# Does this saddle look cheap, is it good quality?



## Cookie1616

Also, sorry the two pictures of the dark cherry and black saddle are so large!!


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## bubba13

Terrible, terrible, terrible crap saddle. Put together with staples and spit.

Edit: Way overpriced at $480, too! Is that your budget?


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## Cookie1616

Have you ridden in one? Or are you going by the pictures? Because You can't really tell just by those pictures....


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## Cookie1616

No, I just would like to save money, that's all. Also, it's one that appealed to me.


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## bubba13

I've seen them in stores. They're incredibly stiff and very poorly constructed. Hard as a rock. And I've seen and ridden in enough saddles that I really can get a pretty good idea by pictures.


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## Cookie1616

Well, do you have any suggestions for around that price then? I'm looking at that price range before anything else right now.


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## bubba13

What size seat do you need?


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## Cookie1616

Also, anyone else if you have any other input about this saddle, please do, because I've heard really good things about it on the few other forums I've seen, but I wanted to get my own opinion. Thanks!


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## Cookie1616

15" seat and semi quarter horse bars.


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## bubba13

Pity this is a 14": TackTrader Item ID: 416381 - TackTrader.com Classifieds

Would 14.5" work?: TackTrader Item ID: 415099 - TackTrader.com Classifieds

Cheap, partial synthetic: TackTrader Item ID: 410015 - TackTrader.com Classifieds


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## Kimmylikestojump

For $480, you can find a MUCH MUCH nicer saddle...even used. 

make offer/ paypal accepted - 14" billy cook barrel racing saddle Billy cook for $450 
14 in Circle Y Barrel Saddle - Barrel Saddle Cirlce Y $500 (and overpriced)
Nbha trophy saddle - Barrel saddle Corriente $450
{ All leather Dakota Barrel Saddle 15" } - { Dakota 15" } Dakota $350
custom build, light, very comfortable saddle - Barrelsaddle price reduced 420obo Must GO! Lamb saddle
15" barrel racer - Kristie Peterson Textan

All mid to better quality saddles that will actually have a resale value if you decide to sell.


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## Cookie1616

bubba13 said:


> Pity this is a 14": TackTrader Item ID: 416381 - TackTrader.com Classifieds
> 
> Would 14.5" work?: TackTrader Item ID: 415099 - TackTrader.com Classifieds
> 
> Cheap, partial synthetic: TackTrader Item ID: 410015 - TackTrader.com Classifieds


 
Thank you, I'll look at those. A 14.5" might work....


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## Cookie1616

Kimmylikestojump said:


> For $480, you can find a MUCH MUCH nicer saddle...even used.
> 
> make offer/ paypal accepted - 14" billy cook barrel racing saddle Billy cook for $450
> 14 in Circle Y Barrel Saddle - Barrel Saddle Cirlce Y $500 (and overpriced)
> Nbha trophy saddle - Barrel saddle Corriente $450
> { All leather Dakota Barrel Saddle 15" } - { Dakota 15" } Dakota $350
> custom build, light, very comfortable saddle - Barrelsaddle price reduced 420obo Must GO! Lamb saddle
> 15" barrel racer - Kristie Peterson Textan
> 
> All mid to better quality saddles that will actually have a resale value if you decide to sell.


Thank you  I just need to find one that ships to Canada, this definitely helps I'll take a look!!


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## bubba13

Check your local Craigslist/Kijiji, too.


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## feistymomma

The leather used for that saddle is horrible. My grandmother and father actually make saddles (dad just made me a Civil War Hope saddle, love it!) so I grew up with leather. You can find something better for sure.


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## iridehorses

I agree with bubba and others. Poorly made saddle on a poor tree. I would much rather save for a new Dakota (which isn't a lot more money) or find a quality used one. I would never purchase that saddle even as a back up.


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## Susan Crumrine

I would look for a used saddle of better quality. This brand of saddle is forever for sale on Craigslist in my area and they cant hardly give them away. I say a used circle y or tex tan or even a simco would be much better.


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## jumanji321

The pictures make it look like cardboard.


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## Tennessee

If you're looking for something that will start coming apart after a few months of use and made with a fiberglass tree, it's perfect.

If you want something that will last you for quite some time and still look nice, I'd find a good used saddle. Some others have offered some great suggestions.


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## Saddlebag

I'll recommend the Fabtron. It's of decent quality. The synthetic skirts and fenders hold up very well and reduce the weight of the saddle by 8 or 9 lbs. I see the Fabtron is meas. at 15.5 but people often incorrectly measure to the stitch line. I'll bet its a 15" seat. If it had qh bars I'd be making an offer. I don't have an aversion to a 19lb saddle.


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## Cookie1616

Thanks everyone, I've actually found another one


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## bigbaboo

If I were you, and on a budget, I'd try to find a better quality used saddle for the same money. These are not well made and the leather isn't likely to stand up, and the tree isn't likely to fit your horse very well either.


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## trailhorserider

Never would I have thought I would buy a Saddle King, let alone two, but during the last two months I've acquired two of them. I honestly thought they were below me, but you know what? I really kind of like them.

One is a roper so it is built better than their barrel saddles. And one is a trail saddle but it is still "decent" quality wise. 

The roper I got through a trade and I LOVE it. Really nothing to complain about. Well, the fleece could be better, but I feel that way about most artificial fleece. But it has a Steele wood fiberglass saddle tree and the leather is nice and it fits my horse awesome.

Now the trail saddle I wouldn't have bought but I got an awesome deal on it ($300 new) and I am impressed at how well it fits both of my horses. It has a Ralide tree. The fleece is actually better than on the roper and well, I've just been very pleased with it so far. It's definitely surpassed my expectations. My only real complaint is that the fenders could be thicker. 

That being said, the ones you posted a picture of do look very cheap and I'm sure they are the bottom of the rung even for a Saddle King. Besides the less than crisp tooling (that is just stamped on there, not hand tooled) a dead give away is the way the stirrup leathers intersect the fenders. You only see that on really cheap saddles. (Although it always amazes me how Tucker, which is an expensive saddle brand just rivets their fenders on many of their saddles, but that is another topic). 

Anyway, yes, it would be best to find something better if you can. But not all the Saddle Kings are horrible, horrible junk. And honestly, once you start taking apart any mass produced saddle you will be amazed at all the staples, nails and junk. 

I put longer saddle strings on the saddles I get and I see what kind of stuff is under the hood. Nobody runs strings through the tree anymore. Maybe there are custom makers that do, but I have never seen anything mass produced with proper saddle string attachments. You are lucky if they are held on with a screw (vs. a nail or staples, bleh!).

Oh, I just saw that the original topic is really old. Oh well!


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## VT Trail Trotters

I dont ride western but it looks cheap and plasticy.


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## itsjinx5

hey you can always watch ebay for name brand saddles. I am currently searching for a good black 15 1/2 now thats hard to come by


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