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Western Shooting Horse 7 Best

 

Western Shooting Horse went in search of the best saddles for mounted shooters and came up with seven all competitors should know about.

 

When I first got into mounted shooting I didn’t know what saddle to buy. My first inclination was to go period because those saddles looked the part of the Old West Cowboy, but then I wanted a saddle that would serve other purposes like trail riding, roping and the like.

 

Within the first year of entering the sport, I was the proud owner of not one, but four saddles to serve every purpose and need. Ah, what I could have done with my hard earned money if I knew then what I know now!

 

Choosing a saddle is an important decision that one must make for any sport. It is an expensive investment and one you will want to get right the very first time… if possible.

 

Western Shooting Horse went in search of the best saddles for mounted shooters and came up with this list of seven. We found an awful lot of makers of every shape and size but felt we should choose those who were actively being used in the sport and those with an emphasis on a design specifically for Cowboy Mounted Shooting.

 

Circle Y Saddles, Yoakum, Texas

Circle Y Saddles of Yoakum, Texas recently premiered a new saddle created specifically for Cowboy Mounted Shooting called the Quick Shot. Designed in association with 2007 & 2008 Reserve CMSA World Champion Cowgirl, Kenda Lenseigne who joins the company’s Team Of Champions, the sport specific saddle offers a variety of features designed to enhance competition.

 

“Circle Y has listened to the needs of our shooting competitors and has designed a saddle with these features,” said Kenda. “It will definitely help many riders improve their skills.”

 

The Circle Y Flex2® tree conforms to the horse and allows for freedom of movement. The saddle’s lightweight and shock absorbing skirt further help horses perform at their best. A roughout seat jockey and fender, and a suede seat, help hold the rider’s position. The adjustable stirrup leather position strap determines the amount of leg swing the rider prefers. The swell of the saddle is low and the forward tilted horn allows for maximum clearance for the two guns and holsters which rider’s carry.

 

A complete line of Circle Y Shooting Saddles will soon be added to the Circle Y line of saddles and tack.

 

The new saddle can be purchased from Circle Y’s large collection of retail dealers that can be found at www.circley.com.

 

Billy Cook Saddles, Sulphur, Oklahoma

Although the Billy Cook Saddle brand has a long and illustrious past dating back more than 50 years, make no mistake an original Billy Cook saddle is highly prized by many Western riders including Cowboy Mounted Shooters.

 

The high quality horse seats are still made today for many disciplines and a wide variety are used in our sport.

 

Albeit some controversy exists today on what is a real Billy Cook, as the story goes, Billy Cook made saddles in Greenville, Texas until 1981 which is the year the designs and line name were sold to Longhorn after reported IRS problems forced Cook to sell his company. Older Billy Cook saddles (1981 and earlier) will say Greenville, TX—they are still real Billy Cooks, and some say maybe the best ever made.

 

As reported by the current Billy Cook Harness & Saddlery in Sulphur, Oklahoma, if the stamping says “MAKER” it is a genuine Billy Cook saddle. Longhorn Billy Cooks do not have “MAKER” in the stamping no matter what year or model, nor will they ever have the Billy Cook signature logo.

 

That being said, you can purchase brand new Billy Cooks from a variety of saddle retailers (Billy Cook does not sell direct) as well as vintage saddles on the open market that fetch a hefty price. One retailer is the Horse Saddle Shop - www.horsesaddleshop.com.

 

Double J Saddlery, Yoakum, Texas

Double J Saddlery offers a line of custom competitive shooting saddles, designed with input from CMSA World & National Champions Matt and Tammy Sronce.  These lightweight saddles provide a secure seat for mounted shooting competition and yet maintain a great vintage period look.

 

The Sronce Pro Shooter is built on a saddletree specifically designed to enhance both the horse and rider’s performance. The bars of the saddle allow freedom of movement. A deep seat and high cantle keeps the rider securely in place in tight turns and in rapid accelerations. With extra leather kept to a minimum, these saddles are able to provide the rider with a great close-contact feel.

 

Two different horn styles are offered. The first is almost 4" tall, similar to that of a barrel saddle, and the second is a shorter version, approximately 2 1/2" tall, and a popular choice with the cowboy shooters. Traditional square skirts are offered, along with a smaller rounded skirt saddle. For rifle shooters, Double J has been able to incorporate extra D-rings at the front of the saddle to help secure rifle scabbards.

 

Shooters have a choice of various styles, tooling patterns, and silver/brass hardware fittings, in order to create a one-of-a-kind custom saddle.

 

Double J also carries matching shooter style breast collars, headstalls, and tie-downs, to complete your period look.
Each saddle is handmade and hand tooled in the Double J Saddlery shop in Yoakum. The base prices start at around $2100. 

