Gun Dog Forum

I've been looking for a new saddle recently. Having always rode apps and quarter horses we have several western saddles. Now that - have bought a TWH I have looked here and other places and it seems like a lot of people who ride gaited horses ride trooper saddles. My question is why?

On a side note. I am looking at a Tucker Vista endurance saddle anyone have any input or experiience with this saddle

Jim

If you havent ever ridden one that is why your asking. They are the cadillac of saddles when you ride all day at a fast pace!

That horn can "get in the way of things" if you know what I mean. When you're scouting and have to go ripping through the country at a fast pace, you never know what can happen.

Ask people if you can borrow one (or more models) and try them out. My guess is you won't turn back.

My old Tucker is like putting on that pair of jeans that fits just right. I could sit in that saddle all day (and I have many times). My butt doesn't hurt. My knees do because my horses are usually too fat

I wish I had a place to borrow a trooper I certainly would. I borrowed a cheap endurance saddle off of my brother inlaw that is a lot better ride on my TWH than the barrell saddle I've been using, Which is why I'm looking at the tucker endurance saddles. I just have a hard time dropping over a grand on a saddle without riding one first.
One of the things that draws me to the endurance and the trooper is a lack of a horn....... Been there bounced off of that.

Jim

Jim
We have three different Tucker saddles....The Trooper(dennis's) The endurance (mine) and the Gen II. I personally wouldnt spend the extra money for the Gen 2. Dennis loves his trooper... Has the back on it to road the dogs off of.
Mine is the endurance saddle. I love it . It is very comfortable. Either one of those you cannot go wrong....

raven34 wrote:Jim
We have three different Tucker saddles....The Trooper(dennis's) The endurance (mine) and the Gen II. I personally wouldnt spend the extra money for the Gen 2. Dennis loves his trooper... Has the back on it to road the dogs off of.
Mine is the endurance saddle. I love it . It is very comfortable. Either one of those you cannot go wrong....

Man this is all your fault! Hahaha.
I hadn't planned on the Gen II. I think I'm gona lean towards the endurance. My wife told me shed buy me a saddle for my BDay so I'm going over to talk to a local Tucker dealer this weekend.

Jim

They should have loaners you can try, if they are serious about selling you a $1k saddle.

You are a lucky man to have a wife do that for you

jimbo&rooster wrote:...I'm going over to talk to a local Tucker dealer this weekend.

Jim - once you test some out, if you can hold off, check out a bunch of sites online. Could save you a few hundred. Here is a nice one...http://members4.boardhost.com/coverdogf ... 23748.html Or go to those site and put a WTB post. Got mine used and love it!

Yes I'm pretty fortunate that my wife is willing to do this for me. Having grown up on and around horses she knows how important a good saddle is. But of the 15+ saddles we have laying around I've not found one that suits me other than that endurance of my BIL that I've been using

Like I said I'm headed over to a saddle shop saturday ill see what he ca come up with. Hopefully he has a loaner or some other suggestions.

Jim.

Personally I have never ridden a trooper that I liked...at all!! I rode one once that was dang near brand new and it was the absolute most sore I've ever been on a horse. If you get one, I'd get one that is already really well busted in (not broken in, busted in!! ) On the other side, I've never jumped on a Tucker Endurance that didn't feel great whether just "off the rack" or been thru some miles. I'm seeing more and more folks, several long time trooper style die hards, opting now for endurance saddles. Personally, I've always felt troopers to be more of a field trial fad than the best tool for the job...but that's based solely on my seat of the pants judgement!!

I bought my wife's and my Tucker endurance saddles used at pretty decent discounts from new price. Took them to Meridian Saddle and had him put 3" western stirrup leathers with half twist to hold them just right vs. the 1" floppers that they came with...added a couple pairs of his custom hooded stirrups and they're a couple sweet rides!! Got about 6 years on mine I think and a couple on the Mrs.


JR says "I like 'em!!" :

That horn can "get in the way of things"

Is why I use an aussie saddle, no horn and all the comfort you need. But I hate them horses and see no real reason to own one eat more than my steers and the atv can sit for weeks wit hno ill effects like starving or shin splints or a wild turkey flies down and you get bucked off or.....

but my aussie saddle is sure comfy on a long ride like moving cows or jumping over fences or some of the stupid stuff I do when I get on a horses back.

Now put on the jockey saddle and take it for a spin wowie that will make you sore for a month. Still have it and our colors we run.

Before you purchase a saddle be sure it also fits your horse properly. An ill fitting saddle can give your horse a sore back.

Personally I've yet to find a trooper or Tucker that fits me. The skirt always seems too long and hits me in the wrong spot and rubs. But I'm only 5' tall!

Now put on the jockey saddle and take i ... r a month.

Lol used to use one when I breezed the runners. Now I'm riding in a Passier. It raises some eyebrows at trials and hunt tests!

Now I'm riding in a Passier.

I bet some find that to be a different approach. As long as it is comfy.

