Why Are Horse Saddles – Hard Vs. Padded Seat

Why are horse saddles so hard?

It’s a common question for newbie riders. Everyone has a different idea of what makes a saddle seat comfortable. Some people like comfortable, cushy seats to make their travel more enjoyable. Some people prefer the opposite extreme and want nothing more than a piece of skirting leather between their tush and the ground seat.

Hard Vs. Padded Seat

The skilled artisans sculpt and skive each piece of leather to ensure the best balance and feel in each of our saddles. Then, they hide the labor of love under a heavy layer of synthetic foam that will alter the saddle’s ride entirely. Most consumers are used to seeing saddles with padded seats, regardless of style.

As a result, many people rate the quality of the ride based on the type of padding utilized rather than the quality of the ground seat the saddle has. Many customers still need to fully get what a ground seat is, much less how a well-made ground seat feels. Why do so many manufacturers cover the ground seat with padded seats if it is so crucial? Two parts make up the solution. First, the ground seats of many manufactured saddles need more consideration during construction.

Sometimes, the balance and feel of the saddle seat are entirely up to the tree manufacturer because there may not even be any form of leather ground seat put in at all. Rarely does this result in a heart that is adequately sized for the rider. This way, the padded seat is used to conceal shoddy ground seat construction. And ideally, produce a feel that is acceptable enough to get the saddle off the rack and into your tack room before the padding wears off and you are left with a harness that is improperly seated.

So, Why Are Horse Saddles So Hard?

Although the roughness wears down with time and the leather might become smooth, the appeal of rough-out is that it gives the rider more grip and stick. Therefore, rough-out saddles are highly popular among riders who ride for occupations where performance is more important than appearance (working cowboys, horse trainers, etc.).

The Science Behind it

You continuously change your position to guide the horse’s motion rather than obstruct it. Well, from a sofa, you cannot accomplish that! The horse and rider must be close to one another to communicate. Stability is more critical than plush “comfort” in a saddle. You’ve likely heard the phrase “becoming too comfortable” before. It entails being inattentive and not trying your hardest. Yes, it is not a good idea to ride. It involves making trade-offs between comfort, performance, and stability, much like a car’s or truck’s suspension. Saddles are made to be stable, perform well, and be comfortable for *the horse*. You’ll discover that a properly fitted saddle is reasonably comfortable if you learn to ride and do it frequently enough.

Get Comfortable Yet Sturdy Horse Saddles at Gaited Horse Marketplace

We only use skirting leather of the highest caliber for all of our saddles. The grain side, which is smooth, and the rough flesh side, are the two separate sides of skirting leather. What should be the right size for your horse’s saddle? Please read our blog about choosing the right size for a horse-riding saddle seat.