Frequently Asked Questions about our Mountain Horse, Inc. Saddles

1.  Are these saddles manufactured in the US?

YES!!  Mountain Horse western trail saddles are all 100% USA made.  As much as we possibly can, we use materials that are made in the USA as well in the manufacturing of our saddles.  Our leather is premium American cowhide from US tanneries.   

2.  How do I determine which tree to have you send to me to try on my horse?

First, consider the breed and build of your horse: 

These are generalizations and there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rule, but in general a draft, draft pony or draft cross needs a draft tree, a gaited horse of any gaited breed or Thoroughbred usually needs a gaited tree and a quarter horse, paint, appaloosa or Arab may do best with our semi QH or Full QH flex trees.  Morgan horses and Friesians vary...we have fit them in gaited, draft or our special Friesian tree.  Mules in general do best with a mule polymer or wood tree.

But, there are exceptions...we have fit some exceptionally broad-backed gaited horses, Arabs, QH's, mules and paints with our draft tree.  We have also fit some very high withered horses and/or big shouldered horses that weren't gaited with our gaited tree.  

We can usually tell once we see the tree on your horse if we need to make the gullet narrower or wider, bar spread narrower or wider and if it needs modifications such as shortening the bars and skirts on the saddle for a shorter backed horse.  Most small draft horses like Halflingers, Gypsys and Fjords need the bars shortened as do most Paso Fino and Icelandic horses.
We can also make suggestions about the saddle pad type that will work best with your horse and saddle.

If you still aren't sure...you are always welcome to send us pictures and have us help you narrow down your choices.  Please take a side profile picture with nothing on your horse's back...preferably on level ground with their head straight and in normal riding position.  E'mail it to holly@wyomingsaddlery.com

3.  How do I determine my seat size?

Seat size is partially determined by your size, but also by your personal preference.  Here's some ideas for figuring out the size you need:

If you have a saddle (or a friend has a saddle) that you are using--measure from the fork (right behind the pommel/horn) to the top of the cantle.  If it is comfortable, go with that size...if not...decide if you want it to be a little larger or smaller.

You can also take a tape measure, measure out 16" or whatever size you are considering...and sit on it!  Visualize that you will have the pommel in front of you and the cantle behind you.  Our saddles have a fairly deep seat with a narrow twist so you will be sitting within that measurement.

Consider if you like your seat a little tighter or if you like a little more room to move.  Some folks prefer a tighter seat...it makes them feel more secure.  Others like a little room to move around.

We don't  set up a chart of height/weight and tell you which seat size you need based on those factors...because people carry their weight differently and have different preferences. 

We do offer seat sizes as little as 13" or 14".  Our regular seat sizes are 15", 16" or 17".  We do not do 1/2 sizes.  We also offer larger seat sizes from 18" to 21". 

4.  What is the advantages/disadvantages of suede seats vs. slick??

Once again...your preference pays the largest role in deciding which seat material you want to go with, but here are some of the advantages/disadvantages to each:

On a slick seat...the advantage is that it is easier to clean. You can use the same saddle cleaners, conditioners, oil on it as you use on the rest of your leather. Sometimes, if you have a gaited horse or a very smooth moving horse, the slick leather is nice because you move with their movement. However, you do move/slide a lot more on the smooth leather.

The suede seat...I would recommend for a beginning rider or someone who is going to do a lot of riding over hills/mountains. The BIG advantage of the suede is that it provides enough friction that you won't slide in the saddle seat. You feel more secure and you don't have to use your legs quite as much to keep yourself centered. It kind of "sticks" you into place!! :)
The disadvantage of suede is that it is harder to keep clean. And...suede will show wear more than the slick leather will.  I have a suede seat saddle that has been ridden many miles and you can tell right where I sit because it is darker and worn down.

I personally have two saddles that I regularly ride in and one has suede, one has the slick leather seat. Both are equally comfortable to sit in, but I really prefer my suede when I ride in the mountains. When climbing up and down in the mountains or hills, the suede "grips" better.  The slick seat I like when I ride my more smooth gaited horses down the road or through the pasture where the ground is flatter. 

5.  What is the advantage of the mock wool or the real wool fleece over the regular felt?

The standard grey felt that we use for the underside of the saddle is a good product.  It adds body to the skirts of the saddle and extra padding.  The underside material of the saddle is not really that relevant to the comfort of your horse because you will be using a saddle pad anyway.  If you use your saddle in the back country where you have to put it on the ground, you may prefer the grey felt because it is easier to keep clean.     

