Synthetic Western Saddle – What Brand of Synthetic Western Saddle is Good?

I love leather saddles. The look of them, the feel of them, and the smell of them. Just hard to beat a nice quality leather saddle. However, there is one thing I don’t like about them and that is the weight. Even when I buy a saddle that is supposed to be a “lightweight” saddle, it is usually far heavier than the synthetic saddles. So is it okay to use a synthetic western saddle? Do they hold up as well as leather?

You’ll be happy to know they hold up quite well. I had a synthetic saddle that I used quite often for years, maybe 10 or so, and it was fine. It did have some leather parts to it but it was mostly synthetic.

The benefits are they are easy to clean, they are light, and you can ride out in the rain without worrying about all that wet leather. But really of all the benefits, the weight is by far the most common reason people buy synthetic. Oh wait, there is one more, they are cheaper too. So less money and less weight is a good thing!

Now, what brands are good? Well the saddle I used was some unknown brand which I had purchased at Ruff’s Saddle Shop in Umatilla Florida. And by the way, if you are in the Central Florida area, you should go to Ruff’s. You will find the most amazing deals there. It’s just a family-owned little tack shop but they have tons of saddles and everything you might need for your horse.

But I digress as usual. What synthetic western saddle brands are good? I bought a Big Horn Cordura Trail Saddle recently that is nice and very light. I mean it is so light that I can literally carry it in one hand and toss it up on the horse with one hand. It weighs about 15 pounds. My “lightweight” leather saddle on the other hand is around 40 pounds and as much as I love it, is a pain to heave up onto the horse.

Anyway the Big Horn I bought has a Ralide tree, and it comes in semi or full quarter horse bars. The seat is padded suide and grips nicely so you aren’t sliding all around. The trim is Cordura nylon for the skirt. The stirrups are Ralide with laced suede cushioned foot pad.

It’s a great little saddle for people who don’t want to mess with the weight and expsense of a leather saddle. Will it last as long as leather? No, but it lasts plenty long enough to make it an excellent deal for the money. I like the Big Horn Cordura Trail Saddle, and so do the other members of my family who don’t ride too much and want something that makes it very easy to tack up.

Another saddle maker who make a nice synthetic western saddle is Fabtron. I haven’t personally used this brand of saddle but I’ve heard from people who say it’s a nice comfortable saddle.