Clinton Anderson
Aussie Saddle with Horn
Reining Saddles
Manufacturer: Clinton Anderson
Model: Aussie Saddle with Horn
Category: Reining Saddles
Purchase: I recently bought this saddle from Clinton Anderson's website at DownunderHorsemanship.com for about $1,600 on sale. I made a few calls to the service department there and they were very helpful -- they took their time to listen and answer all my questions. I explained that I did a little reining and some cutting with my quarter horse, also a lot of "playday" kinds of activities. I had been looking for a reining saddle because I wanted a close feel for my horse. I had seen other reviews of this saddle (all very positive) under the category of "trail saddle," and that perplexed me. The service department said I definitely would find this saddle just right for the activities I described (I also do some trail riding with my wife), so I decided to put them to the test.
Likes: The saddle is perfect for my varied uses. I'm not a serious competitor at my age, but I like to do a little of everything. This saddle is great for pole bending, ranch penning, cutting and those fun playday activities. Because of the balance and close contact, I honestly think this could be used exclusively as a reining saddle. I have used many different saddles, but I've never had the kind of close contact that I have with this one. It fits my horse perfectly, and I've never had a more comfortable, balanced feel from a saddle.
Dislikes: So far I haven't found anything I don't like about this saddle.
Quality: I would describe it as a minimalist saddle, by design. There's a rear housing, but no skirt. Don't let that mislead you. It's very well built and solid -- in fact, it's built for Anderson by Martin Saddlery (and I love their saddles.) The fenders were pre-turned, and it came with everything except the cinch. Leather quality was very good, and the seat was more comfortable than any other saddle I've used.
Summary: Before buying this saddle, be sure to check with the service department on what size seat is appropriate for you. A 16-inch Aussie seat is more like a 17-inch American western saddle seat (they explain this on their website). I ordered the 16-inch mode, which was perfect for me. They said they would exchange it if it turned out to be the wrong size.
I definitely recommend this as an excellent all-around saddle. Believe me, it's good for much more than trail riding.
Rating: 5
Author: Peter David
Date: 0000-00-00
Usefulness Rating: 5 out of 5.
2 reader(s) voted.
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