Crates
Barrel Saddle
Barrel Saddles
Manufacturer: Crates
Model: Barrel Saddle
Category: Barrel Saddles
Purchase: I acquired this 14" barrel saddle in 1990 from a small tack shop in Ladysmith, WI, and I paid $400 for it. It was a "demo" saddle and the design with the higher braided horn and 4" rolled cantle were very new at the time.
Likes: This saddle was made tuff but looked like it cost much more. My young son used it, then my barrel racing daughter used it. I used it. We rode hard in games all over the area as much as every Sunday during the Wisconsin riding season. Now the leather is starting to show wear and I've had to oil it regularly to get it soft and laying flat--but there's no way I could put a dollar figure on it. It's too good to go. This is a great trail saddle, too. You don't know it's there, and that's the best compliment I can give a saddle.
Dislikes: I had a very round backed Morgan-Quarter horse cross, and it was hard to keep this saddle on him. It would have been nice to use a no-slip pad, but they weren't invented yet!! I had to grab his mane and pull myself on. I always felt that one fender was just a little shorter than the other, and couldn't quite get that right.
Quality: I do not know much about the tree except it is leather covered. The saddle needed very little maintenance and was wintered in a cold tack room. It just now started showing some feather-type cracking in places where the leather meets the leg.
Summary: I have owned Martha Josey Circle Y, The Proven Circle y, Shaw, Royal King, A-1, Billy Cook, American, Kaye's, and Lamb barrel saddles. This one ranks right up with the Circle Ys. I would say this is a 4.5
Rating: 4
Author: Susan LeMay
Date: 2006-10-26
Usefulness Rating: 5 out of 5.
5 reader(s) voted.
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