Getting a new saddle may be a daunting process, if you are not sure what you are looking for. When you start looking for a replacement saddle, you need to know how to recognize the quality and choose the right saddle to purchase, so that you could ensure that it is going to last for a very long time. No matter what type of purchase you are about to consider, you should know that there are usually two types of western saddles for sale, that you can find. 

You have two possible solutions

The expensive option would be to purchase a brand-new saddle, while the possibly cheaper one would be considering getting a used type of a saddle. Don’t make any mistakes about it, you can also find a relatively cheap saddle, which happens not to be used, but if you aim for the cheaper models you may just end up being disappointed by the poor quality that usually comes with a price. There are a couple of pointers that could show you whether or not the saddle you have chosen is going to be of good quality.

Take a close look at the leather

To make sure you get the most out of the comfort, one of the first things you want to check for is the quality of the leather. This is one of the qualities that will affect the price of the saddle. The quality of the leather mostly has aesthetic value, but poor quality leather can make the saddle wear out faster. If you go for the cheapest possible type of leather, no matter how much you polish it and take care of it, it is still going to be the poor quality leather it was when you first bought it. Perhaps, investing into a higher quality type can really turn out to be a splendid idea. Buying it in prime condition means you won’t have to replace it so often.

If possible, try to buy it directly from the store

While you can certainly shorten your way to a new saddle, ordering one online has quite a few drawbacks. Shopping for these kinds of things over the Internet does not allow you to see the product until you have completed the purchase and it has been delivered to you. Even though it may be an effort for you, you should try and do your best to go to a place where you can actually physically see the saddle before you buy it. This gives you the opportunity to examine the quality of the leather and wood before you buy.

The measuring chart can often be confusing

If you have never purchased the saddle for yourself before, you may want to look the size chart. When it comes to western saddles, the size chart does not represent the actual size of the saddle. This is commonly referred to as the ‘seat size’ and it is focused on how the saddle fits to the rider, but it won’t define whether or not a particular saddle fit the horse. This is something you definitely need to know before you head out and decide to buy a new saddle, just so you would be able to avoid misunderstandings that would prolong your time to finding a new one.