trooper saddles
ka...@astelier.com
So my husband, not an endurance rider (yet??) came and helped out as an in-timer at the Wyoming Pioneer, and is now saddle shopping! I told him he should get a horse first but he reminded me that the horse I am riding is HIS, haha. One of us may be horse shopping soon :|
But, my question is about trooper saddles. He is looking at a Haggis trooper saddle. I ride in an Aussie so to me they look very similar and also have the web seat and the more forward stirrups, but they have no kneerolls and not as deep a seat.
He has not asked my advice (hehe), but if anyone doing endurance have any advice on these types of saddles that I should pass along...? What brand is best, any issues? How are they on 50 mile rides?
Karen
Kelly Ahearn-Wagner
which is a trooper saddle. It has big knee rolls, and stainless steel
trim and lots of rings to hang things from. It is designed for long
days in the saddle. I really like it.
Kelly Ahearn-Wagner, Oregon
Keith W. Kibler
Most people who use a trooper style saddle use them on gaited
horses. My wife has 2 and I have one. They are very comfortable and
have a web suspension in them that are adjustable. As you said, they do
not have the knee rolls of your Aussie. My Sandy is a tiny thing but I
am a middle weight. I do not usually my Trooper Montreal in 50s or 100s
as I am trying to save weight. I use a synthetic wyntec endurance pro
english saddle for the longer distances.
Do you have any specific questions? We ride 1000s of miles in these
saddles a year.
Keith Kibler
Shawnee Sunrise Farm
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Keith W. Kibler
The design of the saddle allows for independent movement of all 4
legs which is necessary for either the running walk or racking gait.
We canter all of our twhs and mft after they are well set in gait, so I
dont see an issue if the saddle fits.
You are more than welcome. The tucker trooper montreal is a fine
saddle and good design. It is exactly what I have and if the Haggis is
the same, there you go.
wife just had a custom, EXTREMELY comfortable saddle of that design
made and it was on 950 or so from a saddle maker in Mississippi I think.
Sandy is absolutely thrilled with it.
Keith Kibler
On 6/7/2011 8:02 PM, ka...@astelier.com wrote:
> I noticed they are popular with gaited horses - any particular reason
> for that (just curious)?
>
> Since they are used more on gaited horses, would you see any issue (as
> long as we don't get one that is too wide) with using them on a
> thoroughbred, where we do a lot of cantering? I don't think we'll ever
> do more than a 50-miler on her. I know they are a little heavier than
> an endurance saddle but are about the same as the aussie I ride in and
> the difference between me and my husband is way more of a factor than
> that, so we're not too worried about the weight - also this horse is a
> little bigger than the typical endurance Arabian. We think of her as
> small because our other horse is HUGE, but at the last ride we went
> to, it was funny, they were calling her a "big boy".
>
> He has looked at the Tuckers, the Haggis and one other (can't remember
> the name). Sounds like you like the Tucker/Montreal - as long as you
> don't know anything bad about the Haggis we'll continue to consider
> all these. They're all priced around the same in the 900's range.
>
> Thanks for your input!
Kelly Ahearn-Wagner
Can you explain the technical reasons for why some saddles are
especially suited for gaited horses? It is not clear to me. If the
saddle does not interfere with a horse moving it's shoulders freely
through the full range of motion, which is a primary requirement of
any well-fitting saddle, whether it is described as "gaited" shouldn't
matter. I have a gaited Morgan, ("Bodacious"going on 4000K miles this
year), and my Arabian Saddle Company Solstice fits him perfectly. (I
just ordered a new one; I love it so much.) My Morgan spends about 20%
of a typical 50 miler, especially when going down hills, in the
running walk, (which is when we inadvertently leave most of my riding
buddies' horses in the dust).
Thanks in advance for explaining this. While you're at it, can you
explain some ways to cue a horse for the running walk? I have been
riding my guy for over 10 years (he is my first horse) and I still
cannot figure it out - he chooses the most efficient gait according
to the trail.
Kelly Ahearn-Wagner, Oregon
>
> >>> To post to this group, send email to ridec...@endurance.net
Advantage Saddles and Cinch
There isn't any technical reason for "gaited" vs regular saddles. Just
a big target market. A good saddle will fit the horse when he's moving
no matter what the breed. I will say, however, that there are
differences between the overall back shape of a quarterhorse and a
distance horse, or any horse that moves out. Many trees are made for
quarterhorses.
Katee
Kathy Sherman
to their wither and back? I don't know, just asking, but if there is a
conformation difference within many of the breed, then I could see a
saddle being targeted at the breed even though it might not fit all
within that breed. Much in the same was as the full quarter tree will
likely fit many QHs but even some Morgans, Arabs and others, and some
Arab saddles being shorter backed than other saddles, even though
every Arab does not have a short back and even all the short backed
Arabs might not find a good fit in a saddle designed mostly for Arabs.
The fit of the saddle on each individual horse is what we all look
for, but a saddle designed with some distinctions of each breed might
help us find that match withut having to have the saddle custom made,
right? And many riders know even a custom made saddle might not fit
for long as the horse's body changes with age and fitness (:>)
Kathy