# Buck Rolls



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Basically, they are screwed onto a saddle to create "swells" without actually having a saddle with a swelled tree.

For example, this saddle has a tree with swells









And this saddle doesn't. This is the type of saddle that bucking rolls are usually used on.









The purpose of the bucking rolls is to give you something to keep you in a saddle without swells by giving you something to catch your thighs if the horse goes to bucking.


















As for how they are attached, they are basically just screwed into the tree through the leather. You can see the screws at the bottom of them


----------



## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

They help to an extent.

They give you something to brace your thighs against if you get in a "storm." They are generally used on the saddles with Wade/slick fork/A fork saddles. Those without pommels. 

Though I've known two guys that rode known buckers as part of their jobs, training them to be usable horses by all, rode saddles with Modified Association trees, and added bucking rolls to them when riding the worst in their string.

Nowadays they've just become a popular "look." Good deal for saddle makers and leather workers. There are some out there that would qualify as art!

Most western saddles have a screw at the bottom of each side of the pommel. The bucking rolls have a hole that the screw can go through and get reattached there.

Excellent visuals, smrobs!


----------



## Cielo Notturno (Sep 12, 2013)

Thank you for the explanation


----------



## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I think the Australians call them "poleys"  :










English saddles don't have swells. If your horse spins hard, it is very easy to get out of position. If your horse stumbles, it is very easy to slide forward. So the Australians added what works as a thigh brace. Mine are a bit too far forward for my thigh, but they still helped me stay on thru numerous spins back when my horse was prone to doing that. I finished a couple of rides with a Mickey Mouse Ear shaped bruise on my thigh, but the poley kept my hips aligned with the saddle and me on it.

I've never tried bucking rolls on a slick fork western. It seems a bit counter-intuitive - buy a slick fork saddle and add bucking rolls so it won't have a slick fork. However, they look to be closer to your thigh, which would help when the horse hits the fan. I think. Like I said, I haven't actually tried it, except in the Australian version...

Come to think of it...that could be an interesting business thought: make "bucking rolls" for English saddles!


----------



## Fort fireman (Mar 5, 2011)

Heres a pic of my saddle without bucking rolls.



This is where the get screwed into.



And here it is with them on.


I don't have mine on all that much. i used to keep them on but as my daughter started getting bigger and riding with me they got in the way. Now they hang on the wall in the tack room most of the time. As far as NEEDING them, its never been a must have. Of course I'm not riding real buckers on a regular basis either so take that what it's worth..:lol:


----------

