saddle still has these | | | | needed. |
| features incorporated in to it from history. There | | | | The history and romance of the Western Saddle |
| are a few variations on the western saddle design | | | | makes it a favorite especially among the people |
| such as those used in bronc riding, endurance | | | | of America where it was refined and expanded in |
| riding which have no horn. The historical saddle | | | | to what it is today. |
| was made for comfort and to be ridden for | | | | If you have any questions on Horse supplies or |
| many hours every day of the week. A working | | | | Posh Pampered Pets, please call 979-221-7251. |
| tool for the cowboy. For the novice it may give | | | | Our home office is located in Waller, Texas, with |
| the impression of providing a more secure seat, | | | | warehouses located throughout the United States |
| but this is misleading as the horn is not meant to | | | | such as Dallas TX, Houston TX, New York NY, |
| be a handle for the rider to hang on to. Seat, high | | | | Denver CO, Chicago ILL, Seattle WA, Kansas City |
| cantle and heavy stirrups are meant to be all | | | | MO, Miami FL, Raleigh-Durham NC, Washington DC, |
| independent of each other in a control issue. | | | | Los Angeles CA, Fayetteville AR, Philadelphia PA, |
| The most common "western style" saddles | | | | Phoenix Arizona, San Antonio TX Texas. |