Australian Saddles

[KMacGinley]

Anyone ride an Australian saddle? Do you like them?

 

[born2run]

Owned one for a little while, and yes, I liked it. I first used a friend's Aussie that had the english irons/leathers. I bought the western style fenders for mine, and would recommend either way. The style of saddle is excellent for trail riding, more stable than english but less restrictive than western. If you're going to buy one I'd recommend sitting in one first at a tack shop. I bought mine off of Ebay, and found out the hard way that even the online sizing charts aren't correct. I sold the saddle because it didn't fit me.

 

[KMacGinley]

Thanks, how are they off as far as sizing goes?

 

[born2run]

They go by height, and don't factor in that a person like myself may have longer than normal legs.

 

[hayray]

Anyone ride an Australian saddle? Do you like them?

I rode in one once just long enough to figure out I did not want to ride in one again. You need to make sure that it is sized just right for "only one stirrup length you are ever going to use" because those stupid thigh rolls lock your leg into that one position and can rub you and be very uncomfortable. All as I say is make darn sure you ride in the saddle you want to buy first. They are not good for training for this reason. On young and cross country horses you shorten up the irons, on better trained, slower moving, and fat horses I need to lengthen up my irons so that spur placement is correct, Austraulian saddles don't allow this as much.

 

[cattleluvr18]

whats the differnce in a australian saddle?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm guessing you're talking bout our stock saddles?
Man, are they comfy! If I don't have to school a horse I always go for my stock saddle.

 

[hayray]

Anyone ride an Australian saddle? Do you like them?

Rode in them and I don 't like them because of the knee role on them. If the saddle is fitted for your leg length then it is no problem, except if you need to adjust your knee angle you can't . If they are not sized for you then they are really uncomfortable on your knees and thighs. No advantage over a nice balanced seat dressage saddle or a western saddle, the Austraullian saddle does a bad job of trying to be a mix of both.

 

[MillIronQH]

The next line is that a real Aussie saddle will cost as much as a very good stock or English saddle. $1200-2000. The cheaper ones you see around are usually made in places like India.Z

 

[ArrowHBrand]

I have owned an Aussie stock saddle for many years and do enjoy the comfy ride, but most horses I use it on don't like it because of the tree it's built on. My saddle has two padded bars that sit up on the horses back instead of over the back like a Western saddle. Size is different, you will need to get one or two sizes bigger than your Western saddle and definitely see if you can try it out first. My saddle was a gift from my wife so I couldn't give mine a test ride, luckily she did her homework and got the right size for me. Also the stirrups mine came with are a little small for my feet, I am looking to get different stirrups especially if you ride in the winter with boots on.

 

[Cindy]

Bought one in the late 80's it came from a company in Brisbane.My Arabian hated it because it didn't fit him.I loved it very much.It was truly designed for the outback .Double girthed and it had a special cinch ring that locked into place.If the horse lost you, in the outback it would come home with the saddle, or die with it on!! It was really something.But because my Arab didn't like it I traded it for a western saddle and it is about to train another horse,after more than 20 years