Horse Saddle Brands

 Everyone has a favorite brand… which is best, worst, most practical and those that fail to meet the needs of the consumer.  Horse saddles are a whole other world; and, if you’re anything like me (from the suburbs and wannabe cowgirl), it can be overwhelming shopping for a new saddle that will check each box on your list.  BlackJack Horse Saddles is a great place to start and has a wide variety of saddles including both English and Western styles.  This blog will go over the basics of the different saddle brands, what makes different saddles specials and the price range.

Starting with Western saddles (you’ll easily distinguish them by the saddle horn, high cantle and pommel and larger/bulkier size), the main brands BlackJack sells are Alamo Saddlery, Colorado Saddlery, Crates, DP Saddlery/Fabtron and JT International.  These are all fairly smaller brands, but easily affordable and good quality.  Currently, we are in the works of obtaining inventory from Billy Cook, Cactus Saddlery, Circle Y Saddles, Corriente (all western brands), Antarès, Collegiate by State Line Tack, and Hermès (all english brands).  But for now, let’s look at some special and different aspects of the saddles on the site.

Diving into our western catalog, the first saddle brand to admire is Alamo Saddlery.  Several cowgirls have written in raving about how Alamo saddles have cured their back soreness from long days of riding.  Others state that the saddles are fairly universal and fit all of their horses’ backs.  After speaking with several Alamo Saddlery owners, they all agree that the detailing, leather and craftsmanship are superb.  Alamo Saddlery is known for their custom saddles, and they have varying types for barrel racing, roping and show/pleasure/trail.  The prices for Alamo range from about $1,600 to $2,700, which is a tad expensive.  Next up on BlackJack’s website is Colorado Saddlery.  Colorado Saddlery (CS) prides themselves on having the highest quality saddles at an affordable price.  CS owners say their saddles hold up better than other tried and tested brands.  CS has a wide range of saddle types including:  ranch/roping, mule, trail, barrel, wade, youth, and natural ride.  It is rare to find a complaint about the quality of Colorado saddles, as they have been around for 77 years and are well experienced.  However, these saddles are usually upward of $2,500 to $3,000.  They are well worth the money and will last decades.  Now we move on to Crates Saddlery, a brand I am personally interested in trying solely because they started in Chattanooga, Tennessee (my father’s hometown).  In 2016, Crates merged with Fabtron, so I will cover both as one.  Crates advocates mention how well made the saddles are and that they fit some of the most difficult horses.  These saddles have been around since the 40s and are made to last long, even if they experience inclement weather.  Customers exclaim “comfortable!” and the price you are likely to pay for a Crates saddle is $2,350 to $3,900.  The price depends on saddle type (roping, reining, trail, and male or female).

The English side of BlackJack exhibits brands such as M. Toulouse and DP Saddlery.  M. Toulouse saddles are most known for their Old European quality plus new technology.  Customers talk about the amazing French craftsmanship, high quality and customizability to fit each horse/rider.  M. Toulouse offers dressage saddles as well as jumping saddles and they are made for different levels of expertise and different types of events.  By events I am referring to Equitation riding and Hunt Seat vs Jumping Seat.  For example, the Denisse Close Contact Saddle with Genesis is known to be a great saddle for those partaking in Hunt Seat and Equitation.  BlackJack offers M. Toulouse saddles at prices ranging from $1,550 to $2,850. Lastly, we have DP Saddlery, known for their high quality leather for and Adjustable Gullet Width System invention.  This is perfect for anyone who has multiple horses that fit differently, as you can adjust the tree with a wrench.  This system works on both Western and English saddles!  DP customers talk about how comfortable the saddles are and how easy they are to fit their horses… including draft horses!  The high quality material and beautiful design are something customers agree on across the board, so this brand is definitely a good purchase.  The price range of DP saddles is on the higher end averaging about $2,600 to upward of $5,000.  

I hope this brief review helps you along your journey to finding your forever favorite saddle.  WhetherWither you are English or Western, BlackJack Horse Saddles can assist you with your horse tack needs!  Text or call us at (800) 908-4130 with any questions, comments or concerns.  Thank you!