Saddles?

[Linda Y]

My friend has finally decided that she needs a new saddle. I was wondering if anyone was familiar with the following:
Trekker Neutron
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260097316308&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:11
Classic Series Cordura Maverick Aussie saddle
http://www.aussiesaddle.com/images/cordura%20marvick.jpg
Or if you have any input...she doesn't have a lot of money to spend.

[Boyd R]

Linda State Line Tack here is going out of business or at minimum closing its doors in our PetSmart. I just picked up a Maxum Thorogood extra wide for $150 It is english, I beleive synthetic with sticky seat. I took templates for 3 different pasos and fit them better then than the wyntec pro I use. I mean a really nice fit. I have not used it yet, I need to go back for a longer girth. I am sure it is not built to last for years but for the price I can throw it in with a horse sale when I am done with it.

[Terry Wallace]

I just bought a Trekker Neutron....it is NOT the saddle you posted. It is basically a copy of the much more expensive "Tucker" saddle.
I like mine a lot...and I got it brand new off Ebay...for $157.00 + shipping...all total it was $195.99...a GREAT buy!

THIS is a Trekker Neutron... (too much blanket on this horse...this was just for photo purposes)...it has full QH bars....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/twobarwpaso/Riowithnewsaddle2007EMAIL.jpg


Remember "Rio"...he is my latest rescue Paso...

[Terry Wallace]

Here is a better pic of the Trekker Neutron on Sultan....
The best thing about them...they "look" and feel like a Tucker...but they are NOT long like a Tucker...

Great buy for the money....check out "Equiteric" on Ebay...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/twobarwpaso/Sultanwithnewsaddle32007EMAIL.jpg

ALL IT NEEDS...for me..are a set of "stirrup straights" and I will no doubt change out the GIGANTIC padded stirrups for aluminum westerns....

[Linda Y]

Boy, that Trekker saddle sits high! She may not mind that, tho.

[Terry Wallace]

You MUST have a horse with withers for full QH bars... a mutton-withered horse...and a trekker will most certainly "perch" you....

Notice how it is only sitting on Sultan... it is not cinched down...for photo purposes... Its a comfy thang!

That Aussie looks really "cheapy"..the rigging looks questionable..especially for the flank cinch connection.
Does she like Aussie saddles....? Has she sit one like that...it looks like a "locker"..locks you into the seat...the swells turn too far backward for me...

[Linda Y]

ALL IT NEEDS...for me..are a set of "stirrup straights" and I will no doubt change out the GIGANTIC padded stirrups for aluminum westerns....
I'll trade you a pair of black nylon regular westerns for those! I am just going to buy a pair, only I was going to get another nylon pair.

[Linda Y]

That Aussie looks really "cheapy"..the rigging looks questionable..especially for the flank cinch connection.
Does she like Aussie saddles....? Has she sit one like that...it looks like a "locker"..locks you into the seat...the swells turn too far backward for me...
That is what I told her. No, she hasn't ridden an Aussie, she just likes the look of them.

[Abejita]

if I may hijack this thread a sec...pretty please
Terry (or anyone else) please help me understand the FQHB ..vs a QH bar.. vs SemiQHB
I would think a FQHB would be desirable on a mutton withered type horse as they tend to be wider also(at least the 2 I have here) so you would need a wider saddle for them?Why does it perch you?What should you look for for one of these types of horses?Or is it more worrying about the height /clearance of the cantle over the withers?
I have been trying to read articles to figure out what I need for Bruja.Rick rode her in a western although he couldnt tell me what the bars were He told me the wider the better.I also have a problem with her in that every saddle I have here wants to move forward on her (mclellan and dressage..dressage not as much.I even feel like I get shifted forward on her when riding bareback..just seems everything want to crawl up her neck so I know I need ot get something I can use a crupper with THAT out to be fun on HER!!)I have a Big horn endurance with semiQH bars that for NOW fits abejita.Bruja made sure I knew that it pinched her :shock: The ancient steubben dressage saddles seem to fit almost any horse here BUT with my back and hips bugging me more I have found I am more comfortable riding 'western' style ..either a mcclellan or preferably endurance (not a fan of horns)I also have a VERY limited budget so I need to make sure I try to become more educated..

[Terry Wallace]

I think the main problem is that full QH bars...are not wide enough for the many mutton withered Pasos you see these days.... Full QH bars IS the widest QH "bars" you get on a QH saddle. The get NARROWER not wider when they are "semiQH"...semi-QH is for horses built like TB's or "appendix" QH with a higher wither...

If I were you Sher.... I would look into a Tennessean western saddle if you are after a western saddle...I own two western T's and they fit about everything around here... the bars are spread like a normal saddle..and then they are counterspread for a gaited horse shoulder fit....western saddles are not counter-spread at the front (wither area).

The tree of this Trekker Neutron..is a much smaller tree than that of a western saddle..it is shorter on the sides...the tree does not come down as far as a western saddle, ergo..it fits quite a few horses....but it would not fit mutton withers....there must be a pronounced wither....not neccessarily a "high" wither...but a well-shaped wither.

