Big Horn Saddle Reviews: for Choosing the Perfect Saddle

If you love riding horses, you know the importance of having a trusty saddle to keep you on the horse and allow you to direct its path. The right saddle should cradle your backside and the spine of the horse. Because saddles are such a big investment, it is important to choose carefully.

Rushing the process of shopping for a new saddle could lead to buyer’s remorse in the end. With this guide, featuring our top big horn saddle reviews, you will be equipped with the information that will assist you in making the perfect saddle purchase.

In this guide, we help you understand why you should choose a Big Horn Saddle. Our big horn synthetic saddle reviews go into great detail on the attributes of each saddle and what sets them apart from other manufacturers. If you are on the fence on whether to purchase a Big Horn, allow our guide to help.

Why Should You Choose a Big Horn Saddle?

Undoubtedly, horse riders have a lot of choices when it comes to saddle manufacturers. Unfortunately, not all of them are created equal. Some are made with inferior materials and are mostly machine- manufactured, leading to errors that can end up degrading the saddle components over time.

Big Horn Saddle is a company that has joined forces with American Saddlery Incorporated. Even though it would be easier to rely on machines to manufacture their saddles, they still do things the old way, making them by hand. Made with the finest materials and a dedication to detail, these saddles are sure to become your favorite.

Top 5 Best Big Horn Saddle Reviews 2020

Big Horn Saddle and American Saddlery Incorporated have teamed up to produce some of the best American saddles in the country. They offer a range of styles and materials, offering options for just about every budget. Consider our big horn western saddle reviews for choosing the best saddle to meet your needs.

#1) Big Horn’s BJH Gaited Flex Spirit Saddle

If you have never used a flex saddle, you do not know what you are missing. Flex saddles, like this Big Horn BJH Spirit Saddle, allow your horse a greater level of maneuverability. Instead of feeling cramped under a rigid tree, the horse can move freely, and you will notice an immediate change in how they respond on the trail.

The saddle itself is made of durable leather with synthetic materials for the fenders, housing, and skirts. The seat is padded with Supracor(R), which offers extreme levels of comfort for horse riders of all sizes. It is covered in a durable grain out and the result is a stunning saddle seat.

Even the stirrups are padded with Supracor(R) and a fleece covering, for the highest level of foot comfort. No longer will your feet become sore after a long day on the trail. The finished weight of the saddle is twenty-five pounds and it offers a medium tree.

The classic design of this Big Horn saddle speaks to many horse riders who love the look. Big Horn has worked to make sure every single detail is perfected because they have handcrafted each saddle with care.

Highlighted Features:

• Four-inch cantle
• Seven-inch gullet
• 3" x 2 1/4" horn height
• Twenty-six-inch skirts (16-inch saddle) and twenty-seven-inch skirts (17-inch saddle)
• Stainless steel C rigging

Pros:

• Made of durable leather and strong synthetic materials
• Easy to clean
• Offers a high level of comfort with the Supracor(R) padding
• Flexible for better horse maneuverability

Cons:

• Available only in rich brown

#2) Big Horn Cordura Saddle

This is a beautiful saddle that is available in black and brown and both are exquisitely made. This is a lighter weight saddle than some others, weighing in at only eighteen pounds. This saddle is built on a Ralide medium-plus tree.

This saddle offers a barrel-type swell and a rounded skirt that is ideal for short-backed horses. This saddle offers leather conchos and a Cordura skirt, fenders, and housing. The cantle and binding are also made of durable leather.

Like all Big Horn Saddles, this one is proudly made in the United States and handcrafted to ensure each and every detail perfectly comes together for a beautiful saddle.

This saddle is extremely durable and comfortable enough for all-day riding, even on the roughest of trails. Some horse riders have been using this same saddle for thirty years or more, proving Big Horn makes them the best.

This is one of those saddles you will be able to use for a lifetime, as long as you properly care for it. Thankfully, these Big Horn saddles do not require a lot of maintenance and care, which is why we listed them in our big horn barrel saddle reviews.

Highlighted Features:

• Made on a Ralide medium-plus tree
• Four-inch cantle
• 24" X 10" skirts
• Weighs approximately seventeen pounds
• Features a short, rounded skirt

Pros:

• The seat is highly padded with a durable roughout material covering
• Offers Cordura skirts with leather conchos and trim
• Provides reinforced nylon stirrups with stainless steel buckles
• Easy to maintain and keep clean

Cons:

• May not fit all horses, especially those with longer backs

#3) Big Horn Tooled Roper Saddle

One look at this beautiful saddle and you can easily tell why it is such a favorite among horse riders. It offers beauty and attention to detail you simply cannot get with all saddle manufacturers. As you likely know, Big Horn is one of the best American saddle companies in the industry. It is their dedication to detail that has set them apart from other saddle manufacturers for many years.

This saddle is built on a Ralide roper tree, so it is the ideal saddle for roping. It has a beautiful medium oil finish with hand-laced deep ropers that are covered in leather. Every rich detail on this beautiful saddle works together to create an amazing design.

The gullet width is medium plus and the tree is made with quarter horse bars. The seat offers a durable rough out covering and is highly padded for extreme comfort. The saddle has 7/8 double conventional rigging. If you are looking for a saddle that will offer beauty and durability, this Roper Saddle is perfect.