As kids we rode western exclusivly till one day my sis went to a dressage event. Dad raised race horses, we often got caught on them, and whupped for doing it.

DGFavor I hate to highjack my own thread but how tall are those horses?

JIm

jimbo&rooster wrote:DGFavor I hate to highjack my own thread but how tall are those horses?

JIm

In the first pic, my wife's foxtrotter on the left is 14.2, my TWH is 15.2. In the 2nd pic, JR is 16 hands.

I ridden hours and hours in both a trooper and a western. I am sold on a western for the following reasons.

1. The trooper I used was a Haggis. It suspends the rider up a couple inches raising the center of gravity. The western is lower and allows closer contact with the horse.
2. A horn is actually more of an advantage. Faster to throw a water jug over then clipping to a ring. Horns get in the "way" of you go over the front.. Don't go over the front. The brass bridge of a trooper is just as hazardous. I whacked my shin on one going over the front when my horse stumbled. Wish I would have hit something softer.

The Gen II is a great combination of the two. It doesn't suspend the rider. A real Cadillac of saddles.

Just my opinion. Others will differ.

markj wrote:

Now I'm riding in a Passier.

I bet some find that to be a different approach. As long as it is comfy.

As kids we rode western exclusivly till one day my sis went to a dressage event. Dad raised race horses, we often got caught on them, and whupped for doing it.

Yep it raises some eyebrows. But for me it's like sitting in a Laz-y-Boy all day long. Only problem is it doesn't have enough rings to clip things to.

I prefer plantation saddles, but if I were to replace mine it would be with either one of these:

http://montanasaddle.com/fred-hook-saddle

http://www.steelesaddle.com/mountaineer.htm

markj wrote:

That horn can "get in the way of things"

Is why I use an aussie saddle, no horn and all the comfort you need. But I hate them horses and see no real reason to own one eat more than my steers and the atv can sit for weeks wit hno ill effects like starving or shin splints or a wild turkey flies down and you get bucked off or.....

It's hard to get a 'great' quality Aussie saddle in America. Also, the OP is talking about fitting a Walker and they can have quite a need for good shoulder movement. I find a lot of Aussie saddles are made a bit 'tight' fitting.

Had a Tucker Montreal Royal, sold it for a Haggis Trooper Saddle. Once I rode the Haggis for the money you won't go wrong. If you like the security of the horn you can have it added. I bought one for my wife and ended up liking it for myself also.
Like the others have said though, once you ride one you will see why so many like them.

http://www.haggissaddles.com/saddles.htm

It's hard to get a 'great' quality Aussie saddle in America. Also, the OP is talking about fitting a Walker and they can have quite a need for good shoulder movement.

Yeah, I got that. We have a few walkers round here..... aussie saddles arent that hard to get hold of in my area, can always have a custom built up. but thanks

well after spending some time looking at what what I need in a saddle, I ordered a Tucker 270 Buffalo Trail, with round skirts. We spend alot of time off road climbing hills and such and I felt like a horn and 6in cantle might be handy. My saddle showed up last night and I went and picked it up. All I can say is that I know now why I havn't found a saddle that I liked yet..... You get what you pay for. Unfortunately my wife had class tonite so i'm on daddy duty but I intend to toss this saddle on my mare tomorrow and put it through its paces.

Jim

As someone else stated earlier, I don't like the raised saddles because you loose contact with the horse. When you've really got a horse tuned up it should cue off of your seat. I ride a rough-out suede polo saddle most of the time unless I'm working cattle or roping.

I've primarily worked cattle and played polo, so I've always ridden a quarter horse or appendix. What are Walker's like? I've always wanted to ride one but don't know anyone that owns a walking horse. Can you work cattle (rope, drag stears, cut) with a walking horse?

Petroplex Hunter wrote:I've primarily worked cattle and played polo, so I've always ridden a quarter horse or appendix. What are Walker's like? I've always wanted to ride one but don't know anyone that owns a walking horse. Can you work cattle (rope, drag stears, cut) with a walking horse?

There isn't anything you can't do on a Walker. The only difference is a different "gear". I have done sorting, obstacle challenges and of course field trialed with mine.

Big difference is a few of the gates of a non gaited horse take come training for horse and rider to get into. A slow canter or lope for example. It can be done but is against their NORMAL training. They can pick up a lead as easy as any well trained horse.

Think of it like this... if you have to post or sit the trot, it isn't a normal walking horse gait.

They may not have a lot of "cow" bred into them so a lot of that natural talent will need training.

Yes, they can be working ranch horses and work cattle.

In general TWH are kind and levelheaded. They come in all colors and shapes and sizes from short and light to tall and drafty.

Ride what you are comfortable in... that's the bottom line.
Others say get something that fits your horse (that is MOST important).
I ride a Heskett trooper because it is comfortable. It does sit higher off the horse... it's a different feel than a western or an endurance for sure...

I didn't like the Haggis either, but it's a great saddle, just different. Its really a matter of preference.

I ride a trooper, because that is what I feel comfortable in... You ride what you like... don't let anyone sway you otherwise.