It looks perchier on Rio..that is because Rio is flat backed with a skinny, high wither. As Pasos go...he is a CAMEL....his high wither is the tallest point of his entire back. You cannot tell htis because I put a big, thick blanket on him for this photo...poor choice of blanket by me...but I just grabbed what was closest in my tack room..

It fits much better on Sultan...he has a very "good set" of withers, and an uphill build.... with a short back and nice, round hinney...Rio does not have this....he goes "south" from wither to tail...

Maybe I should take a pic of it on Rio with no blanket at all, as then it will sit "farther down" on his wither. The Trekker fits 4 of 7 horses here. (1 is too young..not broke yet..but I bet it will fit her too) I actually got the saddle for Dante the palomino...

[Abejita]

This is Bruja my hard fit (she is also a cold backed ..cough ..cough.. feels like you are riding a camel hump for awhile)doesnt try to buck just keeps a hump there..even bareback..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/Bruja1/fsmhorses010.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/Bruja1/fsmhorses009.jpg

This is Abejita..That Semi QHB saddle probably will not fit her once she starts filling out more. (I had Nola look at the fit for me)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/Bruja1/fsmhorses023.jpg

[Pinto Paso]

Terry, I bought the same saddle in leather - really really like it..

[Terry Wallace]

Abejita is not a good candidate for QH bars.... she has the mutton type wither...her neck just sort of "melds" into her back in one sweep...
No real discernable wither happening there.

I bet a Tennessean saddle would fit her (you can try before you buy)....for sure an Abetta western or a wide-treed western made by circle Y.

What she really looks like a good candidate for is a treeless BM or Ansur...
Get a tcky saddle pad though or it will likely slip and you don't want to have to "cinch her in two" (very tightly) to get it to stay in place.
A breast collar helps keep 'em located...

[CarolU]

Zar has mutton withers too. I tried 7 different saddles on her, including wide tree Wintecs and full QH bar westerns. None of them fit and she'd antsy all over the place. You could tell they bothered her shoulders.

I finally tried an Ansur on her and after one lap on the lunge line, she visibly relaxed when she figured out that THIS saddle wasn't going to hurt. In two years, it was the first time I rode a relaxed horse. It was what made my decision to buy one. But they ARE expensive. I think Kuda tack makes a treeless saddle now, you might look into that and Mauricio is very nice to work with.

You might try her with a bareback pad and see what difference it makes.

BTW, I've had the Ansur solve "behavior" problems in several horses. You really can't blame a horse for "misbehaving" when they are in pain. It's the only way they have of telling you, "it hurts."

Of course the drawback to them is that they slip easily. I wouldnt' use a fleece blanket under one. I use a cotton weave for regular riding, it has pretty good grip, and for showing I use the tacky pad.

[Terry Wallace]

Linda...post a pic of those stirrups...I'd likely trade you....I do not like big, padded endurance type stirrups....

You know me..."stirrups are for getting on & off" not for pressing your feet onto while riding!!

[Linda Y]

Terry, these are the stirrups. They are a little dirty, but being nylon or whatever they are, they clean up real quick! Now that I see the pictures, I think they are Ralide brand.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/yorkhrse/MVC-024F.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/yorkhrse/MVC-026F.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/yorkhrse/MVC-025F.jpg

[Terry Wallace]

HHHMMMmmm...I'm thinking....(smell the smoke?)

How old are they Linda? Would you please measure them at the widest part of the inside of the base (at bottom where foot sits)..Thanks....

[Linda Y]

I haven't the foggiest how old they are. I bought the saddle used that they are on.
Will go measure them in a bit...

[Linda Y]

OK, I measured them...
5" at the widest part of the bottom and 2 1/2 inches at the top. I also have the same stirrups on my Abetta which may be newer. You could have either set. They look exactly alike, and yes it does say Ralide on them.

[Pam M]

My mare looks very much the same build as Abejita and neither the Abetta western nor the Abetta Endurance are a good fit for her. They both slip too much. The endurance (QH bars) slips forward and the western (Arabian size) slips backward. I've tried six saddles on her and have finally decided to go treeless. So...anyone want to buy a saddle? I've got 4 for sale now!

[Terry Wallace]

For Linda....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/twobarwpaso/StirrupwidthBB.jpg

The padding is 3/4" thick...glued on
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/twobarwpaso/StirruplengthBB.jpg

They are big, and LONG...they are leather over steel...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v101/twobarwpaso/StirrupdepthBB.jpg

[Mellifluous]

This is Phoebe from last year, her back is still the same.

I am lucky, my Wintec Isabell and my Simco endurance both fit her nicely.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v163/legado/Mel_Phoebe_side.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v163/legado/horses/saddle1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v163/legado/horses/saddle.jpg

[Abejita]

well Abejita (the grey) I can use my semiQHB big horn endurance on but like i said I think in a year or so she will fill out over her shoulder more and it wont fit..and the stuebben and even my mclellan which is of unknown parentage (I THINK it was an old McClellan that was rebuilt) will fit her..(the mcclellan MIGHT bridge ..have not gotten her out with that one for the towel test) now the BAY Bruja is the one I cannot seem to get a fit for..they ride up on her, she humps her back or bridge(my old mcclellan esp bridges..the BH endurance pinches her shoulders ..she TOLD me LOL Plus she is pretty short backed..

