A horse that's good for trail riding is one that is trained to travel long distances, calm and obedient, and does not startle at streams, animals, or obstacles such as branches. A good trail riding horse has had adequate work and conditioning in order to handle trail rides physically and mentally. With some horses, it can take months, but some breeds do well as trail horses with only a few weeks of preparation.

Circle Y saddles offer great flexibility for maneuvering around trees, rocks, and other trail riding obstacles. The lightweight design offers comfort to the horse as it conforms to the horse's back. The skirts are specially designed with neoprene. The neoprene filler will absorb shocks and bumps to keep the rider and horse comfortable on long trail rides.

If you're looking to reduce the long saddle break in period, Circle Y saddles offer a product called the Circle Y Softee fender leathers and seat jockey. Another lightweight option is the Circle Y Flex-Lite trail riding saddles that are built for comfort.

The Circle Y saddle company has been under the ownership of the Leland Tucker family for over 40 years. The tradition of quality has been passed down since the company's inception in 1960. New management overtook operations in 2003 and has vowed to continue the Circle Y saddle tradition with a commitment to saddle design, quality and innovation.

Circle Y's patented Flex2 tree design allows saddles to fit well on a broad selection of horses, and it is present in many of Circle Y saddles. The Circle Y Softee seat jockey and fender leather minimizes strain to the rider's knees and ankles and provides a comfortable ride from the outset.

The tradition of designing quality trail riding saddles, ranch work saddles, barrel racing saddles, roping saddles, team penning saddles, and saddles for cutting horses has always been with Circle Y. A Circle Y saddle is the best all around choice for you and the enjoyment of your horse on the trail.

Posted under Horses

Horse riding saddles, which is also referred to as equestrian saddles, are seats attached on the horses back to support the rider. Riders use saddles for security and comfort when riding a horse. Before, saddles are just made of some sort of padding or protection secured by a surcingle. Today, saddles have more elaborate designs.

Horse riding saddles come in various styles including, but not limited to, English saddles, Stock saddles, military saddles, Asian saddles and endurance saddles. Within each style, there are variations that differ in the structure of the horse riding saddles. And the structures differ because of the specific uses.

There are four basic types of horse riding saddles that are most likely to be seen or encountered. These basic types differ in structures as well as in their intended use.

A dressage saddle is an English saddle that is used by dressage riders who perform discipline that do not involve jumping. For this reason, the saddle is designed with a deep seat to allow the rider to sit comfortably and relaxed. It has long stirrups, long and straight down saddle flaps, a high cantle and a high pommel. In this type of saddle, padding is lesser.

Another popular type of English saddle is the hunt seat saddle, which is quite the opposite of dressage saddle. This saddle is used by riders in disciplines that involves forward seat riding where the rider needs shorter stirrups for extra support. It is characterized by forward-cut flap that has more padded knee rolls. It is made with a flat, padded seat that is positioned further back, a low cantle, low pommel and knee rolls with padding.

Also known as jumping saddle, forward seat and close contact saddle, hunt seat saddle is very popular. Riders use hunt seat saddle in show jumping, hunt seat equitation, fox hunting as well as in stadium and cross-country phases of eventing.

There is also the cutback saddle, which also belongs to English saddles. This saddle is sometimes referred to as saddle seat saddle, Park or Lane Fox. It is designed with a seat that is longer and flatter than the seats on hunt seat saddles or dressage saddles. Also, it has wide front-to-back flaps, long stirrups and cut back pommel.

Western saddle, commonly known as cowboy saddle, is a popular saddle particularly in the western part of United States. It is used for Western riding and on working horses on cattle ranches. This saddle differs from other saddles because it is designed with a horn where riders tie or dally a cow.

Western saddles feature deep seats and high cantles. They are designed with heavy and substantial trees to absorb the shock of roping. Also these saddles have no padding between the trees and the external leather and fleece skirting. Western saddles come in many types including roping saddle, cutting saddle, barrel racing saddle, endurance saddle, trail saddle and equitation saddle.

Posted under Horses

Equestrian saddle, also known as horse riding saddle, is a seat used by a rider on the back of the horse. This seat is typically made of leather. It comes in many different types such as English saddles, Western saddles, Military saddles, Asian saddles and many others. In this article, I will be discussing about the Western saddles.

A Western saddle is a kind of equestrian saddle which refers to the one that is used on horses on working cattle ranches. Also known as a cowboy saddle, it is designed for security and comfort. This saddle is popular throughout the United States, particularly in the west. Western saddles are also used in different western riding activities today.

This type of riding saddle comes in different kinds for different purposes. There are general-purpose horse saddle models available. There are those which are made for greater freedom for the horse. Others are made for greater security of the rider.

Western saddles include endurance saddles, trail saddles and equitation saddles. But the most popular are the show saddles, the roping saddles, the cutting saddles, the reining saddles and the barrel racing saddles.

A show saddle is a kind of Western saddle that features a deep padded seat and is characterized by deep leather tooling and silver decorations. The deep padded seat is designed to allow the rider to sit quietly and give the appearance of a smooth ride. The additional deep leather tooling and silver decorations are just for styling.

The additional deep leather tooling and silver decorations in show saddles are typically placed on skirts, cantle, horn, stirrups and fork or pommel. With the additional deep leather tooling and silver decorations, Western shows saddles have become a fashion item rather than a support for riders.

There is a Western saddle that is used specifically for chasing, roping and dallying a cow " the roping saddle. This equestrian saddle is designed to give the rider the greatest freedom. It is a heavy and sturdy saddle with thicker and higher horn and low cantle and slick fork.

With the heavy and sturdy structure, roping saddles can withstand the pressure of the cow. Roping saddles are made with strong, thicker horns as it is where the cows are tied. The horns are also made higher so riders can tie the rope easily. With this type of Western saddle, riders can easily dismount because it has lower cantle and a slick fork.

A cutting saddle is a type of Western saddle that is used to isolate a cow from a larger herd. In isolating cows, riders have to make short stops and turns. This is why the cutting saddle is designed with deep seat and wide swells. Its free swinging fenders are made for balance, while its tall and thin horns are made for easy grip.

A reining saddle is a Western saddle that is used for a western riding competition called reining, in which rider accomplishes certain patterns that include circles, spins and sliding stops. This saddle features lower horn and fork to avoid interference with the reins. To enable the rider to shift during stops, it has low and shaped seat. For a closer leg communication, the skirts are cut out.

A barrel racing saddle is a Western saddle designed for the rider to obtain maximum speed and maneurability for use in a rodeo event called barrel racing. In barrel racing, the rider guides a horse and tries to complete a pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time.

Compared to other saddles, barrel racing saddles are lighter and feature higher forks and cantles, which keep the rider secured. They also have thin and taller horns for easy grip during turns. Like the cutting saddles, barrel racing saddles also feature free swinging fenders. These fenders allow riders to position their legs appropriately for balance.

Posted under Horses