Western Saddle Size?

Question

If I weigh about 80 pounds and I'm 5' (I'm still growing, mind you), what size Western saddle would I need? I believe I'm a 16 for English saddle size, but honestly I can't remember. Are there any seat size calculators, or measurements, or what? Please help!? Also, can someone explain the concept of "Quarter horse bars"? I've heard of them, but I don't really know what they are. What are "semi" or "half" Quarter horse bars? Do English saddles have these too or only Western saddles???

Answer 1

I would say a 15" size, similar to 16-17" English. This should fit you well with growing room.  A 16" would be closest to a 17.5-18" English. You can go smaller to 14" but they are harder to find and you'll outgrow it. If you are used to English, you won't mind a little extra room in  western saddle.

Western saddles come in two standard size trees/ bars, Quarter (most common) and semi-quarter. More options would be specialized, like an Arabian , draft, or pony size. English saddles have tree sizes, usually narrow medium, or wide. There are variations in between and also the trees can come in cm sizes like 32 cm. Same thing, different way to describe it.

English and western trees' bars sit differently on the horse's back, so its hard to compare. From experience, only a big shouldered stocky QH or similar stock type shape will fit a Quarter bar or full quarter bar. . I'd compare Quarter bars to a wide tree or even extra wide tree saddle.

Semi-quarter is still a bit wide, medium tree to medium wide, depending on the manufacturer. A tried a semi-quarter bar saddle on my skinny high withered QH and it was too wide. those withers make a difference! :-)

Hope this helps...

Answer 2

id say like a 14 or a 15 .... but Maybe a 16 if you want to have it for a while you'll grow into it when your e older

Answer 3

i would definatley say a 14 inch that is what i use i am 5ft3 105 pds, your best bet though would be to go to a few tack stores and try out a few see which ones you feel the most comfortable with but i betcha a 14 inch will be just right.

Answer 4

if you go to horse.com they have a calculator for English and Western saddles.

EDIT: here it is http://www.evideofiles.com/calculators2/...

Hope it helps :)

-Nicole

Answer 5

If you ride a 16' english then you will need a 14 western. That is what I ride. I am 5'6 and weigh 115 so you will have room to grow. In fact it may be a Little big for you.

Answer 6

A 14 inch should work just fine for you.....and you won't outgrow it for a while.

Answer 7

Sorry i am new to westrn saddle too but had one for a while

1. your ether the same size as your english or i have heard to get one 1 size bigger

2. i dont know about that one sorry

Answer 8

You can figure that if you're 5' and 80 lbs a 14" western saddle will work well for you.

As for the tree sizes...  A FULL Quarter Horse Tree means something that is for a VERY wide horse...Think WIDE tree on an English saddle.

A SEMI Quarter Horse Tree is the equivalent of a MEDIUM tree for English.

I hope that explains it a little bit better for your.