# Plantation Saddles, Tell me about them please



## DuckDodgers

My limited knowledge of them is that they were developed for overseers of the plantation back in the old days. Designed to be ridden in for hours they had to be comfortable  I think that gaited horses were commonly used on plantations because of their nice, smooth gaits, so it would make sense that they were well suited for them.


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## ZaneyZanne123

Plantation saddle where designed for the rider in mind esp those that were "Southern Plantation owners" that over saw thier crops (usualy cotton back in the day) and were often in the saddle for long periods of time. The TWH was one of the primary "gaited" breeds bred for this task. They could perfom the run walk or rack with little effort and could go all day in that specific gait with ease. Put a well made "plantation saddle" on a smooth gaited animal and you were riding a Cadilac version of transportation.

The one you have pictured is a "western design" taken from the basic design of the western saddle. There are many variations of the plantation saddles today and there are some which some police saddles are modeled from.
Here is a Plantation saddle made by Tucker that closely resembles the old style plantation saddles.






Buena Vista used to be a popular maker of the old style Plantation saddles But they didnt hold up to alot of wear the tear, nowdays they are better made with better materials. You can learn more by this website. Custom Made Plantation Saddles by Hillcrest Saddlery










I would love to have a Buena Vista Plantation saddle one day....when I am rich and can afford such things. lol


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## Elizabeth Bowers

Thanks DuckDodgers, and ZaneyZanne123. I'm debating on getting a custom one, especially for my gaited mare. I use her to check fence and herd cattle, it's much easier than walking, and more efficient than using gas in a quad.


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## Dustbunny

I trail ride in a Tucker Plantation. I love the thing. It has a narrow twist which makes it comfortable for us ladies. It weighs around 22-23 pounds. Mine has the English leathers which I prefer over he western style fenders. I bought it used and knew the minute I sat in it that it was for me (good thing it fit my horse as well!). I would be hard pressed to give it up.


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## SouthernTrails

Elizabeth Bowers said:


> I was bored, and googling old saddles from the 1800's and 1900's, and i came across some neat photos of plantation saddles. I wanted to ask are these saddles comfortable, and what is the history behind them? Are they more beneficial to gaited horses? What is the average weight of a plantation saddle? Are they still in production today?
> Thank you for all of your knowledge!
> 
> Found this one on Choose From One Of Our Very Own Custom Trail Saddles
> View attachment 378258


I know who makes that Saddle for that Company...lol...

That Saddle weighs about 32lbs and is an attempt at a Plantation Saddle, it is really a Western Saddle that has been modified to look similar to a Plantation Saddle. I would not buy one :wink:

The original Plantation Saddle had thin Stirrup Leathers like and English Saddle and were more like an English Saddle than a Western Saddle in other feature also.

Some newer versions use wider Stirrup leathers so the rider does not need to were tall boots or chaps to protect from those thin leathers.

But many manufactures still make the original style as well as the newer styles and they weigh between 18lbs and 24lbs.

Here is a maker that has some of the old and new styles Plantation Trail


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## Saddlebag

I think the old plantation saddles have held up quite well as we are still seeing them two hundred years later. I believe Bona Allen was one of the early makers and everything was well made, a testament to the maker, who's reputation relied on the quality of his work.


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## Elizabeth Bowers

SouthernTrails said:


> *I know who makes that Saddle for that Company...lol...* Are you so sure about that :wink: :wink:I know the owner of the company, i'v talked with him plenty of times over a custom saddle, and i see them every year at the PA Horse Expo.
> 
> That Saddle weighs about 32lbs and is an attempt at a Plantation Saddle, it is really a Western Saddle that has been modified to look similar to a Plantation Saddle. I would not buy one :wink: Really? LOL I'm not sure if i want this particular one, i'm only used to a western saddle, and my old one doesn't quite fit my gaited mare. I do like it and the options with it.
> 
> The original Plantation Saddle had thin Stirrup Leathers like and English Saddle and were more like an English Saddle than a Western Saddle in other feature also.
> 
> Some newer versions use wider Stirrup leathers so the rider does not need to were tall boots or chaps to protect from those thin leathers.
> 
> But many manufactures still make the original style as well as the newer styles and they weigh between 18lbs and 24lbs.
> 
> Here is a maker that has some of the old and new styles Plantation Trail
> 
> I'v seen this company around, and they do have some amazing saddles. I like them a lot, and they are great to talk to.
> .


