# Aussie Saddles



## sandy2u1

Anybody have an aussie saddle? what do you and your horse think of it? Im seriously considering buying 1, so I was just wondering. It looks like they sit a little further up on the horse. I have a TWH, but I emailed them and they said they would fit it to him...so fitting shouldnt be a problem.


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## wild_spot

I have a Bates Kimberley Swinging fender:










I love it, but I don't ride in it a lot because it isn't very practical for Mounted Games. But I show my Australian Stock Horse, so I use it for shows, and also for sporting and cattle work. I find it really gives me a good deep seat, and my horses slide stops of my seat are much sharper in this saddle. It sits in much the same spot as an english saddle. There are two different types, the one I have is a swinging Fender, and here is the same saddle in the traditional full skirt:










The Fenders give a bit more mobility of the leg, at least in my experience, and if you buy a good quality saddle you can decide where you want the fenders hung from depending on your style of riding.

A word of warning: Don't buy a cheapie stock saddle! There are some fo the most horrible indian leather stock saddles out there, they will be bad for you and bad for your horse. A quality stock saddle with do you for life and you will never regret it.

I'm planning on selling my bates in the future and forking out for a hand/custom made stock saddle by a fellow called Peter nelson down here, he makes really nice saddles with a very close contact seat and different design knee rolls, whcih will mean I canr ide mounted games in it. This is the sort of saddle I am hoping to get, only in a full skirt. You can see the more close contact seat and thinner and more pronounced knee rolls:










Please just ask if you want to know anything else!


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## sandy2u1

tyvm...ive been debating between the aussie and crestridge sonota. Sounds like the aussie might be the way to go. I want one lightweight and good for trails. it was suggested to me that I go with an english saddle, because they work better for gaited horses, but im not a good enough rider yet for that. your saddle looks like a really nice one. with all the stuff that you do on yours, it should be fine for trails.


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## wild_spot

The stock saddle is awesome for trails, it was designed for stockmen spending the whole day in the saddle on droves. It gives you a super comfy seat and a lot of support, plus lots of places to hang stuff off!

What brand/style of Stock saddle are you thinking of?


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## sandy2u1

so far ive been looking on the website downunderweb.com and there are several that I like.....the kimberley stock, kimberley trailmaster and the downunder legend so far....im still shopping. any suggestions are welcome. what is the name of the saddle you have exactly? oh yeah...and they did say once I send them Majors measurements that they would recommend some if I wind up buying it from there.


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## sandy2u1

oh nm about the name of your saddle...i scrolled back and found it I also like that down under dalby poley.


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## wild_spot

If I were you I would steer clear of the kimberley models... from what i see they seem t be of the same type as a lot of the nasty indian leather ones. The Downunder legend looks quite nice, and is hand crafted to would be decent quality. I can definately vouch for the quality of any Syd Hill saddles, but you also pay for the qulaity, they are quite exy. The downunder saddles seem okay for the price.


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## sandy2u1

oh tyvm!!! I dont wanna buy a saddle that turns out to be junk!!!!! Im new at this and you have been so helpful! this will be the first saddle I have ever purchased...so as you can tell...I dont know what im doing.


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## wild_spot

No worries! My first saddle was a wintec, had it 7 years now and still my favourite, lol. My friend has two of the crappy stock saddles, so i know how horrible they are from my own experience!


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## Zolamae

*Down Under Long Reach Endurance is a great trail saddle*

Hi. I have 2 Long Reach Endurance saddles from Down Under Saddle Supply. One with horn, one without. I use them on my Morgans and find them to be very comfortable for both me and the horses, especially at a walk and a canter. I also use an English saddle and like to post the trot, which is difficult in these saddles (but the comfort and security at other gaits makes up for it on trails). The first saddle I bought from Down Under was a Kimberly Lite Rider which I later sold to my niece when I decided to upgrade. It certainly wasn't the same quality as the other saddles, but it wasn't bad. I took it with one of my horses to a saddle fitting clinic and the clinician said she was impressed by the quality as most aussie saddles she sees are complete "train wrecks". The Kimberly Lite Rider is very similar to the Long Reach Endurance in style, but the Long Reach is much better in quality for the money. 

What I like most about the Long reach is the fact that it is pretty light (17 lbs. or so) and that it uses a dressage girth (if you order, upgrade to the neoprene dressage girth rather than the standard felt girth, which tends to slip). It is so easy to tack up my horses with these saddles. Also, both my English and western bridles match these saddles. Down Under has many dif types of pads as well--wool is my favorite.

