Westren horse saddle consists of many components including the tree, cinch, stirrups and horns. All together these parts create the most comfortable and durable seat to ride the horse. These saddles are usually popular in the United States. Saddle makers recommend to change the saddle after every two years. Although it depends on the quality of your saddle.
A high quality saddle can last you a lifetime. Most riders prefer the western horse saddle because it is comfortable and functional. Before choosing your saddle it is important to know the parts it is made of. Therefore i’m writing this article to explain the components of horse saddle in detail.
· The Upper Part Of The Saddle.
The most upper part of the western horse saddle consists of the tree, seat, gullet, cantle, skirt and the pommel. The tree is the base or foundation of saddle which is made of wood. The remaining saddle is built on this tree.
The tree is the most important part of the horse saddle as it determines the the fit and weight of saddle. The pommel is the front part of saddle which prevents the tree from applying the pressure on the horse’s spine and stops the rider from sliding forward. The gullet is the V-shaped opening that sits under the pommel and on top of the horse’s withers.
It’s purpose is to keep the saddle in place. Seat is the place where rider sits. It is wider than the pommel. Cantle is used to provide stability to the tree. The cantle is wider than the seatl and few inches higher than the pommel. It gives higher support to the rider. The last upper part of saddle is the skirt which is beneath the seat. It protects the horse’s back from the tree. It is made up of leather or sheepskin.
· Side Part Of The Saddle.
The sides of the western horse saddle consists of fenders, stirrups and strings. The fenders are the leather pieces that are connected to the saddle tree from the top and prevents the legs of riders from touching the sides of the horse. It keeps the rider and the horse comfortable throughput the ride.
The stirrups are attached at the bottom of the fenders. It is the solid frame where rider places the feet to get on or off the horse. It is used to maintain the balance when the rider is riding the horse. They are usually wide in size and rider should be wearing high healed cow-boy boots. Lastly the strings are made of leather.
They are strips that are hanging at the side of the saddle and are attached to the pommel. The strings are not used by the western riders nowadays but they are still valued for their western look of the horse saddle.
· The Straps Of The Saddle.
The straps are used to secure tha saddle of the horse. In western horse saddle, the cinch and latigoes that are placed on the sides of saddle are used to secure the saddle of the horse. The cinch is the wide strap made up of leather and is placed behind the forelegs of the horse.
It is used to connect the saddle to the horse. The western horse saddle only have either the front cinch or the front and back cinch also known as the single rigging and the double rigging.
Lattigoes are the two straps that are made up of leather and are attached on the both sides of the saddle. The top of latigo is connected to the D-ring that is connected to the front of the skirt. The bottom of the latigo is connected to the cinch-ring. In order to attach or detach the saddle, only the left latigo is attached or separated from cinch. Billet is another term for the offside latigo.
Closure: Replace it with Conclusion
Western horse saddles are really usefull for the beginners to ride the horse safely and comfortably because they are bigger in size and easy to balance on. Western saddles usually weight upto twenty five pounds and a good quality saddle can last upto 25 years if handled with care. In order to last your saddle longer you must secure it in the cool and dry area and place it on the saddle rack. Getting the right fit for your saddle will determine your riding experience.