The advantage of the mock wool fleece is that it adds to the value and looks of your saddle.  It looks and feels like real wool, so it will add value for resale.    It is also much less expensive than the real wool...and it doesn't attract moths.

The mock wool IS an option (although it may not be shown in the webstore) on the cordura saddles also.  The cordura saddles come standard with a white synthetic fleece.  Upgrading to the mock wool adds body to the cordura skirts and is a very nice option on our lightest weight saddles.

We offer real wool fleece for the folks who have always had real wool on their saddles and always will.   I've heard some people mention that they like the real wool because it wicks away moisture, but again, that isn't really relevant because you do not have your saddle directly against your horse...you will have a saddle pad in between your horse and the saddle.  The real wool is slightly thicker than the mock wool and a little softer.

6.  Do the fenders move so I can set them in front of me or under me?

Yes, the fenders fit through slots in the actual saddle tree, so you can move them into the position you prefer.  There may be some stiffness with new leather, but with time and oiling, the fenders will move freely. 

A tip...if your stirrup placement doesn't feel comfortable or even...experiment with your fenders...they slide up and down, so you can move them into a comfortable position.

7.  I'm very tall (or very short) and regular fenders never seem like they fit me.  Can you build custom length fenders for my saddle?

Yes...we can.   To customize your fenders requires that we handcut the leathers, so it is an additional cost.  For the shorter legged person, we usually like to know your inseam. In some cases we can make the fenders shorter...while in others we simply punch more holes in the stirrup leathers.

8.  What is your saddle build time?

It varies a little from 4- 8 weeks depending on the time of the year.  Usually 4-5 weeks is a good estimate, although there may be times when the riding season or hunting season are heating up that are particularly busy...and holidays also slow down the process. 

There are certain circumstances that can cause a saddle build to take longer, but we do try to keep you informed every 2 weeks about your build...and we let you know right away if there are any delays.

Still even 8 weeks is much better than the 4-5 months most custom saddle builders require to build a saddle to your specifications.  We have a saddle making crew that works on our saddles, so they are able to get them built more quickly than most other saddle builders.

9.  Can I get the perfect fit for my horse/mule with one of your saddles?

Sometimes yes.  However, perfection is not always possible.  What we aim for is the best possible, most comfortable fit.  We strongly recommend doing our saddle tree fitting program.

Horses sometimes have very unique builds...they  can be sway backed, barrel chested, developed more on one side than the other, "downhill" built (where the hip is higher than their front end), exceptionally large shoulders, "roach" backed (spine sticks up) and the list goes on and on!!
To accomodate these different issues, we find the tree that offers the best possible fit,  make some modifications to the tree if needed...and recommend the right type of pad if necessary to get the best possible, most comfortable fit.

For our horses' sake, we're very thankful that most horse people today don't believe the old myth that a saddle should fit perfectly without needing a pad or shims  or that "one size fits all".  Many horses' conformations simply don't allow the perfect fit without modifications and the right pad.  And, if your horse is one of those horses...it's not a bad thing!  They are simply unique individuals, just like people.    

To our credit, we have customers come to us that have already been through 3, 4, or more saddles because they can't find the right fit, and we can help them find the best possible fit for their horse/mule.  Most of them have even done wither or back tracings for the prior saddle makers.  Our saddle tree fitting program is VERY successful because it shows the fit throughout the entire tree.  If you are concerned about getting the right fit or have a hard to fit horse, we strongly recommend that you try a tree or trees on your horse first.

10.  Nylon latigo and off billet vs. leather?

Again...a matter of preference!  Leather is stronger, but also thicker...and because it is a natural fiber, it  can stretch a little.  Our leather latigos do now come with holes punched so you can buckle them to the cinch.  The nylon is a little thinner, washable and holds a little tighter because it doesn't stretch.  The nylon latigos do have holes also. 

My personal preference is to have a leather off billet and a nylon latigo.  The leather off billet is tougher and more heavy duty on the right side of the horse...while I prefer the easier to handle, less stretch of the nylon latigo on the left where I cinch the saddle. 

11.  What type of leather do you use?

Our leather is grade 2 premium American cowhide.  It is good leather, durable and strong.  It does take some oiling and "breaking in" as it is a little stiff when new.  Usually oiling the underside of the stirrup leathers and fenders thoroughly, then placing a broomstick through the fenders or stirrups overnight makes it ready for that first ride.  It will soften and get more and more comfortable over time as you ride in it and oil it.