 

www.doublejsadlery.com

 

JJ Maxwell Tack & Saddle, Anderson, California

J.J. Maxwell Tack & Saddle Co. has introduced their “Ultimate Shooter Saddle” affectionately called the “Old Timer.”

 

The saddle, specifically designed to appeal to today’s mounted shooter in style and design, is lighter in weight with a balanced and comfortable seat. The tree has a horn that is tilted forward and a deep seat with 4-inch cantle. Ten tree bars are available with an easy to use system to determine the proper fit.  With the unique rigging and a modified tree bar there is more freedom of movement and less cinch pressure in the shoulder area. 

 

J.J. Maxwell Saddles are handcrafted with top quality materials and attention to detail and can be hand tooled with unique and traditional patterns. Base price for the Old Timer is $2250.

 

J.J. Maxwell has been producing quality saddles since 1993. Joe Maxwell, trained in the Visalia tradition, is a journeyman saddle maker and heads the company. He has spoken at various horse expos on “saddle fit and positioning” and has produced a video on proper saddle construction. He understands the importance of balance, fit, and sound construction principals. Contact J.J. Maxwell Tack and Saddle Co. at 888-739-0108 or visit their web site www.jjmaxwell.com.

 

Jerry Moore Saddles, Waverly, Tennessee

Jerry Moore is a CMSA competitor from Tennessee who saw a need for a mounted shooting saddle with a competitive edge. A retired general contractor who began his leather career as a hobby just three years ago, Jerry found a new talent for making saddles that currently resides under the some of the sports top competitors including Rock Clark, Roy Cox and Gary Vickers.

 

The Jerry Moore mounted shooting saddle uses heavy fifteen-ounce leather and features a high cantle and deep seat. The pommel is a bear trap built on a full quarter horse fiberglass tree. A simple rounded skirt makes for a small footprint on your horses back and a no frills design makes for a lightweight saddle (32lbs) that keeps you in your seat and offers movement for both the rider and horse.

 

Jerry shapes the saddle to you. Fitting the ground seat is very important to him and he makes sure each new owner fits his or her saddle that he also numbers and names for you. Another unique item is the padded leather under liner he uses instead of the typical fleece. He says it grips the saddle pads and makes for a durable saddle design.

 

Jerry is not a mass manufacturer, has no web site or store and sells his saddles for less than $700. They’re not easy to get, however and the list of customers is getting longer. Although it may take several months to get one of Jerry’s saddles, the wait is well worth it. You can call Jerry at 931-264-0048.

 

Martin Saddlery, Greenville, Texas

Martin Saddlery offers two saddles in their barrel line that are popular among Cowboy Mounted Shooters, the Sherry Cervi and the Martin Barrel Racer.

 

Based in Greenville, Texas, Martin Saddlery prides itself on the fit and quality of their saddles for the betterment and well being of today’s performance horses. They are dedicated to providing high quality custom, hand-made saddles with balanced, consistent ground seats that help give the rider the advantage they need in competition.

 

Every saddle by Martin Saddlery is made to order and is cut from two sides of leather just like a custom one-off shop.

 

Martin believes saddle fit begins with the tree, which is why they design and construct all their saddles, including their trees in-house. After extensive research with trainers and professionals across the western industry, the Axis™ tree was developed. In addition to the Axis™ tree, Martin also offers patented Adjustable Rigging to help horse owners achieve proper and secure saddle position regardless of the horse’s confirmation. The combination of the Axis™ Tree and the Adjustable Rigging makes Martin saddles unique and provides people with a product that they say truly gives the horse a chance to do their job.

 

Along with saddles, Martin also offers high quality headstalls, breast collars, and spur straps. 

 

Visit www.martinsaddlery.com and watch an online tour of their saddle shop.

 

Sawtooth Saddle Company, Vernal, Utah

Sawtooth Saddle Company is a family owned and run business, located in rural Vernal, Utah. Jerry Stewart, founder of the company, has involved literally all of his family members in the business over the years.

 

Sawtooth specializes in period saddles from the Old West; Mostly1835 to the turn of the century. A Sawtooth saddle is an investment and becomes a family heirloom that can be passed on from generation to generation. All Sawtooth saddles are custom made. 

 

Sawtooth Saddle uses Hermann Oak leather from St. Louis. The trees are made of Lodge Pole Pine covered with rawhide.

 

There are a several lines of saddles available through Sawtooth. The “Old Time” Saddles for Old West aficionados, the “Buckaroo Saddles,” the Modern Ranch Saddles and lightweight trail riding saddles, all of which are used by their shooting clientele. Jerry and his sons Dan and Mark can make anything a client wants and will customize any tree.

 

In addition to saddles, Sawtooth also makes saddlebags, chinks, chaps and a variety of gear. You can see the saddles and gear in person at various equine shows, shooting events and on their website at www.sawtoothsaddle.com.

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