Mounted search and rescue

["philip easley" <easleyranch@foothill.net>]

I hate to beat my $2,500 saddle to death, but I also bought a cheap $240
Cordura synthetic training saddle.  I use it primarily to get colts used to
strapping a saddle on them with stirrups flapping and all.  I tried riding
it and feel like I am riding a bareback pad.  It also feels real unstable
and is not easy to keep from sliding over when mounting.  I suppose there
are some higher quality Cordura saddles out there.  I just have not tried
one yet.  For now, it is working well as a starter saddle for colts and
seems to hold up well when they decide to roll over on it or slam into a
panel with it (fortunately most of them do not go through that).
Philip Easley
NCSSAR
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sherry C. Hicks" <shicks@nwinc.net>
To: "'Mounted search and rescue'" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2006 3:45 PM
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Saddles etc.


> Which brings me to my next question...Has anyone tried one of those
> synthetic saddles? They are so light and, shall we say, cost effective. I
> have some other things made out of cordura and it is extremely durable. I
> mostly trail ride and am not out to impress anyone. I use an aussie now,
no
> horn to get stuck in the gut with, and like it a lot. I know horns come in
> handy, but I haven't needed to tie off a calf in the 13 years I've been
> riding. I have been thinking of a synthetic as a second saddle.
>
> Sherry
> Tennessee - START
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
> [mailto:msar-riders-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Una Smith
> Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2006 3:54 PM
> To: Mounted search and rescue
> Subject: [MSAR] Saddles etc.
>
> An inexpensive saddle has the virtue of being less of a
> financial loss if it gets ruined.  I bought a good saddle,
> old and used, so I don't fret about it when we get soaked
> in a rainstorm.  I am quite sure it got soaked many times
> before I bought it.
>
> >irvin lichtenstein wrote:
> >                                      The string girth (it is a roping
> >saddle) gets replaced twice a year or whenever too dirty to brush off.
>
> Frequent replacement is good, but if I used the too-dirty
> rule I'd have to get a new string girth after almost every
> ride.  I lay it out somewhere free of mud and debris (eg,
> a cement wash pad or a driveway), and hose it off.  Ditto
> with the saddle pad or blanket.  The saddle too, if it is
> majorly dirty.
>
> >I have friends that trail ride for hours using a Steubben
> >saddle that is maybe 30 or more years old.
>
> In hot weather, if I'm not using saddle bags, I ride trails
> in an old and well used polo saddle made in Costa Rica.  I
> like a flat seat and no knee pads or thigh rolls.  Because
> my knees are getting old, on a long ride I need to be able
> to place my lower legs in a variety of positions without
> compromizing my seat.
>
> Una Smith
> New Mexico
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