[Callie's Mom]

Anyone here ride Aussie style (in an aussie saddle)?
I bought m first aussie saddle at the beginning of this year after riding both english and western growing up... I really like the aussie saddle for trail riding; the knee and thigh pads give alot of extra support in rough terrain.
It was a little different getting used to sitting in a bit of a different position since your legs are more out in front of you rather than under you.
Anyway, I'd like to hear from you others who ride in them and what you think or have thought of them.

[Chester]

Originally Posted by Callie's Mom

Anyone here ride Aussie style (in an aussie saddle)?

It amazes me how they are called an Aussie Saddle. A real Australian stock saddle does NOT have a horn.



This is a real Australian stock saddle, albeit a small one. I bring my stock saddle out when ever I am after a leisurely ride or I am not certain of the horse it is going on. Much more secure than the pretty little dressage ones.

[crazychickmia]

I learnt to ride in one

My dad owns a property and horses were used for stockwork up until about 30 years ago. Our country is stone stone stone (horses had to be reshod once a week, shoes would wear through or be pulled off) so when motorbikes because available...

Anyway, the old saddleshed had quite a few old stock saddles left. One newer one was really really nice! There was a really cool saddle thing as well...almost like a reinforced bareback pad...Dad said the guy who's job it was to bring in the stock horses in the morning would carry that out into the paddock (MUCH lighter than a full stock saddle), saddle up the lead horse and then bring the mob in. Pretty cool

Anyway getting off track!

I ride english now since I'm interested in jumping, and stock saddles aren't the best with their big knee pads for that!

I prefer them to western saddles though. I find they have a more "english" style seat rather than the western 'bucket'. I also find the "reinforced seat" (with the knee pads etc) a lot nicer than just the one large horn. If something goes wrong, less liklihood of a horn in the gut...also the kneerolls help keep you in without you haveing to stop and think about hanging on, grabbing something etc.

Dad loves the knee pads Reckons there's nothing better to keep you on a buckjumper!

Aha, found a photo. My first ride on my new horse Lincoln when I was 9. He was SUPPOSED to be a 14hh pony club mount not a 16hh TB straight off the race track



The saddle looks so big

[crazychickmia]

Originally Posted by chester

It amazes me how they are called an Aussie Saddle. A real Australian stock saddle does NOT have a horn.



This is a real Australian stock saddle, albeit a small one. I bring my stock saddle out when ever I am after a leisurely ride or I am not certain of the horse it is going on. Much more secure than the pretty little dressage ones.

I hadn't even noticed callie's had a horn

Yeeeah, that's not a stock saddle then! That's a halfbreed - stirrup leather and horn version, as opposed to knee roll/no horn and swinging fenders version

[Callie's Mom]

The company I bought my saddle from offered the horn or no horn option, my husband got no horn but I like the idea of having a horn being used to a western saddle... but I agree with you on the fact that it isn't the safest if you were to get into a bad spot on end up possibly going over the front.
But I have enjoyed it so far... I'd like to upgrade it in the future as this is a cheapy starter model... but I enjoy it and it fits my horse well.

[Cowgirl1013]

I have ridden in one before. It was very different from both english and western. I wasn't a fan of how the things that come up really lock your legs into the saddle though. Do those have a specific name?

[crazychickmia]

Originally Posted by Callie's Mom

The company I bought my saddle from offered the horn or no horn option, my husband got no horn but I like the idea of having a horn being used to a western saddle... but I agree with you on the fact that it isn't the safest if you were to get into a bad spot on end up possibly going over the front.
But I have enjoyed it so far... I'd like to upgrade it in the future as this is a cheapy starter model... but I enjoy it and it fits my horse well.

Yeah, I know a woman only a few hours from here tipped onto the front of her western saddle, it caused internal injuries and she died That kind of creeps me out. A guy up the stables recently did the same thing and the BRUISE on his abdomen Scary!

[Callie's Mom]

That is scary... probably 70% of the riders at our barn of about 40 horses ride western and I am yet to see any problems with that though obviously it happens so knock on wood!
But like I mentioned, I want to upgrade in the future and I don't know at that point if I will get the horn... I have used it quite a bit. It is handy for tying a rope around (but the saddle has alot of d-rings and other things that could for for that) and it is also handy for hanging my crop on when I am not using it too. So for now I am enjoying the saddle, we'll see.
Anyone else ride in the nice saddles? perhaps some of you in the states?

[magicsdoublepla]

i was going to get my gelding an aussie saddle, but sadly it didn't fit him, and ther weren't any other sizes available. so i didn't get it for him. but i LOVED it, and i still really want a nice leather aussie saddle. they're SO comfy

[CJ]

Originally Posted by chester

Much more secure than the pretty little dressage ones.

Dressage saddles were not designed with horses who/might buck in mind .
I find the Aussie saddles sort of fascinating.