| Don't Give Me No Plastic Saddle - let me feel the | | | | saddles use the same trees as leather saddles. |
| leather when I ride. | | | | Pay more if you want. Maybe you need a show |
| This was a good line for Jerry Reed. Jerry got a | | | | saddle. If so, most synthetic saddles aren't for |
| big hit from this line in "Plastic Saddles" back in the | | | | you. But just for general riding a synthetic saddle |
| 1970s. However, is this a real way to consider | | | | will work just fine. |
| synthetic (plastic) saddles? Synthetic saddles | | | | Resistant to sweat |
| usually have leather seats or something | | | | Yes, my horses sweat. This sweat almost always |
| indistinguishable from leather. | | | | gets on some part of the saddle. This may affect |
| For discussion, here are some of the advantages | | | | the fenders or stirrup straps or even the skirt. |
| of synthetic saddles.o Lightero Cheapero Resistant | | | | This sweat contains salt and will damage leather. |
| to sweato Resistant to roto Easier to clean and | | | | The salt must be cleaned from leather saddle |
| maintain | | | | parts to avoid damaging the leather. While it is a |
| Lighter | | | | good idea to remove the salt from the nylon |
| Why would you want a lighter saddle? Well, for | | | | saddle parts, the nylon won't be damaged if the |
| one thing lifting a seventeen pound synthetic | | | | salt isn't removed each time. |
| saddle up to the back of your horse (especially if | | | | Resistant to Rot |
| the horse is tall or the rider is short) is | | | | Even when the salt is removed from leather |
| considerably easier than lifting a fifty to seventy | | | | saddles and the saddles are kept clean, leather will |
| pound leather saddle. How about the horse? Is it | | | | often rot. I have had leather saddle parts rot or |
| easier for the horse to carry thirty to fifty fewer | | | | wear out when stored for extended time. A |
| pounds? I submit that it is. Your horse will benefit | | | | broken stirrup leather occurring during a run can |
| from carrying less weight. Conversely, if you are | | | | be a big problem. This does not happen with nylon. |
| into steer roping or calf roping, you're going to | | | | Easier to Clean and Maintain |
| want a seventy pound saddle with double rigging | | | | Cleaning leather requires saddle soap and |
| and big skirts. But then, the horse only has to run | | | | sometimes oil, that plus a lot of rubbing and |
| about a hundred yards and stop quickly. | | | | working the leather. A water hose and a stiff |
| Cheaper | | | | brush are all the cleaning tools needed for cleaning |
| Cheaper is not a pejorative! Synthetic saddles | | | | a synthetic saddle. If you really want to, you can |
| made from nylon cost less than comparable | | | | use your pressure washer. Just set the saddle on |
| leather saddles. Nylon is generally cheaper than | | | | the rack to dry after blasting it off. |
| leather. Working with nylon is easier and therefore | | | | Well, now you've seen my rationale for synthetic |
| cheaper than working with leather. Synthetic | | | | saddles. What are your thoughts? |