 Any one know about the Henry Miller Plantation saddles?, i'v heard a good bit about them, but can't seem to find the site.


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## SouthernTrails

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EB I am very sure, I would not say I knew who made them if I was not 100% sure :wink: I knew the Saddle Maker and his wife personally, he passed away last year at a early age :-( and the business was bought out by an employee of his who continues to make the same saddles for that company you referenced, the shop is in Alabama.

I have been to the shop many, many times that makes those saddles, I have seen them being built! 

The original design of that saddle was similar to a Saddle that Tucker made, after the 1st design they decided to add the large strip to the bottom of the skirts to simulate the way plantation saddles are made and then they would have a new model for sale, they still sell the old model too.

I can even tell you who make the Tree for that Saddle, I have been to that shop also :wink:

They are decent Saddles, but for a Plantation Style, I personally would not want that type, too heavy overall and the fenders are the same fenders they use on Roping Saddles... but too each his/her own....

.


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## Elizabeth Bowers

Thanks SouthernTrails. I believe you honestly, like i said i'm not too sure i want this particular saddle, i'm not a huge fan of the Tucker either. I'm not keen on the way it looks, though i have never ridden in one. I'm looking for more of a traditional style to be honest with you, i like the history behind them, and i'v always wanted one, now especially to go on my lovely gaited mare LOL. I'v been looking into a few of the makers who make the old style plantation saddles, and i'm liking what i'm finding. I think it will also come in handy when i have to check fence line, and heads of cattle when we graze them on a 500 acre farm we sharecrop on. :wink: I always end up running out of gas when borrowing the quad LOL.


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## ZaneyZanne123

Saddlebag said:


> I think the old plantation saddles have held up quite well as we are still seeing them two hundred years later. I believe Bona Allen was one of the early makers and everything was well made, a testament to the maker, who's reputation relied on the quality of his work.


It was the Buena Vistas that have not held up that great over the years. The newer more modern types do much better. I was asked to repair a Plantation saddle (looked like Buena Vista but who knows). The only thing and I mean the only thing left was a beat up wooden tree with a huge crack and missing all leather and parts. (the leather literaly rotted off). There was nothing to save, nothing to repair and nothing I could do with the beat up tree tree. I have a photo of it but I dont have it uploaded onto photo bucket yet. I'm hoping to get my computer back and my cable reset so I can get off this dial up to be able to upload photos easier. Other types of plantation saddles (esp if cared for well) have held up very well. Bona Allen is an excellent brand and its name, quality has held up over the years.


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## Elizabeth Bowers

Thanks ZaneyZanne123, I will be sure to look into that maker.  So far i'm really liking this maker Allegany Mountain Trail Saddles Trail Riding Saddles Allegany Mountain Western Saddle
Maybe add a horn, and a few extras for holding what i need to repair fence. :wink:


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## ZaneyZanne123

Allegany Mountain makes great quality saddles and if you can afford one then I say go for it. The one pictured has some of the Western saddle design incorperated into it. I dont realy care for those but its all personal preference in that regard. I guess I am more of a traditionalist in that respect. I like the thinner leather stirrup leathers over the wide fenders of the Traditional Western. So that feature on the above pictured saddle is ideal for me. It appears to have a cross fire rigging wich some like and some dont. I have no real opinion about it. Ive never ridden in a cross fired set up but have sold them a few times.


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## Tack Collector

I can't think of any reason a Buena Vista saddle wouldn't last, except the usual reasons of neglect and improper care. Sure, a padded seat like that might crack and split, but the rest of the saddle should be decent, certainly not worse than any old western saddle. Some of those Buena Vista types are ancient. They newer ones were still in horse tack catalogs when I was a little kid. The description usually said "popular for field trials." I think of them as more of a Southern thing, but I occasionally have seen a used one for sale here. I sat in one at tack shop, but to me, it was closer to a cutback saddle in character: Not as deep and secure of a seat as I expected, and I can see why they'd be popular with TWH riders and maybe not as popular with a QH rider. Kind of a saddle that you sit down in, and you'd want a smooth-gaited and peaceable horse for.


