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| Australian Saddles Information |
| Aussie | 16" | 17" | 18" | 19" | 20" |
| English | 16" | 17" | 18" | 19" | 20" |
| Western | 14" | 15" | 16" | 17" | 18" |
| Most people find that the Australian Riding Position is also more comfortable for the rider. With the riders feet forward of the hips there is better weight distribution, resulting in less stress on the knees. And the 2 1/2" leathers make it easy to turn the stirrups in the correct position. Stirrup leathers hang from the stirrup bars on the saddle tree and are designed for easy release by sliding backwards. Under most circumstances, should a rider fall and be dragged, the stirrup leathers will release from the saddle, reducing the risk of serious injury. Quality Australian saddles are made of bark-tanned or vegetable tanned leather. Oil is worked into the leather during tanning, leaving the leather more soft and supple. Saddle trees are commonly made of wood and steel, fiberglass, or polyurethane. Wood and Steel provide an excellent ride through it's suspended seat system. The rider sits on webbing suspended over the tree, not on the tree itself; this is them covered with padding and leather. The tree can also be reset after the saddle is made to fit virtually any horse. These are the saddle trees that are used in our Kimberley and Down Under Saddles. Injection molded polyurethane trees provide supreme durability and construction consistency. This type of tree is used in saddles made my Syd Hill & Sons. Padding or stuffing on a traditonal, serge panel, Aussie saddle is very generous, with 1 1/2" in most areas providing total comfort for the horse. The unique panel adjusts to suit your individual horse or horses while allowing the special air chamber to cool the horse's spine. Wool wadding or acrylic flock provides superior comfort, resiliency and air circulation. This keeps the horse cool and dry, seldom if never needs to be awled or restuffed. Seat sizes from 14" to 22" to suit riders from 50lbs. to 300lbs +. As with people, horses and mules also come in different shapes and sizes. Saddle trees come in several widths to suit ponies to extra wide horses. All we need is your height, weight, pant size, and breed of horse along with a wither tracing and we help make your selection easy. For wither tracing help, please call us or email us during business hours. Some trees may not be in stock at a given time. Please call us with all of your order information ready, and will contact the saddlery to see if the particular color and or sizes are in stock. Custom orders take between 8-10 weeks! 50% non-refundable deposit is required on all custom order saddles! |
 #1. First, note the line as illustrated. This represents the front edge of the saddle tree. #2. Next, snip off the twisted ends of a common coat hanger, and bend over the 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 (Turn the paper sideways to give a larger drawing of the withers). (We only need 6 to 8 inches down each side of the wire hanger to get the correct angle). Fax or mail with your order - Fax Number: (513) 528-3521 From this we can make a template and cross check it against your saddle order. Make sure with your saddle order you have included the breed of horse, (if a mule- highlight mule) its height and weight along with the riders height, weight, pant size and contact details. In conjunction with the wither tracing we will need the horses height, weight and horse breed. This combined information helps us determine what saddle will best suit your horse along with the required tree width. Determining your horse's weight  Step 1. Measure the circumference (heart girth) of the horses body in inches. (C) Step 2. Measure the length of the body from the point of the shoulder to the point of the croup in inches. (A to B) Step 3. Apply the following formula to calculate the weight of the horse. Heart girth x heart girth x length divided by 300 + 50 pounds = the horses weight in pounds.  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.  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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Approximate Saddle Size Guide - Ladies
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| Saddle Size |
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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| Weight (lbs) |
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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| Pant Size |
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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Approximate Saddle Size Guide - Men
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| Saddle Size |
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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| Weight (lbs) |
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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| Waist Size |
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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