My only complaint is that the stirrup leathers were so long I had to punch extra holes (I'm only 5 ft.2). I think that if I would have mentioned this when I ordered they probably would have done it for me before sending the saddle. They are very decent to deal with. 

One more tip--keep an eye on their clearance pages. I got one of my brand-new $950 saddles for $450 because it had a repaired cosmetic flaw that you can barely see! Most of the clearance saddles are brand new (and it will say if they aren't) and unless they have already been adjusted to narrow withers, they can still be fitted to your own horse's wither tracing.

These are the only Aussie saddles I have experience with. The Syd Hill and Towoomba saddles look beautiful but are out of my price range. However, I think they have some of those on the clearance pages sometimes as well. 

Hope this was useful info.!


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## Miss Katie

Yay Toowoomba! Represent!

I had no idea that something from Toowoomba sold internationally!!


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## sandy2u1

It is very helpful.....tyvm! especially the tip about the clearance saddles. I could save up the money to buy a really expensive one or take out a loan...but im not even sure if im gonna like the aussie saddles or not (since ive never even ridden on one)..plus once I get some riding confidence and get the buck out of Major, i may give the english saddle a try (most people say they are ideal for gaited horses). Anyway, Im seriously considering the Down Under longreach with the horn or the rideabout endurance. this is it here RideAbout Endurance click on that and scroll down


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## sandy2u1

I love the fact that the Down Under Saddle supply company will allow you to send it back within the first year to get the size adjusted if necessary for free. thats one of the reasons why im leaning toward getting a saddle from them.


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## wild_spot

Since you've never ridden in one, do you know anyone who has one you can ride in? Personally I don't find it difficult at all to post to the trot, as I ride english as well, it just takes some getting used to. They put you in a bit of a different seat, so at first it will feel very weird!

If you get one with a horn, you should write here and let me know what its' like... I think the horns are only put on for sale to you guys, because I have never EVER seen anyone here riding in a stock saddle with a horn.

There's something about the rideabout endurance I don't like... I can't really tell what, it may be that it doesn't seem very true to the stock saddle type... But that's just me. Good luck with whatever you choose!


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## sandy2u1

hey you know more about them than me....wich is why im posting before I buy. ok...about the saddle horn thing....then reason im thinking I need one as embarrasing as it is, is because Major still has a little buck in him and im thinking I may need something to hold on too  which is why im buying aussie saddle instead of english...nothing to hold on too


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## Summer08

I've ridden just about every type of saddle you can think of, english, western, aussie, dressage, mcClellan, and endurance being the big ones. Aussies are a good mix. I won't touch on types because there have beeen good posts on that and I ride whats available. But the deep seat , like western and dressage does allow for more comfort and control when riding, and enable longer time in saddle. The leg positioning and lack of horn, as well as cantle design is more english/dressage like and gives you closer contact to the horse, meaning you move less to cue the horse. That saves energy and means there is less chance your horse will go hard to leg and body cues. It develops your balance better because they'll feel everything. Its a forgiving saddle for beginners and still allows advanced riders to get alot out of it.


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## sandy2u1

sounds like the kind of saddle in need. im a beginer rider, still working on cues and balance. maybe i should fork out the extra $ and go ahead and buy a really good one.

oh yeah and a correction to one of the posts above: I said I had been looking at the out back longreach....but it was the outback legend...not that I wont take into consideration the longreach....but I havent really looked at it yet lol sorry for the typo
I guess ive looked at so many saddles im walking around dazed and confused now lol


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## wild_spot

ha ha thats ok, it gets a bit overwhelming! If you think you will have it for a while, I would say definately go for the more pricey but excellent quality saddle. I didn't notice, are the saddles off downunder.com made in Australia and shipped, or made in the US? In regards to the horn... Nothing to be embarassed about! However, if you do decide to go for the more expensive and quality saddle, you might not find one with a horn, as they are not traditionally made with a horn. However, they all have D rings so it is as simple as attatching a monkey strap, or even an old cavesson noseband onto the D rings at the front, and viola, an instant handle :]


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## wild_spot

Here is quite a nice looking half breed stock saddle, that sounds like it would do well for trails and your requirements. Custom made in Australia and they have a promotion giving you free freight and insurance to the US. Definately a good bargain and worth a look. The last saddle on the page is the one I'm thinking of for you. Called the SANTA MK III REVOLVER 

http://www.jamessaddlery.com.au/promotions.htm


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## sandy2u1

rofl about the monkey grip :lol:. I will probably need one. the saddle you have posted is a beautiful saddle! if i had the money I would buy it today. $2100 dollars though...thats gonna take a few extra shifts. that is the nicest saddle I have seen yet. If I decide to go with a high quality saddle...that will be the one I buy.


