Ranch saddles, as the name indicates, are saddles designed to perform the day-to-day activities on a ranch. Contrary to the versions cut out for various sports, these are versatile pieces of tack built to withstand the long hours of mounting required to maintain a ranch. Choosing the best ranch saddles can be tricky unless you understand what it takes to meet your needs.
Ranch work is tough; you need to ride the horse for longer hours, engaging in strenuous activities like cutting and roping. To do so, you need a saddle that makes riding easy and comfortable both for the horse and the rider while you do the job. For these very reasons, ranch saddles have a definitive bulky yet sturdy make and style that helps the rider hold their position irrespective of the intensity of the activity performed.
Features to Look for When Choosing the Best Ranch Saddles
- Size and Weight: Ranch saddles are large and heavy by design to accommodate the taxing activities of ranching while offering comfort and durability at the same time.
- Seat: A typical ranch saddle seat is hard, deep, and slightly narrowed to allow for better contact with the horse and a more comfortable ride. The rough side up (inside out) leather seats offer better grip as compared to the smooth side (regular).
- Cantle: The cantle is the back of the saddle seat. Ranch saddles have a higher cantle to offer better support and ease in mounting or dismounting the horse.
- Tree: A saddle tree is a wooden structure at the base of the entire saddle, giving it a firm shape and stability. A thicker wooden tree allows for better attachment of the remaining parts of the saddle. It is wrapped over in rawhide or fiberglass to retain moisture, where the latter does a better job at moisture, but the former allows more flexibility.
- Swell: The ranch swell or pommel holds the bars together and offers the base for the horn. Ranch saddles have low swells, usually, A-fork to allow for an easy dismount. It comes particularly handy.
- Skirt: Most commonly available in a square shape, ranch saddles tend to be more stiff and thick than the pleasure saddle and should come with a thick fleece lining for added cushioning, good fit, and durability.
- Horn: Typically, these saddles have tall, thick horns to assist with the roping process and withstand the jerks that will follow. They are also equipped with horn wraps for added grip.
- Rigging: These are rings either hanging or sewn in the skirt to strap the saddle on top of the horse. Ranch saddles almost entirely have double rigging, whereby a front and flank rig is used to secure the saddle.
- Fenders and Stirrups: Fenders are leather straps that join the stirrups with the saddle. Ranch saddles have thicker, longer fenders and thicker stirrups to make both riding and standing easy.
- Saddle Strings: These saddles may or may not have lots of saddle strings to carry the additional load while riding.
Our Pick for the Best Ranch Saddles
The main purpose of going over the details of a saddle’s features is to ensure that you can tell a durable, quality product in a sea of virtual and in-store options. Now that you have the basic know-how to navigate saddle purchases, it is time to learn about some of the best ranch saddles the market has to offer. The tack that made our list of the best pick has something for everyone, ranging from superior quality leather products to those made with synthetic materials offering trade-offs in exchange for a better price point.
1. Colorado Saddlery Colorado Rancher Horse Saddle
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Features
Seat: 13 – 17”
Skirt: 26 ½”
Horn: 3.5 ”
Swell: 14”
Cantle: 3 ½”
Stirrup Leather: 2 ½”
Weight: 38 lbs.
The Colorado Rancher Horse Saddle is a premium quality product made to suit the ranch life. Crafted out of premium quality Herman Oak leather, the saddle features a rough-out seat pattern and heavy-oil fenders for additional grip. Designed to last despite rigorous use, the saddle has a deep seat, surrounded by a double rounded skirt and Nevada twist stirrups for a comfortable ride and ease of movement as you dispose of your day-to-day ranch responsibilities. The dual cinching helps keep your saddle in place as your horse trots, jumps, and runs its way around the ranch.
What Is Good?
- Quality leather saddle.
- Lightweight and comfortable.
- An oil-tanned rough-out leather seat for additional grip.
- Deep cantle and Cheyenne roll for a comfortable ride and ease of movement.
- Quality fleece padding underneath the skirt offers comfort and a better fit.
- Half stirrup leather for closer contact with the horse, with Nevada twist for reduced strain on the legs.
- Double cinching for keeping the saddle secure in its place.
- Reliable and ornate Jeremiah Watt Hardware.
What Is Not So Good?
- More suitable for short-backed horses.
- One of the pricey options on our list.
2. NRS Competitor Series Olin Young Ranch Saddle
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Features
Seat: 15”
Gullet: 6 ¾ ” W x 9” H
Skirt: 28”
Horn: 3” H x 2 ¾ “ Cap
Swell: 14”
Cantle: 4 ½”
Stirrup Leather: 28 – 38”
Weight: 35 lbs.