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## Elizabeth Bowers

ZaneyZanne123 said:


> Allegany Mountain makes great quality saddles and if you can afford one then I say go for it. _The one pictured has some of the Western saddle design incorperated into it. _ I dont realy care for those but its all personal preference in that regard. I guess I am more of a traditionalist in that respect. I like the thinner leather stirrup leathers over the wide fenders of the Traditional Western. So that feature on the above pictured saddle is ideal for me. *It appears to have a cross fire rigging wich some like and some dont. * I have no real opinion about it. Ive never ridden in a cross fired set up but have sold them a few times.


I'm talking to Staci now, asking her about different options for a plantation saddle, since i would like to stay as close to traditional as possible, but with some custom differences. :wink: I don't want it to be too "western", but i like having a saddle horn, since i have saddle bags that hang over it, and i use it to hold various pieces of rope and equipment while i'm working. Do explain what the crossfire rigging is? I'v never heard of it.


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## ZaneyZanne123

Tack Collector said:


> I can't think of any reason a Buena Vista saddle wouldn't last, except the usual reasons of neglect and improper care. Sure, a padded seat like that might crack and split, but the rest of the saddle should be decent, certainly not worse than any old western saddle. Some of those Buena Vista types are ancient. They newer ones were still in horse tack catalogs when I was a little kid. The description usually said "popular for field trials." I think of them as more of a Southern thing, but I occasionally have seen a used one for sale here. I sat in one at tack shop, but to me, it was closer to a cutback saddle in character: Not as deep and secure of a seat as I expected, and I can see why they'd be popular with TWH riders and maybe not as popular with a QH rider. Kind of a saddle that you sit down in, and you'd want a smooth-gaited and peaceable horse for.


THe OLD Buena Vistas did not hold up over the years. It is VERY hard to find an original Buena Vista of yesteryear(century ago) that is intact entirely and not rotten to the point of total destruction. It wasnt craftmanship but more than likely the materials used. There wasnt much to the saddles to begin with. The seat was padded and designed like a chair for the rear end to rest on. Buena Vistas today are very well made and have pretty much kept to original design of the saddles of yesteryear. There are very few original buena vistas that exist in thier entirety and are often found in museums. They got better with better materials available. Those within the 20th century (earlier to mid) have held up better . Police saddles used to be modled soley after the Buena Vista, definatly something worth being modled after. YOu may have infact found BV saddles in catalogs but I know you werent a kid in the early to mid 18 hundreds.


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## ZaneyZanne123

Cross fire rigging is a way to incorporate the hind cinche witht the front cinche. IT looks like this. 











It is becoming more popular with gaited variety saddles and some western saddles. Instead of a straight hind cinch this joins both the rear of the saddle and front of the saddle in and my opinion resembles closely to the center fire rigging of old style western saddles (and bronc saddles). 
The saddle you shown has a forward tilted hind cinch ring wich is used on a crossfire rigging. Once learned the rigging is pretty simple. I can see where it would make the saddle more secure and more stable and I say it frees up the elbow little more also. 

You have full rigging (not realy used in gaited saddles), 7/8ths, 3/4 and centerfire rigging (which is seen more in bronc riding saddles today but I am sure they still can be found in older western saddles)

I hope I did not step on any toes borrowing the picture from another thread. If so I apologize.


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## Elizabeth Bowers

No, i don't think you did. Thank you, i had never heard of it before and was curious, and when i googled it, well you can only imagine what came up :shock: 
Looking at it and understand it, i'm liking it! I never cared for those old saddles with the flank cinch, all the horses i rode on would kick at it and just had issues with it. And i never liked how some people would tighten them like the front cinch. But hey it's opinion. 
I'm really liking it.  Thanks!!


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## Tack Collector

ZaneyZanne123 said:


> THe OLD Buena Vistas did not hold up over the years. It is VERY hard to find an original Buena Vista of yesteryear(century ago) that is intact entirely and not rotten to the point of total destruction. It wasnt craftmanship but more than likely the materials used. There wasnt much to the saddles to begin with. The seat was padded and designed like a chair for the rear end to rest on. Buena Vistas today are very well made and have pretty much kept to original design of the saddles of yesteryear. There are very few original buena vistas that exist in thier entirety and are often found in museums. They got better with better materials available. Those within the 20th century (earlier to mid) have held up better . Police saddles used to be modled soley after the Buena Vista, definatly something worth being modled after. YOu may have infact found BV saddles in catalogs but I know you werent a kid in the early to mid 18 hundreds.