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## Zolamae

*more on Aussie endurance saddles*

It never dawned on me that most true Aussie saddles don't have horns! When I looked for saddles I mostly just looked at the endurance-type and not at the true stock saddles. It would be a really good idea to see if you can try one out ahead of time. They are certainly very different feeling. I took to mine right away, but I know that other people who have tried mine don't care for it (mostly those who use all purpose or jumping saddles). The Down Under Long Reach is a pretty close contact saddle, which I like. When I purchased my first (the Kimberly lite rider) I was looking for a close contact saddle to use for training that still had a horn (just kind of helpful when on a 3-yr-old). However, I decided I didn't need the horn when I upgraded to a Longreach. I then purchased a longreach with a horn from the clearance page for my mother. Funny thing is, I find myself using her saddle with the horn more often than mine--good to hang things on, extra security (psychological at least!). I guess it's a convenience factor. I like the looks of the saddle without the horn much better, though. The Longreach doesn't come close to comparing in looks with the beautiful true Aussie stock saddles out there. Those saddles (Syd Hill, Toowoomba, etc.) are works of art! But the Down Under saddles are nice, decent quality saddles for the price (but don't go for the Kimberly saddles, especially if you can get a used or slightly blemished higher quality saddle at near the same price). I don't know anything about the Ride About Endurance saddle. It looks okay, but the price seems to good to be true (if it's everything they say it is).

The Down Under saddles aren't made in Australia. They're made in Asia but they are by no means the "cheap junk" that many Asian-made Aussie saddles are. The Down Under website gives full info. on the saddles. I'm not sure if it would be possible to find an Australian-made saddle in the U.S. for under $2,000. I could be wrong. 

I spent a lot of time looking for my saddles and I've been pretty happy with both of the Longreach so far (I've had one for 3 years and one for a year). The people at the shop have always been very helpful and good to deal with. They don't charge an arm and a leg for shipping, either. It is a good company to work with. They really want you to be happy with the saddle because word-of-mouth is the best advertising, so they'll do whatever they can to ensure you and your horse have the right fit. Which reminds me, be extra sure to get the seat size correct because the poleys can be really obstructive and uncomfortable if the saddle is too small for the rider.

Hope this was helpful. You probably think I'm a Down Under rep the way I'm pushing the saddles! I am in no way an expert on any of this. Like I said, I've never ridden in a true stock saddle--just the endurance types.


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## sandy2u1

lol no...i dont think you are a down under rep. It just sounds like to me that you have been in my shoes before....looking for that great fitting saddle that is ideal for both horse and rider. that is why ive decided to go with the aussie saddle, because almost everything I have read about them have been so positive. my current saddle is borrowed and of course doesnt fit him as it should...wich may explain why Major has some buck in him now...well that and that little saddle breaking with me incident lol. anyway...sorry im rambling now...back to the point. Id really LOVE to have one of the true aussie saddles actually made in australia...did you see the one posted on here? If you havent..check it out, its a beautiful saddle! rambling again lol! right now im going for a little less expensive, so Im seriously considering the longreach, since you all seem to like it so much. I had the same feeling about that endurance saddle as you did, sounds like a great deal but how can they sell such a high quality saddle so cheap.


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## Zolamae

That saddle from James is really nice! It's a little scary to buy an expensive saddle when you aren't sure if you are going to like it, or aren't sure if it will fit your horse. But the bonus is that they retain their value so well, whereas sometimes you can't (and shouldn't) give the cheaper ones away. I've got Morgans who tend to be a bit on the "heavy" side. Ideally I would have taken them to the store to be fitted, but there is nothing even remotely close by. You can give Down Under the tracing and your horse's description. If you think the saddle isn't fitting correctly you can send it back w/ a set of photos showing it on your horse from all angles and they'll correct it. It's funny--I remember when I was a kid we used to put any saddle on any horse. We didn't think much about the fit and never seemed to have any troubles (although I suppose when you are a kid and weigh 75 lbs. the saddle fit doesn't matter as much to the horse as when you are old and weigh twice that much!) Anyway, I know some people don't think you can ensure a proper fit without having a physical try-out. Like I said, ideally a saddle is fit by a professional, but not all of us have that luxury. Down Under does a pretty good job teaching you how to judge the saddle's fit. All of this increased knowledge about saddle fitting can sometimes be a mixed blessing. It's wonderful to have a properly fitting saddle, but I'm afraid sometimes people are too eager to blame bad behavior or bad riding on saddle or bridle issues. It's always good to check your equipment for fit and your horse for soreness, but sometimes the problem actually is the horse or the rider (in my case mostly the rider!) And speaking of behavior, if your youngster tends to start the canter with a little buck you'll like the security of poleys on an Aussie saddle. I used to ride a ton when I was a kid and then stopped for awhile. I got back into it about 9 years ago. I started my own 3-yr-old (first time starting a horse) with the Longreach. It worked well because it was light and easy to use like an English saddle, yet as secure as a western saddle (however, he still managed to buck me off twice that first summer!)

