Looking at this western saddle?

My sister bought the synthetic version of this saddle. JUNK JUNK JUNK. The girth was thrown away immediately... it's crap. The saddle pad started to fray within a few rides, and was tossed into the trash. The bridle, which was also synthetic, was crap. The bit is awful as well... go ahead and chuck it in the trash along with the saddle pad, girth and bridle. The "silver" on these saddles is awful. I had to CUT her bridle apart to get her bit off because the "silver" had rusted together and I couldn't unscrew the closures that attached the reins to the bit. All of the "silver" on the saddle is rusted, even though it was kept inside and thoroughly conditioned when it wasn't being used. The padding on the bottom of the saddle didn't even look or feel like anything other than cheap felt. I know her saddle was synthetic, and the one you're interested in is leather, but it's all made the same way. This saddle may be cheaper now, but in the long run you'll be taking a huge hit when you have to buy another one a few years down the road.

I don't think you need to be spending $1000 on a saddle... especially if you're going to be using it for trail riding. But if you want a good quality trail saddle, that is going to last you for more than 50 rides, this isn't it.

If you can spend $350 on a saddle.... I recommend getting a used one. Something you might want to consider is checking local tack shops for used tack. People buy saddles, they end up not fitting, and they have to sell them for a lot less than they paid. I found an awesome Simco saddle for 1/3 of the original price, and it was in excellent condition. I found mine on Craigslist.org in the For Sale: Farm & Garden section. type in saddle and see what pops up. There's also a huge advantage to buying a saddle in person rather than online. You can see and feel the leather, and you can sit in and feel the seat. It's a huge pain in the butt trying to return a saddle that you bought online. I love buying used saddles because they've already been broken in! XD

Take your time!! There are tons of saddles out there, and there's definitely plenty in your price range. Make sure you know the measurements you need when you go get one in person... I had someone try to sell me a "16 in." saddle that was actually a 15 in. saddle. Just because it looks like 16 in.... doesn't mean it is, so you might want to take a tape measure with you just incase. That way you can measure the gullet, swell, and cantle.

Good luck and happy trails!

King series saddles are not good saddles, made from thin, cheap leather over CARDBOARD. Not safe, and not good for your horse's back. Just remember that the cheaper and worse quality of saddle you buy, the sooner you will have to replace it. You can also be hurt if cheap leather, such as in a stirrup, breaks while you are riding.

You can find much better quality saddles for about the same amount of money if you know what you're looking for and are willing to go with a used saddle. Try looking on Craigslist or networking with local horse owners or friends to see if you can find a good used saddle for the money you are looking to spend. Plus, you might actually have the ability to try it on your horse before you buy it.

I've found that the Abetta and Fabtron synthetics are very comfortable, and you can generally find a good Abetta saddle for about the same as they are charging for the King series you've shown. They hold up well and are very comfy for trail riding, and you can purchase a brand new one for about the same price. They also make quite a few saddles in WIDE trees.

In the site I've listed below, you can buy a 16 inch Abetta Trail model with nice, cushioned trail stirrups in a wide tree, brand new, for $416- only about $60 more than you would pay at your original site. You can find them cheaper, though, and sometimes with free shipping.

These saddle packages are made from thin cheap leather, that is how they can sell it for under $1000. You can probably buy a better used saddle for under $400 that will out last this saddle by many years. I have a saddle I bought used about 25 years ago and it was over 25 years old then, I still ride in it every week, in fact I use this saddle to break colts in and it is so comfortable and made of leather that will last at least another 10 years before I have to replace anything. I would look at some good used saddles, some of them do not look used at all.

its crap my friend bought that saddle. it hurt every horses back and the materiel was getting all warped. since your looking at a lower price range i would look for a used saddle. most of my saddles are used but in good condition and they have all been wonderful, you get a better quality saddle for way less then what you would spend on it new. you should look on craigslist that where i found the majority of mine. i have a big horn western saddle and i really love it and it seems like the horses i put it on it fits great and doesn't hurt them. they also vary in price so you should find something in your price range. http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/big-horn-saddles.ht...

Based on the 24 ratings it sounds like a really good saddle. Check em out.