[Isabeau Z Solace]

Okay, I'll admit it. I mostly ride in my stock saddle to save wear and tear on my 'good' tack. I've got 5 other saddles I use regularly and some of them are really getting worn. In order to reduce the wear and tear, and prevent scratches riding out in the woods, I use the roping saddle when I am conditioning, trail riding, or otherwise out of the arena and not riding seriously.... (50% of the time, at least)

The 'real' western riders are going to hate me, I know.

[andy825]

I love my horse's western "outfit" for trail riding. We do our dressage in dressage tack, but go full on cowhorse for trail rides. He's a stocky QH, so he looks great in it, too!

[Here'sYourOneChanceFancy]

I ride in my western saddle because, well... I grew up english.. had never even sat in a western saddle (except for family trails rides on poke horses occasionally) until last year.. I somehow now own TWO complete western tack sets, and TWO western horses.. HUH?! My poor english tack has either been sold or is still collecting dust in the tack room.. sigh.

I don't know how it happened, but I'm hooked and I love it..

[Bluey]

I use a western saddle as last resort, because I prefer for a good 80% of riding and colt starting my English ones.

Now, for real cow work, reining, roping, you need a western saddle to do it right and the horse to be comfortable.
Many hours walking around hunting and pushing cattle are hard on a horse's back in an English saddle, the western one distributes the more or less static weight better.
Example, in endurance rides, you don't sit there and walk forever around, you are off a horse's back, so for that, my English saddle was fine, even if the riding was hours long.
Not so moving cattle, those hours just sitting there can start adding up.

When western saddles are the right tool for the job, that is what I use.

[7HL]

I have no need to ride with anything else.

[quarterhorse4me]

I ride in a western saddle because ......my big butt would look just horrible on one of those itty bitty english saddles!!!!!! And those breeches do not do anyone above a size 8 any justice.

Just kidding I was raised western and western I will stay but my daughter has been trained both western and english and does enjoy both. However, she is western at heart.

[danceronice]

Because some days I feel like playing cowgirl and Lucky doesn't mind.

[dani0303]

Because trail riding up in the rockies would be borderline suicidal (or at least VERY uncomfortable) in my custom Antares

[veetiepony]

Because it's comfortable on a trail ride if i'm not riding my TB whose back is not comfortable in it.

[Isabeau Z Solace]

I ride in a western saddle because ......my big butt would look just horrible on one of those itty bitty english saddles!!!!!! And those breeches do not do anyone above a size 8 any justice.

Both perfectly valid reasons in my book !

[Plumcreek]

I ride in a western saddle because ......I prefer horses that aren't too quiet and I like to stay in the tack. My Bob's Doug Milholland Reining saddle is balanced just like my hunt seat saddle, but it has a horn. Handy sometimes.

[sirbeastmom]

My fat pony looks ridiculous in English tack and I would pop right out of my pancake Crosby doing cow work.

[SwampYankee]

When I need some real "hoss furniture" for riding our most rugged trails. We've got a few places that resemble that famous scene in "The Man From Snowy River"--remember, "over the cliff?"

I've also been known to use my barrel saddle for schooling dressage when I want the horse to feel every nuance; with a "hard" tree, there's no padding there muddying up the works, and if it fits him well, just a navajo is fine.

I'm also quite long from hip to knee, so most dressage saddles push my leg back too far which does very evil things to my lower back; in the barrel saddle I say body over stirrups so no problem!

[SwampYankee]

Both perfectly valid reasons in my book !

Someone, pleeeeeeeze bring back Baggy, Flared Breeches!

[7HL]

Someone, pleeeeeeeze bring back Baggy, Flared Breeches!

Breeches & western.... I don't think so.

[AliCat518]

Psshh I'm a little bigger than a size 8, but i am riding fit (as well as running fit) and ride in a close contact saddle. Western saddles aren't just for fatties....

[reinerspook]

because . . .reining in an english saddle would.not.work.

[Bluey]

because . . .reining in an english saddle would.not.work.

Oh, yes, it does.
You just need a bit of sticky to your behind and the right horse.

[7HL]

because . . .reining in an english saddle would.not.work.

Oh, yes, it does.
You just need a bit of sticky to your behind and the right horse.

Slide stops and spins might be a little difficult.

But why would you want too?

[Bluey]

Slide stops and spins might be a little difficult.

But why would you want too?

When I started reining, I tried using my ranch saddle but it was a bit too stiff and not the kind of seat to sit deep.
The tree is stout, for roping, not cut for close contact.
I tried my Stubben Rex jumping saddle and didn't have any problem.

Eventually got a reining saddle, because that is what you show with.