Call the people at Down Under and tell them all about yourself, your horse, and what riding you plan to do. They should be able to give you lots of advice.

Good luck!!!


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## wild_spot

How much would it cost to ship a saddle from Australia to the US? There are quite a few nice second hand Syd Hills and such in the low $1000 range around here. Even looking on Ebay could prove useful, if you decide you want to go for the Aussie made stock saddle. Otherwise the Downunder saddles look fine for your purpose


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## sandy2u1

I had emailed for some info about the ride about endurance saddle and then asked them if it were such a nice saddle how could they sell it for so cheap. they got back to me today:
Dear Sandy,

Thank you for taking the time to e-mail us.

We do not mind your question at all. It is a very good thing to ask actually. We lowered the price just as a Holiday special. Nothing else. The only thing is, we have been selling so many that we are simply trying to keep up with orders and are not getting the time to remove the specials.

We do hope that this is helpful. Please let us know how we may be of any further service to you.

Rgds,
Tim​


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## Andi

Off topic a little, sorry. 

I'm thinking about buying a stock and was wondering if any Aussie's could give me advice on which brand is alright here, and where to get it. 

I'm not wanting a great saddle, just something to ride my girl in for about six months, and maybe the occasional trail ride or something. 

Is the swing fender or the stirrup one better? My girl is three and is not broken and just wanted something more secure than my dressage saddle. How do they fit horses generally, I guess they are made for the Stock horses, which are somewhat similar to Anglo's in my experience, so would most of them fit mine alright?

Are they the same sizing as english saddles?


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## wild_spot

Hey Andi,

Well, what is your price range fi you don't mind me asking? If you want a decent cheap saddle, I have heard that the synthetic 'Ammo' saddle is fairly good. I think its about $800, and gives you a centered seat. It has fender type stirrups. It is designed by Steve Jeffreys I think, and is the same as his leather 'Ammo', which goes for considerably more money.

I would caution you. DO NOT buy one of the cheap leather ‘marshall poley’ saddles, or the ‘kimberley poley’ saddles. They are cheap and nasty, are difficult to fit to horses and people alike, and from my experience really don’t offer you much security. Plus, resale value is NIL. My friend can’t sell hers for $60. 

Now if you want a nice leather stock saddle, there are many out there, but they are a bit more pricey. You can get a second hand Syd Hill (a reputable brand) for anywhere in the mid $1000’s up to the $2000 range. The Bates Kimberley stock saddles are nice, and they are handy because they have the easy change gullet system. New, the saddles are about $2,200. They make a fender and a full skirt model. I am actually going to be selling my Bates Kimberley Swinging fender shortly, for about $1800. Your in Canberra as well, so if you’re interested let me know. Not sure what your price range is. It’s about a year old. I found it to be a great saddle, gives you an amazingly secure seat. The fenders give you decent leg mobility, and I find also add to the security, as they ‘hug’ your lower leg and make it hard to lose a stirrup. The easy change gullet system is handy as usual, and I have used a few different gullets in it. 

Fender vs. Full skirt… Really its personal preference. I really liked my swinging fender, I’m only selling it as I am buying a new, full skirt hand sewn drafter stock saddle. It will be better suited to when I show my ASH. Fenders aren’t allowed in some ASH classes. If your buying the saddle for extra security, I don’t think you can go past the fender. Like I said, it hugs your lower leg and moves as your leg moves. Fenders can be hung from the tree of the saddle itself, or from a stirrup bar. Different models hang the fenders from different positions, creating different leg positions. You can get fenders that put you in more of a traditional English seat, legs under you, or a fender that puts you in the more traditional stockmans seat, legs in front a bit and seat further back. The full skirt model has stirrups hung from a stirrup bar, exactly the same as an English saddle. Fender stirrups are very fiddly to change the length of, but once changed the buckles can’t rub. Fenders are also harder to replace. The normal stirrups and leathers on a full skirt are easier to change and also easier to replace.

Let me know if you want to know anything else!


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