Used to ride some when I was younger but now due to age and a old hip injury I find I can't get the leg spread I need to ride comfortably. What would you recommend for a saddle. I'm trying to look forward to a horseback hunt this fall. Will the balanced ride or the Aussie saddles allow one to ride with legs far enough forward to get the pressure off of the hips. Thanks for any suggestions.

Aussies do ride with the feet quite a ways forward ... Might be a good fit.

JGH

If you like a western saddle, a cutting horse saddle will do the same thing. They're made with a flatter wider seat, you sit on your pockets and your legs are in front of you like sitting in a chair,

Hi I have made saddles for 30 years and the types you describe are different horses , so to speak. The aussie saddles are narrower in the seat. Take your stirrup leathers up a notch and see if that helps. The balanced ride saddles mean that you set in a more straight up posture, and in the center of the saddle , tougher on the hips. The cutting horse saddles are made to set very flat in the seat and allows you to move foreward and back as the horse takes a big jump, again not very easy on the hips. I make a A fork that has an inskirt rigging that allows close contact with the horse and allows more movement of the legs , foreward and back. I think the aussie saddle or a A fork saddle with a inskirt rigging and take the stirrups up. There is a whole lot to the rigging and making of the seat to explain it here . Hope this helps. trailcaptain@yahoo.com

If you want to get a good rig made, call Timberline Saddle Tree co in Vernal Utah. I made a general purpose saddle on their modified Association tree with a 4 inch cantle and narrow seat last year that is real comfortable. The inskirt rigging is a good idea as metaltiger mentioned, and if you go full double you might save some bulk right under your knees. Use a tail crupper to control tipping. You can always move the stirrup slots up a bit - I did on mine, and it is a good seat. Be sure you don't put too much arch in the ground seat, but any good saddle maker can take care of that for you. Go with padded seat too, you can take a little pressure off your knees and hips. And, make it easy on yourself, get a horse that ain't shaped like a 50 gallon drum. QHs are real wide often. Try a Tennessee walker or a foxtrotter. Ignore any bs about them not being good mountain or trail horses. I have had three or four that are tops, and they don't TROT. Can outwalk any body. Get one commensurate with your own weight. Don't ask a 14.2 hand 850 pound FT to handle a 250 pound plus load. Remember the horse is carrying you, your clothes, your gun, etc, and a 30-40 pound rig. I only weigh 160 but throw in the rifle, etc and the load is well over 200.

A lot depends on how wide your horse is..You may not be able to handle those long 16 hour rides with a disability like you describe..

The right saddle might help, but it won't solve your problem. One thing that will help a lot is "Crooked Stirrups" Any good tack shop has them these days..I am 72 and rope a lot and my knees are starting to holler help, and these stirrups have helped me a lot in the roping pen.

My best suggestion is lots of Ibuprofen and cowboy up, get tough or die...thats all that works for me.

You got all my respect, cowboying up like that is impressive and good on ya....

I got two bad shoulder, two bad knees and my elbows give me fits but I still rope steers two or three times a week, I can't quit, I am a hooked team roper at 72 years young, but I feel the day coming just around the bend but I intend to make 90 then maybe I will break away rope with the ladies!

I think God made Ibuprofen for cowboys because he felt bad for putting mules on this earth!

Fivebigbores,
Your description sounds like my daddy! He always had a bunch of mules on hand for us kids to break, and soon as one was rideable or almost rideable he sold it and we had to start all over..I'd rather fix fence and dig post holes that mess with a Mule.

With all your problems, you might be best off with a side saddle. A less barrel chested horse might be easier to sit.
Grizz

I think metaltiger had the best solution for you..An A-Fork saddle will spread your crotch less than any tree I know, and it just might be the answer to your needs...A good A-Fork built correctly is about as comfortable as a rocking chair on a spring Sunday afternoon...

I'm with Ray, etc. Get your self a good Afork saddle and ride horses that ain't so damn wide. The angle of the bars (rafter) and gullet width also influence the width of the seat - a saddle can be built on narrower bars for a narrower horse. Walking horses run narrower than MFTs or quarter horses, plus they are easy gaited and won't pound you as much. Add some good padding to the seat and it will help, along with the balanced ride approach. YOu don't need to get a special balanced ride saddle - any tree can have the stirrup slots moved forward slightly - I did that to one of mine and like it. Also built it with a narrow seat. Actually the front design (a fork or Association with 14 inch fork) don't have a lot to do with seat width - its the bar angle, gullet width, and the width of the horse that spreads em or not. Also, a bulkless in skirt or cable rigging will help reduce width under the knees and hips. Good luck.

Yes I think that advice is sound.

Don't loose sight of the fact that you need a custom made saddle and discuss it with your saddle maker..but that saddle first and foremost must fit the horse or you may end up having more replacements such as a head replacement. Nothing will get you into trouble as quick as a saddle that hurts the horse.

Spend some money on that saddle, you get what you pay for and 15 years from now that saddle will be worth two or three time what you paid for it if you take care of it..I have never lost a penny on a saddle. Lost a bundle or two on rifles.

"This fall" is a tad late for getting a saddle made! Better plan on a year or two, or more.

I don't know if this will be the solution, I don't claim to be an expert but here is a saddle that is probably completely different than anything you have tried so far and I sure like it.

http://kaarenjordan.com/SensationHybridSaddle.html