Bringing the best of both worlds to its riders, the NRS Competitor Series Olin Young Ranch Saddle is a half-breed saddle, offering the comfort of a traditional western and the maneuverability of a modern saddle. Made with superb quality leather and available in a pleasing, elegant formation, it is an excellent budget offering from the respected NRS brand. Its snug fit and sturdy structure help the rider ace the ranch duties with finesse and ease.
What Is Good?
- Premium quality saddle.
- Part of the competitor series, the Olin Young Ranch Saddle is a budget offering from the brand.
- Decorated with the eye-catching basket-stamped tooling on both the swells and the skirt.
- Multiple tie straps for carrying luggage.
- Durable wooden tree wrapped around with rawhide.
- Suitable for demanding jobs like ranch work, roping, cutting, barrel racing, and even simple pleasure rides.
What Is Not So Good?
- Since it is size fifteen, it would not be a fit for horses in other sizes.
- Comes equipped only with a flank cinch, less reliable than a double cinch.
3. Acerugs Western Comfy Ranch Leather Horse Saddle Tack
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Features
Seat: 15 – 18”
Gullet: 7” SQHB
Skirt: 25 – 28”
Horn: 3.5”
Swell: 12”
Cantle: 4.5”
Stirrup Leather: 28 – 38”
Weight: Approx. 26 lbs.
A reliable name in the domain of equestrian gear, Acerugs produces some of the best-loved horse tacks in use today. Rather economical compared to some of the other items on our list, the Acerugs Western Comfy Ranch Horse Saddle Tack is an amazing all-purpose, robust product. The durable cowhide saddle comes in an antique finish, with a padded suede seat for enhanced comfort and grip, a sturdy tree, and sophisticated basket tooling rendering an impressive appearance.
What Is Good?
- Quality, cowhide saddle delivered on a budget.
- Durable wooden and fiberglass tree.
- Beautiful hand-embossed basket and weave tooling.
- The suede seat makes for improved grip, and padding allows a comfortable ride.
- Fleece padding on the underside for additional cushioning, comfort, and better fitting.
- Several ties facilitate carrying around the load.
- The package includes a supplementary headstall, breast collar, and reins.
What Is Not So Good?
- The package does not include the cinches; therefore, they need to be bought separately.
- The fleece padding is made with synthetic material, therefore may make the horse sweaty.
4. HILASON Western Horse Saddle
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Features
Seat: 16”
Gullet: 7”
Skirt: 26 x 26.5””
Horn: 3”
Swell: 14”
Cantle: 4”
Stirrup Leather: 30 – 35”
Weight: Approx. 28 lbs.
The HILASON 16 Western Horse Saddle boasts some incredible innovation when it comes to the saddle tree. Relying on their little tree design innovation, the manufacturers intend to reduce pressure on the horse by careful weight distribution thanks to the flexible yet durable material used in the tree. It enables the saddle to shift between a semi and full-bar tree, allowing for top-tier shock absorption.
What Is Good?
- Good product for a considerably lower price.
- The flex tree design allows for a snug fit and superior comfort.
- A more balanced weight distribution avoids straining the pressure points on the horse.
- Premium quality leather skirting.
- Fleece lining provides comfort and ease.
- Blevins buckles facilitate stirrup length adjustment to suit varying rider heights.
What Is Not So Good?
- Comes with only the hind cinch, making it less reliable than the dual ones.
5. PRO Western Leather Ranch Saddle
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Features
Seat: 15 – 18”
Gullet: 7”
Skirt: 26 x 26.5””
Horn: 3”
Swell: 14”
Cantle: 4”
Stirrup Leather: 30 – 35”
Weight: Approx. 28 lbs.
Another one of the economical yet reliable options, the Orlov PRO Western Leather Ranch Saddle, is an all-purpose strapping set when it comes to riding. The frugal saddle comes with all the right components, including a leather construction, comfy seat, lightweight and durable tree, good quality hardware, and some additional riding gear.
What Is Good?
- Reliable quality of tack for an unexpectedly lesser price.
- Available in a few different sizes.
- Leather saddle, suede seat, and oiled leather latigo.
- Padded, suede seat for comfort.
- Rough-out jokey allows more stability and better traction.
- Horns wrapped around in suede for better grip.
- Wooden and fiberglass tree is lightweight and sturdy.
- Waffle tooling gives the saddle a neat and polished look.
- Matching supplementary gear, including headstall and breast collar.
What Is Not So Good?
- There may be some trade-offs when it comes to longevity, but it is good for the price.
Final Word
Finding the perfect saddle can be tricky since many people struggle with finding the right size that sits perfectly on their horses. But things can go haywire if you are looking to find something to suit a particular job. With all the information out there and the choices available, it could drive you nuts to try and make the final call. For this very reason, we have laid out the details, including the features you should look for while contemplating the best ranch saddles available. To make matters easier, we also shared some of the most amazing tacks suitable for ranch work. The best part, we share quality products for varying price points to help you make better, informed choices.