I obviously was disqualifying all the ANCIENT BVs from the discussion, presuming the OP wanted to know about '70s Simcos and the other more more recent ones that are found in tacks shops and ebay and are still in very usable condition. ;-) Many of the people who post questions on these horse boards are age 20s or under.


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## Elizabeth Bowers

Tack Collector said:


> I obviously was disqualifying all the ANCIENT BVs from the discussion, presuming the OP wanted to know about '70s Simcos and the other more more recent ones that are found in tacks shops and ebay and are still in very usable condition. ;-) Many of the people who post questions on these horse boards are age 20s or under.


I'm in my early twenties thank you LOL, and i was curious about all kinds of plantation saddles. A friend of mine was visitin KY, and she visited the Mountain Horse Museum (it burnt years ago, because it was built in an old cabin in the mountains some where, few people knew of it), and she shared photos of it with me, and it had all kinds of plantation style saddles that i had never seen before. So i was curious about all of them, and looking into buying a "newer" style plantation saddle for trailriding, and work, and probably travel purposes here soon, gas prices are getting to be outrageous around here!


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## Elizabeth Bowers

Anyone ever here of this company? https://phoenixrisingsaddles.com/index.php/shop/product/34-imus-4-beat-saddle
If so what are your thoughts on their saddles? here's a pic of one off the site.


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## Elizabeth Bowers

Anyone every hear of this company? Their saddles rank right up there with AMTS. They seem to make some nice saddles. I just emailed her asking a few questions. 
Trail Saddles


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## ZaneyZanne123

I have heard of them but I dont know much about them personally, just what I have read. Sorry I cant be more help in that regard.


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## SouthernTrails

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Crestridge is generally a good brand from what I here....


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## Elizabeth Bowers

Thanks!


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## Saddlebag

This is the saddle designed by Brenda Imus. Her son took over the company when she died and it's now Phoenix Rising. What I didn't like was that Brenda advocated placing the saddle on the horse's shoulder blades -hat the saddle was designed to ride like that. You might find a few short videos on youtube under Brenda Imus.


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## Elizabeth Bowers

I'm not an advocate of placing a saddle on a horses shoulder blades, anytime it happened, i'v been thrown, and just seems to cause general pain. For a gaited horse you would think it would hinder gait. I'v gotten quite a bit of mixed reviews from a FB group page. Many are advocating AMTS or CRS, so i'v been leaning more towards them. Now that you pointed that out, i can see why some people don't like them.


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## Saddlebag

Brenda's web site was Gaits of Gold. I don't know if it's still up as I haven't checked in a long time.


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## womack29

I have a Tucker Endurance saddle and use the cross fire riggin for my TWH and love it. I have had this saddle for 5 yrs. I ride 5-6 times a week and trail is what I do. I feel this was worth every penny and the comfort is amazing. I have no complaints about quality
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Elizabeth Bowers

I'v looked into Tucker before, it seems rather limited on what options for it. I didn't find much in customization for horse wise. I'll keep it in consideration. Thankyou!


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## Tack Collector

I found some used ones online. Are there fitting problems with your horse?

SADDLES FOR SALE
Original Eli Miller Saddle
Eli Miller Saddle
NEW 19" Eli Miller Buena Vista Saddle
Tack and Saddle Sale
Buena Vista 20 inch Saddle
Buena Vista Style Saddle
NEW 19" Eli Miller Buena Vista Saddle
Buena vista saddle gaites
Buena Vista Saddle
Buena Vista style saddle
Genuine Buenavista 3190 Plantation Saddle has several pics 19" genuine BV stamped 
BUENA VISTA PLANTATION SADDLE
Beautiful Buena Vista Saddle! Make an Offer!
***17in Eli Miller Buena Vista saddle with horn****
**New Henry Miller Beuna Vista saddle with Horn***
English saddle
Gaited Horse Trail Saddle
Buena Vista saddle like new condition
Buena Vista Saddle 20 inch
Super comfy Henry Miller Saddles
Genuine Buena Vista Saddle 3190
Buena Vista Plantation saddle/gaited horse has a tree width pic
16" Genuine Buena Vista saddle #316 tree width pic

etc. 

Open up SearchTempest and search for the brands you are interested in.


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## Elizabeth Bowers

Wow i saw some really nice ones on there! Thank you, i don't think she has a fitting issue, i know my saddle is too wide across the bars. When i ride if i lean forward in the saddle she will stop, so that tells me something. I'm sure i can find something that she will fit comfortably.


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