Featured Highlights:

• Three-and-a-half-inch cantle
• Sixteen-inch seat with roughout covering
• Gullet width is medium-plus
• 27" x 13" with fleece lining
• Leather covered stirrups with hand lacing

Pros:

• The seat is padded for extra comfort
• Beautiful trim offers conchos, floral tooling, and clipping Dees
• The horn is a double T lock
• The saddle is easy to maintain and clean

Cons:

• Only available in a medium oil finish

#4) Big Horn Cordura Brown Saddle

This rich brown saddle offers a beautiful design. Made of Cordura and genuine leather, this saddle has been handcrafted, allowing every detail to come together beautifully.

The tree of this saddle is made of solid wood that has been covered in fiberglass for lasting durability. The cantle is three inches with 1 ½ Cheyenne Roll detail. The seat is heavily padded and has a rough out covering that helps you stay in place and remains durable for many years of use.

This saddle is a little lighter in weight than some of Big Horn’s saddles, weighing in at twenty pounds. The stirrups are meant to hold up to tons of abuse because they are leather-reinforced. With the fleece lining, you will find an extreme level of comfort.

The trim on the front and jockeys is all smooth leather. The skirts, housing, and fenders are all made of durable Cordura, which has been proven to be able to handle all types of abuse and continue to remain strong and beautiful.

Featured Highlights:

• Three-inch cantle
• Fifteen-inch seat
• Laced leather Ralide stirrups
• 7/8 single front rigging
• Weighs approximately twenty pounds

Pros:

• Made of durable leather and Cordura
• Easy to keep clean and maintain
• Offers reinforced Nylon stirrup straps
• Fiberglass covered wood tree for durability

Cons:

• Available in only one finish

#5) Big Horn’s Synthetic Trail Saddle

Synthetic saddles are preferred by some horse riders because they offer a high level of durability, with a lightweight feel. Although this saddle is made from synthetic materials, it looks like genuine suede.

The tree of this saddle is built tough with Ralide rails, and it is available in multiple sizes, fitting ponies up to semi-quarter horses. The skirt is 25" x 12" and is fleece-lined for added comfort. It is also slotted for the ability to install flank billets. The beautiful black and red finish offers beautiful details that make this saddle look much more expensive than it actually is.

This is the perfect saddle for taking out on a long trail ride. As with all Big Horn Saddles, this one is made in the good ole’ USA, which is important for most American horse riders. If you have never ridden on a Big Horn Saddle, this is the perfect one to get started with for many riders.

Highlighted Features:

• The cantle is twelve inches
• The horn is twelve inches
• The skirt is 25" x 12"
• The weight is fifteen pounds
• The stirrups are Ralide

Pros:

• Made of durable synthetic material, so it is easy to maintain
• Offers a beautiful design for all styles of riders
• Perfect level of comfort for trail riding
• Provides Ralide stirrups with two tongue roller buckles

Cons:

• Only available in one color scheme

Buying Guide

The Big Horn Saddle Company has been around for over thirty years, and they offer some of the best saddles in the industry. Before purchasing any saddle, it is imperative individuals know what to look for in a saddle. With this buying guide, you will learn some key considerations for any saddle purchase.

• Proper Size

When purchasing any Big Horn saddle, you must know the proper size before buying. Make sure you are choosing the right fit for both your horse and you. An improper fit can lead to increased dangers of falling off the horse or of the horse becoming injured or experiencing pain.

• Synthetic or Leather?

The material of a saddle is highly important. There are positives and negatives to both materials. Synthetics are usually lighter in weight and easier to maintain, but there is some loss of durability with manmade materials.

Leather, on the other hand, is typically more durable, but more difficult to maintain. Leather is also heavier, but it will last much longer than synthetic materials, in most cases.

• Comfortable Seat

The seat is one of the most important aspects of any saddle. If it is not adequately padded, it is not going to be able to offer the highest level of comfort. If you are trail riding, you are going to especially need a comfortable layer of padding. Big Horn Saddles offer plenty of comfort.

• How Are You Using the Saddle?

Before you purchase any saddle, you need to know how it will be used. Trail saddles are made for comfort, while roping saddles have a thicker horn and lower cantle, barrel racing saddles have a higher cantle and deeper seat. The purpose of a saddle is an important consideration before purchasing.

FAQs

We enjoy answering reader-submitted questions and get many each week. We try to answer a few each time we put up a new review, so our readers can be informed. If you ever have a question, please feel free to ask. That is what we are here for!

How do you clean a synthetic saddle?

Wetting the saddle and using a mild detergent and a little elbow grease is all you will need for cleaning a synthetic saddle. Make sure to let it dry in the sun before putting it away in the barn. Synthetic saddles are much easier to clean than leather and they typically dry much faster.

What is a treeless saddle?

The tree of a saddle is a rigid foundation for the saddle and all its components are built on top of the tree. There are some treeless saddles, and Big Horn makes them. The pros of these saddles is lighter weight and better comfort. One con of treeless saddles is they may not be as secure.

Do you have to use a saddle pad or blanket?

In most cases, it is better to ride with a saddle pad or thin blanket in place. Although a perfectly fitting saddle would likely not need padding, one rarely finds a saddle that perfectly conforms to the curves of their horse’s back.

Final Words

Big Horn Saddles have been around for decades and are one of the most-respected saddle companies in the United States of America. With our big horn saddle reviews, you now know more than ever before about these saddles and what makes them so special. Please click through the links and learn more about each saddle, so you can choose the perfect one for you and your horse.