| In terms of horse riding, you won't find a more | | | | attack equipment with the many D rings. |
| widely used saddle than the English saddle. Its | | | | The Showing Saddle: Showing competitions are |
| primary purpose is to make both you and the | | | | where this saddle variant excels, it needs to be |
| horse comfortable (which it does through lots of | | | | smaller, so that more of the horse's conformation |
| padding) as well as allow the horse to move as | | | | is visible, allowing the judges to see as much of it |
| freely as possible for whatever task is asked of | | | | as possible. There are no knee rolls and not much |
| the horse, whether it be jumping or dressage. | | | | padding, leaving the rider with little support. |
| There are several variants of English Saddle: | | | | The Western Saddle: This variant has been |
| The All Purpose English Saddle - this saddle is | | | | around for a long time, as it was meant to be a |
| perfect for jumping, hacking and showing, as well | | | | more utilitarian model, enabling cowboys to work |
| as any other purpose. | | | | with the horses in the old days of the frontier. It's |
| The Jumping Saddle is meant for fox hunting, | | | | similar in form to the English saddle, with the |
| cross-country and show jumping. You'll find the | | | | addition of a horn-like knob on the saddle's front, |
| flap design to be far different from the | | | | which was meant to secure a rope typically used |
| all-purpose saddle, as its unique design is meant to | | | | on a cow. You can find Western saddles with all |
| allow shorter stirrups, helping you to get the | | | | kinds of decorations and embellishments on it, as |
| horse jumping effectively and without | | | | it's the showiest saddle out there. Compared to |
| complications. Your knees will have great support | | | | the English saddle, the Western saddle has a |
| thanks to the knee rolls on the flap. | | | | bigger tree, and you need a saddle blanket to |
| The Dressage Saddle has a straighter flap than | | | | make up for the lack of padding on the skirt, |
| the all-purpose saddle, as well as a deeper, | | | | allowing the horse to be comfortable; a cinch is |
| forward facing seat, so that the rider's legs can | | | | used to secure the saddle to the horse, as |
| be straighter and have a more upright body | | | | opposed to the girth that's used on most other |
| position as well. You'll have more contact with the | | | | saddles. If the rider falls, the stirrups won't go |
| horse due to the slight lack of padding in the | | | | with them, since they are attached directly to the |
| saddle, so the horse will be more controllable. This | | | | saddle. |
| saddle sports longer girth straps, enabling the rider | | | | There are several Western Saddle variants: |
| to attach the saddle closer to the elbow of the | | | | When you are barrel racing in a rodeo, you often |
| horse. | | | | get the specialized Barrel Racing Saddle, which |
| The Endurance Saddle: this saddle is perfect for | | | | allows you to make those sharp turns. The rider |
| endurance competitions, making horse and rider | | | | is secured strongly to the animal through the high |
| comfort a top priority. The seat and everything | | | | cantle and pommel and flatter seat, as well as its |
| else has a lot of padding, and the rider's weight is | | | | light weight. |
| distributed through the large skirt. If you plan on | | | | The Roping Saddle: Gives you a thicker rope horn |
| being on the saddle for a long time, you can | | | | on its heavier, stronger frame. |