Purchasing the wrong western saddle is a very customary occurrence in the western riding world. It's also a very expensive learning 
experience. You can pass over this painful lesson by avoiding the best seven western saddle purchasing mistakes. Not only that, we're going to follow that with some guidelines for buying used Western Saddles that will give you an edge right out of the gate!
1. Purchasing Pretty. While we'd all take pleasure in a nice looking saddle, letting looks drive your purchasing choice is asking for trouble. The quality of the saddle materials and the construction are far more essential than the look of a saddle. A poorly made saddle can look awfully pretty, particularly to the uninitiated.
2. Buying Image. Have dreams of riding the range and working the cattle drive? Or maybe riding to an NFR championship buckle in barrel racing? Where the cowboy and cowgirl dreams and imagery can be strong and enticing, don't let those images conclude your saddle choice. Decide on the western horse saddles sort that fits the actual type of riding that you'll be doing. Endurance saddles are popular as western saddle choices as are gaited horse saddles, just to name a few.
3. Purchasing Cheap. Cheap saddles are not a bargain. Poor aspect materials and construction will shorten saddle life, and, more importantly, will cause discomfort and impair motion in your horse. If you can't afford at least a middle-of-the-road new saddle ($500 and up), then purchasing used is a wonderful solution. Quality saddles last a long time, making purchasing a "pre-owned" saddle a intelligent purchase.
4. Buying Dumb. You need to educate yourself on some saddle basics prior to buying. Ride in as loads of diverse saddles as you can. Speak to all the horse people you know about their saddles. Pick the brain of knowledgeable saddle folks.
5. Buying Selfish. You found a saddle that's high quality, pretty, and fits you well. You're all set right? Wrong. You're forgetting one very imperative partner in this deal - your horse. If the saddle doesn't fit your horse well, than the rest doesn't matter. Make sure you understand the basics of horse fit and conclude ahead of time whether the saddle will be a first-rate fit for your horse.
6. Purchasing One-Size-Fits-All. While you shouldn't require a diverse saddle for every horse you ride, one saddle will not fit every horse you run across. The best approach is to choose a saddle that will fit the basic physical type of horse that you'll ride. If you ride more than one sort of horse, you'll require numerous saddles.
7. Purchasing Brand (or Endorsement). This one is a little trickier. Purchasing a well-established brand is not a bad idea. Some of the more sought after western horse saddles are: Billy Cook Saddles, Circle Y Saddles and Wade Saddles just to name a few. You need to be conscious that numerous saddle brands have been around a lengthy time and the quality of their saddles have varied importantly greater than time. The quality can furthermore vary over their current product lines. Never just blindly purchase by brand without thoroughly inspecting the quality of the saddle in consideration.
Many riders have a tack room full of saddles that didn't work out. Others are constantly purchasing and selling saddles in search of just the right one. It doesn't have to be this way. If you do your homework beforehand to really recognize your horse's and your own needs, you can purchase the one saddle that will be a match for you, your horse, and your riding activities.
When you're searching for a quality western saddle, a used saddle can be a smart decision. The leading saddles will last a lifetime with 
appropriate care. So, enjoy comfort cars, a quality used saddle can be more aptly described as previously-owned. You can purchase a fantastic deal more saddle for your wealth in the used category.
But purchasing used requires close inspection of the saddle prior to purchasing. When sifting through the many used saddles for sale, a few things are key to keep in mind. A used saddle is bound to have some wear and some scuffs and scrapes. That's to be expected. What you're truly looking for are structural problems. The following are our leading 7 used western saddle inspection guidelines.
1. Saddle Tree. The saddle tree is the foundation of a saddle, so if it's not solid nothing else matters. To test the tree, set the saddle on its fork, nose down. Press down hard on the cantle and twist, searching for bending which is an indication of a broken tree. A broken tree is a deal breaker. DO NOT buy a saddle with a broken tree.
2. Leather Quality. High quality leather will be thick, soft, and supple. It has a much longer life, specifically if well cared for. Low quality leather will be thin, frequently cracked, and will not keep its form. Avoid buying used saddles with low quality leather.
3. Leather Condition. Check whether the jockeys and skirts lie flat or curl up. Curling is a sign of either poor quality leather or leather that is used-up. It's pretty much impossible to acquire curled leather to lie flat again. If the leather looks to be of worthy quality (thick, doesn't 
curl), but looks dried out, a good cleaning and conditioning can do wonders and bring back a fantastic deal of its luster.
4. Underside Fleece. Expect to acquire a good amount of wear and dirt here, but extreme wear may need having the fleece replaced which isn't cheap. Additionally, uneven wear can be a sign of a badly designed saddle that doesn't fit well and should be avoided.
5. Stitching. Check the stitching to make sure it's intact. Minor troubles can be repaired, but a saddle with a lot of rotting and missing stitching should be avoided.
6. Surface. Where a quality saddle can last a lengthy day, the care it receives will impact its lifespan and its surfacing. Saddles are made to be used and passing on a quality used saddle because of some scratches and scuff marks is a mistake.
7. Parts Inventory. Do a check to see which parts might be missing. Most parts (stirrups, stirrup hobbles, billets, cinches) can be easily replaced (and many will prefer their own choices anyway), but missing parts should factor into the price.
Purchasing a used saddle can be a very smart decision, IF you carefully inspect the saddle before buy. Thanks for the visit - we hope you find some great tips, tools and treasures here.
