I used to ride a Syd Hill aussie for almost 20
years, but it was too narrow for my Paint. I rode him in a Wade Tree
buckaroo saddle in endurance. It fits him best of any saddle, and they are
built for cowboys who ride long days. It also has the short round
skirts. I like having the horn to hang my bridle on at vet checks.
And to loop the reins over when I dismount so they don't drop up his neck when
he puts his head down. He did American River 70 and got straight A's, my
Cougar Rock photo has the buckaroo saddle, looks like the old Charlie Barieau
photos if it weren't in color. ;-)
Wades in particular are designed to fit a wide
variety of horses. Since cowboys often have a remuda of horses to
ride. The tree flares in the front. So it either is wide enough for
big broad QH shoulders, or it settles nicely into the groove behind the shoulder
on a slender horse. It fit both my wide Paint and also a slab sided hard
keeper ranch horse with high withers. Now it's on my BLM mustang, who's
built very narrow.
I use a Zilco breast collar. And an Equipedic
or Supracor pad, both in Barrel Racer style, they fit this
saddle. Full western cuts are too big. Use whatever fits!