We do now have an upgraded leather available.  This leather goes through a longer tanning process and adding the dye to the leather is part of the tanning process, so this upgraded leather is softer, more supple, more flexible and the dye goes all the way through the leather.  The leather is impregnated with oils, so it also takes less maintainence.  This upgrade is $100.00.  The colors (other than black) are a little different than the standard leather.  (See our Saddle Options page).  The advantage with this leather is that it gives you a BIG jump on breaking in your saddles as it is already softer and more flexible--so more comfortable!  

12.  Shipping costs on your saddles?  

We ship UPS Ground on all of our saddles.  Depending on where you are in the lower 48 states the shipping costs vary between $36-$55 on each saddle.  You actually pay more for the size of the box required than the weight.       

 13.  My horse/mule is young?  How can we be sure the saddle fits him in the future?  Should we purchase a saddle now?

This is a tough one, because the truth is, you can't predict how your equine is going to grow and mature.  I have a 24 year old QH mare who has been in a 6.5" semi QH tree all of her life...we've just changed saddle pads in recent years to accomodate the fact that her back has dropped with age.  I also have two geldings that had huge growth spurts between the age of 3 - 5 years old.  My youngest gelding went from a 6.5" semi QH flex tree to a 7" gaited wood tree in one year.  My 24 yr old mare is his dam, so you can't necessarily predict growth based on genetics! 

But...you still want to ride your 2, 3, 4  or 5 yr old.  Usually by 6, most horses, for saddle fit at least, are close to mature, however, some horses keep maturing up to the age of 8.  But, again...you don't want to wait to start riding them, so here's a couple ideas.

You can go wide...and pad up.  A saddle that is too narrow for your horse really can't be fixed...I know there are some folks out there claiming that it can, but I have yet to have them prove it to me!!  You can use a saddle that is a little too wide right now, and use a thick pad or a cutback built up pad to "fill in the gaps" on your younger horse.

Most young horses haven't filled out in their chest/shoulder area, so often the built up pads that have extra padding in the front will keep the saddle from tipping forward or and keep the saddle off their wither.  Not a bad idea for a two year old, especially if you are mostly doing groundwork and short rides (which, in my personal opinion, is the maximum work a two year old needs to be doing other than carrying a light pack on a pack saddle).  Going with a tree that is a little wide and padding up is also a good option for an older horse that has had significant weight loss or muscle atrophy due to neglect, injury or illness.  

Your other option is to have a saddle built that fits your young horse now.  This would be my recommendation.  Especially if you are planning to do a lot of riding with your 3, 4, or 5 year old.  You may want to go with a cheaper saddle, such as a lightweight leather/cordura Go Light saddle while they are young in case you have to purchase a different saddle a few years down the road when they have matured.  If you are going to do a lot of work and riding, then you want your young horse or mule to have good experiences under saddle.  You want a good fit that will aid them in their gaits since sometimes youngsters are a little "clumsy" and uncoordinated at first anyway while learning to carry weight.  You want them to be as comfortable as possible...the more comfortable and pain free they are, the less likely you are to have behavior issues...which is VERY important when they are young. 

The problems with going with a wider saddle and padding up are 1) sometimes it's hard to find exactly the right pad that does the trick--it takes some experimentation, time and money! and 2)  since you can't predict how they will mature, you don't know if a wider saddle will be wide enough or the right design in a few years when the horse or mule reaches their maturity. 

It is your decision, but these are some common sense ideas to take into consideration when you are thinking about a saddle for your young horse.  If it were me, I'd purchase a saddle that fits your young equine right now...and if they are developed enough for lots of riding...I'd put lots of miles on that saddle!! 

We're adding more to this list as we think of important things to tell you about our saddles!

If you suspect that your horse or mule has an ill-fitting saddle, but you really aren't sure, we STRONGLY recommend that you have your horse evaluated by a certified equine massage therapist who has been in the business for a while.   Our preference would be that every horse or mule has a few sessions of massage from a qualified therapist on a regular basis!  It makes an amazing difference for most equines in comfort and behavior.  It's also an excellent way to desensitize an equine who doesn't like to be handled on some part of their body (ears, poll, feet, flank, etc).   

Online Store| Order Your Custom Saddle| About Us| Privacy Policy| Store Policies| Home