Why an Australian Made Saddle: When you buy a genuine made Australian saddle, you are buying a saddle that has been hand crafted by a saddle maker with a minimum of 5 years training. As well, just like a custom made western saddle, it takes as long as 40 hours to complete the saddle. Truly these are a piece of art and great care and attention is put into the process of building the saddle. A good Australian saddle maker not only takes pride in their work, but also uses quality veg tanned leather from a reputable source such as the US or New Zealand, where only select hides are used. The saddle tree is also a concern, and the Australian made saddles we carry all have a 10 year warranty on the tree. The tree is the base of the saddle, and the quality, strength and shape is designed with the care of both the horse and rider in mind. Remember, an Australian saddle was originally designed for the rough terrain of the Outback. Chasing cattle for long hours on horseback required a secure, close contact saddle that would last for years without damage to the horse or rider's backs. As well as the tree and leather, an Australian made saddle will have quality brass hardware and fittings that are built to last. With proper care, it is not unusual for these saddles to last a lifetime of riding.
Asian
made Saddles: If you want the very best, then there is no
doubt you should buy one of our Australian made saddles. However, for some
people the price is outside their budget, or they would like to try a low cost
Australian saddle before making the purchase of a Australian made. That is where
we suggest the Kimberley Series (TM) Saddles, and the Down Under Series
Saddles.
How
are our Asian Saddles Different?
Firstly, most catalog and internet companies purchase the lowest price Aussie style saddle out of India. These saddles cost the importer very little and offer no manufacture warranty. These saddles are generally made from a painted (pigmented) leather that is poorly tanned and will not accept the oil. Accordingly, the saddle leather gets much drier over time - this is what is referred to as cardboard leather. As it dries out it tears fairly easily, creating a serious safety issue for the rider. Furthermore, many of these saddles are not rigged correctly, and are difficult if not almost impossible to tighten the girth enough to stop the saddle slipping on the horse. But really, what does one expect for such a low price? Nothing changes when it comes to saddles, you get what you pay for. You can not spend the least and expect the most - quality & satisfaction comes at a certain price. As well, the comfort and support to your horse's muskuloskeletal system must be maintained for their lasting health.
Unfortunately, thousands of these low quality saddles have been sold in North America over the last 20 years, and these saddles seldom work for the purchaser and generally end up being offered in magazine advertisements, generic websites, horse auctions and on-line auctions. These saddles are not comparable to how a properly made Australian saddle will feel and fit your horse.
We do not sell the cheap Asian made saddles that are explained above. Our Kimberley and Down Under saddles are all quality saddles, backed by a 2 year to 10 year , manufacturers tree warranty (depending on the model). Down Under saddles have long term relationships with reputable manufacturers, and these saddles are made exclusively to there strict quality and materials standards. Down Under personally meet with the manufacturers on a consistent basis to work on product improvements and quality control.
The Kimberley Saddles are all hand-made from a soft naked leather, that will further soften after additional oiling and use. The stitching thread is "All American" nylon bonded, to ensure that everything even the stitching, is long lasting and very durable. Our Kimberley Saddles have an extremely high reputation and should serve the customer well for many years. The Down Under Series saddles have even higher quality leather and special attention to detail during production.
The Kimberley Series and Down Under Series saddles are the next best thing to purchasing a genuine Australian made saddle.
Additionally, all of our Kimberley and Down Under saddles have adjustable saddle trees, that we can custom adjust to fit nearly any breed of horse.
Honesty,
Integrity & Support: The most important consideration is not how much you spend on a saddle, but
instead, you should carefully consider from which Company you intend to purchase
from and how helpful and honest they are. It is extremely important that you can
get the specialized assistance you need, both before and after the sale, to
ensure you experience the many benefits available from an Australian Saddle.
Australian saddles are very different and require a certain expertise in making
sure you purchase the correct type of saddle for your particular horse breed,
along with the right saddle for your riding style.
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The difference in Panels:
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Serge Panel
This
kind of panel is self adjusting, the saddle fit keeps improving with
each and every ride, until it has conformed to the shape of your horse.
This kind of saddle will sit
higher on the horse when new, but will lower when the panel
begins to conform to your horse. This however, will only work if you have the correct tree width to suit
your horse, please refer to our horse fitment details for more information (click
here).
The stuffing in our saddles is a combination wool flock blend and it is
unlikely that you ever need to reawl or restuff the panel, unless you
do a tremendous amount of riding. A serge panel saddle is best suited
for horses with medium to higher withers, and is ideal for the majority
of horses. This is the most popular type of Australian saddle and will
provide many years of service. |
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Fleece Panel
Fleece
panels are most commonly seen on Western saddles and are fitted to
Aussie saddles that are made with extended bars on the saddle tree. The
riders weight is spread over a larger area on the horses back (due to
the extended bars), amounting to less pounds per square inch of weight
on the horses back. However, this kind of panel is best suited for
horses that have a long wide flat back. If you use this kind of saddle
on a horse with a short back, the extended panels may irritate/rub the
horse, additionally if your horse has any curve to its back, this kind
of panel will cause a bridging effect, whereby all the riders weight
will be at four points on the horse’s back (either side at the front
and either side at the back). However, if your horse has a wide flat
back, this panel is an excellent choice.....
