All saddles for sale are made up of the same basic parts. It’s good to know your way around a saddle so that you know what you should be looking for before you buy. English saddles and western saddles for sale have many similar attributes.

The Most Important Saddle Parts

You’d probably be better off knowing the names for some horse saddle parts when you’re shopping around. This knowledge of saddles can help your quality checking process. You don’t need to be an expert, but a basic understanding about saddles for sale will lend to a more intelligent purchase.

The “tree” is the part that all saddles for sale are constructed of. It is a basic skeleton that is made of wood, steel or other man-made materials.

The “pommel” is the front bump on a saddle that holds you in from the front. Western saddles have horns connected to their pommel.

The “skirt” covers the area where the stirrups attach to the saddle. This keeps these parts from catching on the rider.

The “seat” is a self-explanatory part of the saddle. But listed in case you were wondering what to call it.

The “cantle” is the raised rear part of a horse saddle that helps to keep the rider from falling backwards.

The “stirrups” are loops on either side of the horse where the rider puts his or her feet.

The “billets” are leather connectors that hold the girth to the saddle. the girth ropes the saddle around the horse’s body.

These components are found on English Saddles:

The “saddle flaps” on a saddle are leather strips that lay between the horse’s side and the rider’s leg.

Western saddle parts:

The “fenders” on a western saddle are similar to saddle flaps on an English saddle but are usually a more slender strip of leather.

There are many other parts of saddles when you go into further detail. And the other parts can be equally important in determining which of the many saddles for sale is right for you. But these terms should give you a basic understanding of the general layout of a saddle.

About the Author, Anne Katherine knows a lot when it comes to saddles for sale. See more posts by her elsewhere on the internet if you like what you see here.

Tags: Horses