Portuguese saddles..what do you think?

[Debbie]

No idea why it popped up, but it was on one of the advertisements up at the top of the page, and I followed my nose.

What do you think?

www.portugalweb.com/shop/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=7&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=15&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

The saddle I mean. It looks very comfortable to me. Do you think it might be a good fit for a hacking type saddle??

[Debbie]

www.portugalweb.com/shop/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.view_images&product_id=17&image_id=63&Itemid=1

Here are some other views of the saddle. That looks really comfy to me, and it looks like it gets out of the way of the horse.

[PonyGirl]

That does look comfortable.

[harveydales]

Interesting. I'd love to know what they feel like to ride in.

[greydales]

I think they are very comfortable, and secure - the saddle tree is different to an English tree in that there are four points - two over the withers and two over the cantle, as shown here:

www.iberianahorse.com/img/5Underneath%20tree.JPG

so not sure how you fit them!

[PonyGirl]

Doesn't Anna use some of this tack?

Anna....have you ridden in this saddle before?

[harveydales]

thanks Gill, that is interesting to see.

[Debbie]

Thanks for the extra link Gill It looks like a cross between a western tree and an english one, with more tendoncies towards the western. Well, I guess in all actuality this design was probably in place for our westerns to derive from. It looks like it would be fantastic for weight dispersal.

Anna have you had a chance to ride one of these? What are they like??