Dry Fork Saddle - Saddle Information Page

About Saddles

This page is meant to share some information about saddles in general, our Dry Fork Saddles, and any other pieces of info we thought you might be able to use. New information will be added every now and then, so you might want to check back once in a while.

Current Topics: Saddle Fit ~ Saddle Styles

Last update: 12/28/2005

Saddle Fit

Saddles are like shoes; if they don’t fit well, they hurt. If the saddle doesn't fit the horse it will hurt. If the saddle fits well, it will make the ride more comfortable for you and your horse.

A bad-fitting saddle is often the cause of a bad-acting horse. Think about it, if every time you wore shoes they hurt your feet you wouldn't’t be too happy about wearing shoes. A saddle that does’t fit a horse is going to hurt the horse – and it won’t take long for the horse to figure out what’s causin’ the pain. Then the horse will likely act up whenever you try to saddle or ride him. What’s worse, after a horse associates the saddle with a sore back, it might take some patience and training to teach the horse that a new (better fitting) saddle doesn't hurt.

As for your behind – you need a saddle seat that fits you, or riding won’t be much fun for you either. As general rule - women usually like a 15” seat and men go for a 16” seat. A narrow saddle is going feel a bit smaller than a wide saddle. It all depends on what you and your behind like.

Contact us and we'll be happy to work with you to make sure your saddle is the right fit for your horse and you.
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Saddle Types:
To the untrained eye most western saddles look pretty much the same – but all saddles are not created equal, and many of our saddles have been designed for a specific purpose. We zeroed in on the specific needs of different cowboy fun, and while some of our saddles are geared more for one sport or another, most can and are used for any purpose.

All Around Saddles ~ Roping Saddles ~ Penning & Cutting Saddles ~ Trail Saddles ~ Barrel Saddles

All Around Saddles:
If you live and work from a saddle our all around saddles are worth a close look. Tough enough to rope from, comfortable enough to spend the day on the trail, and steady enough for cutting work, it’s hard to go wrong with any of these saddles. Back to top

Click to see any of these great all around saddles (use your back button to return)
~ Northwest Wade ~ 98' Wade ~ Lady Wade (Wade Lite) ~ Lady Pendleton (Pendleton Lite)~ Pendleton Assoc. ~ Wood Post Pendleton ~ Great Basin Assoc. ~ T.P. Ranch Cutter ~ Versatility ~ Teton All Around ~ Uinta Rancher ~ Jordan Valley 3B ~ Great Plains ~

Roping Saddles:
If you do a lot of roping, we have saddles that are made specifically for the challenges of competitive roping. Tell us what you need in your roping saddle and we can help you find the best saddle for you. Just look at some of these. Back to top

Click to see any of these great roping saddles (use your back button to return)
~ Wood Post Pendleton ~ Versatility ~ Lady Working Cowhorse
(Cowhorse Lite) ~ Teton All Around ~ Guthrie Classic ~ Uinta Rancher ~ Bitterroot Roper ~

Penning Cutting Saddles:
Penning saddles must fit you horse well, without restricting his movement, or throwing him off balance. The rider needs to feel like he has solid seat, even in the quickest, and sharpest cuts. These saddles have been praised by more than one cowboy when used in the penning arena. Back to top

Click to see any of these great penning & cutting saddles (use your back button to return)
~ T.P. Ranch Cutter ~ Versatility ~ Working Cowhorse ~ Lady Working Cowhorse
(Cowhorse Lite) ~ Uinta Rancher ~

Trail Saddles:
Lightweight and comfortable are the key factors for a good trail saddle. An all day ride over rough and varied terrain can be tough on you and your horse. These saddles have been trimmed of the excess fat, without letting quality or functionality slip. 'Course any of our "lite" saddles would work too.'Back to top

Click to see any of these great trail saddles (use your back button to return)
~ Teton All Around ~ Uinta Rancher ~ Jordan Valley 3B ~ Mile Maker ~ Summit ~ Wade Trail ~

Barrel Saddle:
Barrel racing produces well muscled horses that are able to turn on a dime. Saddles for these horses must be lightweight, and allow the horse full freedom of movement. A barrel saddle must be designed to fit these speed daemons muscular frame, and give the rider the balance she needs to take home the money. Back to top

Click to see our great barrel saddle (use your back button to return)
~ Competitor ~