Looking At A Bunch of Saddles For Sale But Don\’t Know What The Parts Are Called?
Most saddles for sale have the same basic make-up. Looking at saddles can be a bit overwhelming when you don\’t have any idea what you\’re looking at. Once you learn the basics, you can shop both western and English saddles.
The Most Important Saddle Parts
Knowing the right terminology will definitely benefit you when shopping for saddles. If you can distinguish between the different parts of a saddle you will have an easier time communicating with the seller. A little extra vocabulary can make your browsing through saddles for sale a much smoother experience.
The \”tree\” is the part that all saddles for sale are constructed of. It is a basic skeleton that is made of wood, steel or other man-made materials.
The \”pommel\” is the front bump on a saddle that holds you in from the front. Western saddles have horns connected to their pommel.
The \”skirt\” covers the area where the stirrups attach to the saddle. This keeps these parts from catching on the rider.
The \”seat\” obviously is where the rider sits in the saddle.
The \”cantle\” is the back part of the saddle that is a little higher than the seat which holds the rider in the saddle from behind.
The \”stirrups\” are usually metal hoops where the rider rest his or her feet.
The \”billets\” are leather connectors that hold the girth to the saddle. the girth ropes the saddle around the horse\’s body.
English saddles only:
The \”saddle flaps\” protect the horse and rider from friction between the rider\’s leg and the horse\’s side.
Western saddle parts:
The \”fenders\” on a western saddle are similar to saddle flaps on an English saddle but are usually a more slender strip of leather.
These are not the only parts you will find on a horse saddle. In fact, you may find other parts on a number of saddles for sale that concern your purchase that are not listed here. But these basics will help you to get started navigating saddles in general and lead you on your way to a smarter buy.
Author, Anne Katherine knows a lot regarding saddles for sale. Search for more posts by her elsewhere on the internet if you like what you see here.