[CarolU]

Well, I looked through my photos and tried to find a pic of Zar's shoulders, but these are the best I could do. She is a pretty classic mutton withered horse.

This is a spring shot and she probably has an inch of hair all over, but you can sorta see her shoulder go out pretty straight with no descerable drop off from her withers.

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/data/23115ZarButt.jpg

And in this one you can see the build of her shoulder up by her withers.

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/data/2311561_Zar_Cropped-med.jpg

[Linda Y]

Mel, I love the way that Simco fits your mare. I am trying very hard to get my friend to realize that he saddle doesn't fit her horse, and not to go for just the 'pretty' of the looks. Her horse is shortbacked, round and high headed. The Wintec western she put on him obviously pinched him, and her Wintec english digs into his back. Since she is on a limited budget I hope she will shop wisely! She also needs a bit...the one she is using now pinches his mouth bad.

[pasorider]

Terry,
If Linda isn't interested in your stirrups, I am. What do you want for them outright since I don't have any to trade. I ride those kind and love them. My husband has poor circulation, and he use to complain of his feet going to sleep when he rode, so he got a pair, and no more trouble. We would ride up to 8 hours a day, no complaints, so I got a pair of them and love them. I have one saddle that doesn't have them on, just cheap nylon plain ones, and I need another pair for that saddle.

[Linda Y]

I am going to go out this AM and see if they will work on my Bob Marshall. Since my stirrups are already on the last hole up, they may make it too long. So I have to measure and see if they will.
Terry, if they ARE too big, and I get some other stirrups, you can have these that come off my saddle.

[Terry Wallace]

Its a deal.... I will ship them to Linda... ;-)

[Mellifluous]

Its a deal.... I will ship them to Linda... ;-)


Just for the record Terry, I think you are NUTS for getting rid of those stirrups. THEY ROCK!

[Terry Wallace]

Mel..to me they are way to big & bulky..I don't like them at all.. why would you need padded, big bulky stirrups when stirrups are for getting off & on and NOT for putting weight on... ;-)

For me...they are dangerous foot-lockers!

[Mellifluous]

Mel..to me they are way to big & bulky..I don't like them at all.. why would you need padded, big bulky stirrups when stirrups are for getting off & on and NOT for putting weight on... ;-)

For me...they are dangerous foot-lockers!

I dunno, you might want to ask all of the endurance riders that. :twisted:

[Terry Wallace]

Mel..I'm a trainer not an endurance rider!

[Linda Y]

Well, this is the saddle that Ellen decided on. It is an M & W Trooper saddle. She likes it, it fits the horse pretty good...altho a little long. I tried it and don't like it myself, but it won't be MY saddle!
What you all think?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v120/yorkhrse/bueno03232007.jpg

[CarolU]

Ask her if she needs a BIG horse named Trooper to go under it?? ;-)

I think it looks NICE. Cushy. It looks a little high over the horse for my taste, but it is not any worse then 90% of the saddles out there. Nice wide stirrups for trail riding. I wonder how the edge rides near the hip, it looks a little close to me.

I think that is a very pretty gelding!

[Pam M]

I think Bueno's beautiful! As is your avatar Linda! Sorry, no opinions on the saddle, just the horse.

[Terry Wallace]

It looks to be a bit perchy...but I would *probably* like it, as long as it did not "rock" me forwadr & back while riding.... I think they LOOK really nice!

[cowboy ed]

yep, terry, those wide padded stirrups are what we like to do endurance riding. if you ride 50 miles or more like i do, you will use your stirrups a lot more than just getting on your horse, even if you ride a paso fino.

i use my endurance saddle for my training saddle too. it has the wide stirrups with cages and stirrup straighteners. works really well for all the young horses i start.

that trooper saddle looks like a giant waterbug to me. i tried one before, though, and it was very comfortable.

[ErinC]

I have a pair of light weight alum. endurance stirrups for sale,
60.some odd $ new,
I will let go for less and the are like new only a few rides.
http://a.im.craigslist.org/pa/db/WmJBMWbmUGwGAD4AWRpuNz4Yvm7s.jpg

[Linda Y]

It looks to be a bit perchy...but I would *probably* like it, as long as it did not "rock" me forwadr & back while riding.... I think they LOOK really nice!

It looks perchy to me too. But when you get on, the sling seat goes down and it doesn't *feel* perchy. But it does push me forward...because of my ample tushy I guess. It doesn't do that to her, tho. It is VERY cushy and has a lot of 'air space' under the seat for nice air flow.
By the way, Terry, you should get your stirrups probably tomorrow. Mailed them Monday.

[Abejita]

so it is a not perchy-but its very cushy-although it tends to pushy da tushy??

[Linda Y]

Yes, cushy pushy tushy sans perchy.

[Terry Wallace]

You should get your stirrups any day now Linda....I mailed them out Monday too! They are in a rectangular box... ;-)

[CarolU]

Yes, cushy pushy tushy sans perchy.

:lmao :rofl :lmao :rofl