youth saddles

[XXDU78A@prodigy.com (MS LOUISE D BURTON)]

I have two juniors, age 10, and 13.  They both ride English.  My son, 13,
who is small, rides in a synthetic English saddle he loves.  Cheapie from
State Line Tack.  It will be a long time before he outgrows it, as it fits
adults as well.  My daughter rides in a 13" or 14" leather English saddle
she has about outgrown.  She loves the synthetic saddle.
*I would NOT reccommend aussies, or anything with a lot of "stuff" like
pommels, knee rolls, etc.
*Be sure to get a WIDE tree in the synthetics unless your horse is very
narrow.  My son's horse is the narrowest we have, and the saddle wouldn't
fit any of our others, even with the "wide tree".
*Don't spend a lot of money on one!  My daughter can't wait til she "stops
growing" so I will get her one like mine...a DeSoto saddle.
*What is comfortable for you may not be for them.
*Don't do the peacock stirrups routine!  My son has ridden over 1000 miles
of competition in peacock stirrups...I rode in his saddle last week...YUK!
The band stretches so you stirrup is not level...it will stretch on the
outside...or inside..wherever the band is.  Impossible to keep your leg
still.  We are going to look into the trail tec stirrups with cover guard.

Hope this helps!
Louise Burton
Firedance Farms Arabians
Home of Fa Al Badi+/
OK