I was wondering what would be the best saddle to buy for elk hunting in Colorado. I really cant afford more than $300. Any Suggestions?

If you are renting horses the outfitter should provide you with one.

Im going with my cousins who go every year, and they told me to get a saddle.

Hello;
Spend your money wisely. Get some expert advice and buy a good quality used one. There's a lot of cheap mexican junk floating around out there,in that price range, that won't fit you or your horse. Then check to make sure it doesn't have a broken tree.
Grizz

quote:

Originally posted by Grizzly Adams:
Hello;
Spend your money wisely. Get some expert advice and buy a good quality used one. There's a lot of cheap mexican junk floating around out there,in that price range, that won't fit you or your horse. Then check to make sure it doesn't have a broken tree.
Grizz

Along with this advice make damned sure it fits your butt. Don't buy one too small because it is priced right. If you buy well you should be able to get your money back.

Try to find a saddle with a smooth finish, many hours will wear the hide off your legs with a highly tooled fancy ass saddle!

If you have a choice get one with a "centerfire rigging" meaning your feet hang fairly straight down in the stirrups. 3/4 forward rigged saddles make it difficult to get forward over the neck when climbing steep hills, they are made for ranch work which you are not doing.

I always preferred a "highback" Cavalry style saddle for hunting. They tend to keep you snug and upright, where the big wide flat ones make you tend to slouch and slide around, both bad news!

As was already said, make sure the tree is good and it fits your horse. As you can imagine, a big wide "quarter horse" type saddle on a narrow withered horse is a disaster for your horse, as is a narrow saddle putting pressure on the withers of a wide or "mutton withered" horse.

Good luck

Do you remember a movie,maybe 10 years ago,about australian horse ranchers? I had a bay mare then ,she was three bars blood,and round as a barrel.I ordered an australian type saddle from an ad in western horseman magazine.It was great,it is basically a big leather bag filled with hair.Has a high cantle for the hills and "ears" to lock your knees under,get one.The ad's probably still running.I paid $200 then,maybe $325 now.I know how this sounds but ask around..P

Old used well worn high back. Wish I could get mine back from the guy I sold it to years ago. My old man gave it to me. Loved it but was a dumb kid wanted something fancy and cool. The old guy that has it will not part with it no matter how much I try. Maybe he will leave it to me in his will.

Try going to a ranch aroung there asking a couple old timers at the feed store they will help you out. You can get a pretty nice rifle holster from cabelas though.

Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by prm56:
Do you remember a movie,maybe 10 years ago,about australian horse ranchers? I had a bay mare then ,she was three bars blood,and round as a barrel.I ordered an australian type saddle from an ad in western horseman magazine.It was great,it is basically a big leather bag filled with hair.Has a high cantle for the hills and "ears" to lock your knees under,get one.The ad's probably still running.I paid $200 then,maybe $325 now.I know how this sounds but ask around..P

Probably made in India at that price. Usually the saddle lineing is covered with material, underneath anyway. The only benifit I know of with our saddles is when a horse went over backwards with me, there was no "roppen" horn to dig into me.
John L>

over the years I've become a fan of ausie style..Used to ride western on quarter horses. Found ausies a hair more nimble,but still comfort....But like it was said...Dont matter what you have,if it dont fit,and grinds your legs all day,it aint worth squat

A Beartrap saddle with a high cantle is good for the mountains. Here is one that you might like. http://www.buyabetta.com/products/saddles/act/20512.htm The price for one with a 16" seat is $341. That is a little out of your range but it might work. I ride a roping saddle which IS NOT a good mt. saddle. Abetta's main site is http://www.buyabetta.com/index.html I can hear howls of disgust already with using a nylon saddle over leather but I think they have a lot of potential for hunting. The nylon saddles are quite a bit lighter than leathers and therefore easier on your horse.

You have already got some good advice in looking for one that fits you and watching out for Mexican leather. It can be really poor quality.

Without knowing what the saddle is going on you would be hard pressed to buy any saddle that would fit the hoese they give you. If the fit on the horse is very bad its not going to let you ride long. No saddle fits all and you cant fix it with padding.

If you find out what it going on I have two new camo synthetic western saddles 16.5" and 17" One mid tree one wide tree that I will let go for $200 plus $35 shipping

The best advise given so far is to talk with a couple of old ranchers and let them guide you. I've stated in a different that I made my living from the back of a horse and have formed opinions based on these years of horse work on many different horses in a lot of different country. The most important point is horsemanship!!!!
Points to consider.......
With a properly made saddle there is usually not a worry of fitting the horse
In a hunting situation leather is the only logical choice, the light weight of other fabric is a poor second to protection of equipment, horse, rider and does not mame up for horsemanship.
The 3/4 double rig is fine in high country, I've been there. If the saddle is set right center fire or double makes no difference how you set up on the horse. Double is the only way I would go but I know some top hands that ride center fires.
I've found stamped or tooled leather lasts longer.
In my area a new $300-$400 is pure junk!!!! It is also difficult to find a decent used one at that price.
The job doesn't exist that cant't be done well from a "modified association tree" in a well made saddle.
Saddle fit, padding, and horsemanship is where it's all at.

Hello buddys,

I always do horseback hunt, in an country that this is the only way to harvest the Carminis white tail deer.
The hunt is made in the "sierra de Maderas del Carmen" in Coahuila, this land is the Mexican part of the "Big Bend" national Park in Texas. It is a rugged terrain and demands the very best horses and rigs.
Here the people have developed an singular saddle whit tpo quality lather and components in order to be able to work in this hard land.
All the saddle is handmade at the old style, the "known how" is pass by father to son in a small saddle shop, only one saddle at time is made. The prices run in the 450 to 600 dlls.
If somebody wants to see pictures from this saddles, please send an e-mail

arturo.olivares@gmail.com

Best regards!

People who ride a horse just about every day understand a saddle is just like buy a pair of shoes it need to fit the horse be nice if they made one size to fit all.

don't make this to complicated.. you looking at 1 or 2 weeks a year....

Cordura makes a good saddle for your needs.. not sure of your size but I am guessing a 16 to 16 1/2 inch seat , high back and lots of rings to tie stuff on it... buy about a 1/2 inch bigger than you need because you will be wearing hunting cloths...

corduras are light weight and hold up remarkably well. we use them for our dude string and so far we have had no problems..

as far as fitting the horse alot of that is crap... most important is if the horses you have have high withers.. this could be a problem but can be rectified with good pads...

always double pad.. if the horse has high withers get one cut out pad...

What did you end up with?