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How
to measure an Australian Stock Saddle
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Australian saddles are measured
differently to Western or English saddles. Below is a guide to the size
you will need in an Australian saddle, however we still require your
height, weight and pant size to correctly determine the exact size you
will need for a particular saddle.
| Western Size |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
| English Size |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
| Aussie Size |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
(a) length of tree. (b) dip in seat.
(c) height of kneepad. (d) height of thigh pad.
(e) length of flap. |
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Ladies Approximate Saddle Size
Guide for Australian Saddles:
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Size
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15
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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21
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Pant Size
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4/6
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6/8
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10/12
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14/16
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18/20
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20/22
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22 Plus
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Weight lbs
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95 - 120
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120 - 140
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140 - 160
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160 - 180
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180 - 200
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200 - 220
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220 Plus
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Men's Approximate Saddle Size
Guide for Australian Saddles:
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Size
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15
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16
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17
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18
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19
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20
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21
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Pant Size
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28 - 32
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32 - 34
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34 - 36
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36 - 38
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38 - 40
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40 - 42
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42 Plus
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Weight lbs
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110 - 130
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130 - 160
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160 - 180
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180 - 200
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200 - 220
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220 - 240
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240 Plus
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How Do You
Measure Your Horse For A Customer Saddle Fit?
It's Easy! |
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1. First, note the line
as illustrated. This represents the front edge of the saddle tree.
2. Next, snip off the
ends of a common coat hanger, and bend over area indicated until you have a snug fit.
Carefully remove without changing the angle.
3. Finally, trace the
outline of the wire on some paper with a black marker. Fax (250-296-4164) or mail with your order. From
this we can make a template and cross check it against your saddle order.
Where to position the saddle on your horse: Australian Saddles sit more forward on
the horses back than traditional Western saddles, the stirrups are also
attached in a more forward position. This puts the rider’s center of gravity and weight over the horse’s shoulder rather than
the middle of the spine. This position is unquestionably far more
comfortable for most horses and greatly enhances horse performance. Before undertaking a long ride with your
new saddle, we suggest many shorter rides allowing the padding to conform and adjust to your horse.
How
the saddle should fit on your horse: Australian saddles do sit
differently on a horse than Western or English saddles, and a different
approach is required. Make sure you contact us directly with any questions
you may have. Be assured no one else can offer you the kind of knowledge
required for saddle fitment of Australian saddles.
Do not rely on trainers,
tack shops, conventional saddle fitters or friends, whom although mean well,
do not have the expertise required regarding Australian saddles and how they
should fit your horse.
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The ABC
Saddle Fitment Program |
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The
Front of the saddle is too high (A): The front (pommel) of
this saddle is sitting too high. this will result in the majority of the
riders' weight being transferred to the back half of the saddle. It's a
simple principal of weight running downhill. This is uncomfortable for the
rider and the horse; within a short period of time the horse will develop
white hair, then visible saddle soreness. The saddle tree is too narrow
for the horse, and you need a wider tree saddle. The narrower the saddle
tree the higher the front of the saddle will sit. |
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The
Front of the saddle is too low (B): The back (cantle) of this
saddle is sitting too high. This will result in the majority of the
riders' weight being transferred to the front half of the saddle. It's a
simple principal of weight running downhill. This is uncomfortable for the
rider and the horse; within a short period of time the horse will develop
white hair, then visible saddle soreness. The saddle tree is too wide for
the horse, and you need a narrower tree saddle or a saddle tree adjustment
(avail. with most of our saddles). The wider the saddle tree the lower the
front of the saddle will sit. |
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Absolutely
as good as it gets (C): The front and back of this saddle is
level, distributing the rider's weight evenly over the horse's back.
Actually we don't just consider the front and back of the saddle, we also
look at the seat itself, the seat in this saddle is nice and lever. To
determine that the saddle is fairly level, just eyeball it, there is no
need to use an engineers level.
It is not always possible to get this perfect "textbook
fitment" shown here, however, if the front is a little higher or a
little lower, you will be just fine, as long as you don't have the
extremes shown above. (Several of our saddle models are made with a deeper
seat and higher cantle, so naturally the back of the seat will sit
slightly higher than the front on these models.) |
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How can you determine saddle
fitment in this way? I saw some guy conducting a clinic and claiming you
need to have four fingers of clearance at the front of the saddle and
certain clearance on each side of the withers.
Well I guess you might say we have taken saddle fitment to a whole new
level. If you don't have enough clearance between the top of the withers
and the saddle, the front of the saddle is obviously sitting too low on
the horse, this is diagnosed in illustration "B" above. If you had too
much clearance at the front this is diagnosed in illustration "A". Our
new fitting program is as simple as ABC, you would wonder why saddle
fitters try to make it so difficult, unfortunately they probably see it
as another income stream.
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How To Ride
Australian .... |
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Riding
Position: Adjust the stirrup leather length so when you're
sitting in the saddle your thigh runs parallel with the kneepad. You'll
ride longer in the stirrup with your feet forward and heels down. You
should place 25% of your weight in each stirrup and the balance in the
seat of the saddle, this ensures an even weight distribution on the
horse's back. If your horse is developing sore spots, you always need to
consider two points, saddle fitment and the rider's technique. Is the
rider placing the correct weight in the stirrups and the saddle seat?
When posting in an Australian saddle, you need to use a much lower post
than you might have been taught by your riding instructor. You have a few
minor riding adjustments to make in order to enjoy the many benefits of an
Australian saddle. After you have mastered "Aussie Riding" it is
unlikely you will ever want to ride Western or English ever again. |
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