Leather or synthetic? When it comes to horse saddles, most people would answer that they prefer leather saddles. Our society is conditioned to see leather as a higher quality material when it comes to apparel and other consumer goods. However, synthetic material quality is advancing beyond belief and may actually rival materials such as leather. This might just change the world of saddlery for all equestrians.
Synthetic saddles tend to be lower in price, but that doesn’t mean that they are lower in quality. Chances are that you have seen a lot of synthetic saddles and didn’t realize it. Often, people can’t tell the difference between leather and synthetic saddles. They have a great look and can be seen in competition, whether it be a jumping, dressage saddle, western saddle, or roping saddle. The best feature of the synthetic saddles is that they are lighter weight so the horse can maneuver quicker and have a bit more freedom. Synthetic saddles are also require very little maintenance.
What if I told you that you never had to oil leather saddle? You’d probably be ecstatic. Well, if you purchased a synthetic saddle, you could just clean it with soap and water. Pretty simple, right? Better yet, because the synthetic saddles are so cheap, you could buy different saddles and experiment with different styles. This will help you and your horse find a saddle that makes riding more enjoyable. If you have some older horses in your stables, they will appreciate the lightness of the synthetic material over the leather. Also, just think of your back as you lift the saddle over the horse. The synthetic saddle is going to be much easier to put on the horse.
Do you have kids who constantly outgrow their saddles? If yes, then you know that it can be rather expensive to continually purchase leather saddles. You are better off buying a cheaper saddle such as the synthetic saddle, while not compromising quality. While you can buy these saddles cheaply, you should not compromise the horse’s safety or comfort for price. It will be a much greater price if you injure or hurt your beloved horse. Take a look at Circle Y barrel saddle or Pessoa rodrigo saddle.
