Re: Saddle type for walking horse

[Truman Prevatt <tprevatt@mindspring.com>]

>

A saddle that fits is the answer.  Okay, I stop being a smart ass. I had to have a custom made saddle for my walker when I was campaigning her. That was a few years ago. There are other options now. The Tucker saddle seems to be a favorite with walking horse owners these days. The Reactor Panel would also be a good choice.

The walker typically has a long, big shoulder with. Most saddles - the Big Horn seems to be particularly bad about it - tend to interfere with the shoulder movement and/or bridge on the typical walking horse conformation.

Good luck
Truman

> Tracy Behan ECD@ga.prestige.net
> I currently ride a Tennessee Walking Horse and over the past 5 years have
> done Limited Distance.  My first and only saddle has been a "take off" of
> a Big Horn Endurance saddle. Since my time and lifestyle only permits me
> to condition and ultimately ride LD, the saddle seemed to work OK.... I
> recently bought a Big Horn endurance saddle and the 5 times that I have
> used the saddle in conditioning (3 - 5 hours) each time, the horse has had
> a sore back 2 out of the 5.  Those 2 times he was sore were longer
> conditioning rides (5 hours).
>
> For anyone out there who rides a walking horse (I know there are not many)
> my question is this:  for the amount of time that I can dedicate to
> conditioning (one 3 - 5 hour ride per week) to do 3 - 5 LD rides a year
> what saddle would be the best for a WALKING HORSE.
>
> Tracy