Most saddles for sale have the same basic make-up. Looking at saddles can be a bit overwhelming when you don’t have any idea what you’re looking at. Once you learn the basics, you can shop both western and English saddles.

The Most Important Saddle Parts

Knowing the right terminology will definitely benefit you when shopping for saddles. If you can distinguish between the different parts of a saddle you will have an easier time communicating with the seller. A little extra vocabulary can make your browsing through saddles for sale a much smoother experience.

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 raised front part of a saddle that helps to keep the rider from sliding forward. On a western saddle, this is where the horn is attached.

The “skirt” covers the area where the stirrups attach to the saddle. They are available in round and square. Round skirts cover less of the horse’s side.

The “seat” is where the rider sits. You may have already guessed this. But I’m mentioning it in case you were afraid to ask.

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

The “stirrups” are usually metal hoops where the rider rest his or her feet.

The “billets” are straps on the saddle which connect to the girth that is used to essentially tie the saddle to the horse’s back.

English saddles only:

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

Western saddles only:

The “fenders” are like saddle flaps but they are usually a lot skinnier than those on English saddles.

This will get you started with saddle knowledge. There are plenty of other parts to a saddle that you may be interested in examining. However, if you get the hang of these items, you will be educated enough to get your feet wet and start looking for and talking about saddles for sale.

Tags: Horses