The 15 Best Saddle for Gaited Horses 2024 (Reviews & Guide)

If you are into smooth long trail walks, gaited horses are the best choice for you. Gaited horses are specially made for these because of their endurance. In addition, they are very willing to be ridden even for a long time.They also require less energy compared to other horses and they can continue long journeys without much trouble. The best part is they are not bouncy making it less stressful for the rider. But to make every journey worry and pain free for both the rider and the horse, the best saddle for gaited horses must be used.

Choosing the Right Saddle for your Horses

As mentioned, it takes a great saddle for an effective and enjoyable trail walk or transport for any gaited horses. There are various types of saddles but you should understand that not all of them are suitable for gaited horses. It is important that the saddle fit accordingly in order to avoid discomfort and pain when you ride your gaited horses. To be able to get the appropriated saddle for your them, you must consider the following features and characteristics.

The Saddle Design and Frame

Consider this fact the basic. The design of a gaited saddle is quite different from other saddles. A gaited saddle is typically shorter in the back part as gaited horses tend to have a shorter back than the other types. It is also better to choose a saddle which gullet has an A shaped frame. As for the skirt, it is important that it is shorter than the usual saddle skirt to allow the horse to move without restraints. Finally, the panel should be steeper so the weight of the rider will be distributed evenly.

Materials

Various materials are used in making horse saddles. It could be made of leather, nylon, resin, wood or a combination of any of the aforementioned materials. Each promises quality, durability and style. You can choose any based on your preferences, but it is worthy to know that a thinner material or construction is better. Thick materials tend to be heavy and may cause some pressure points. It will also hinder you from having a close skin contact with your horses.

Flexibility

Another thing to consider is the saddle’s flexibility. Comfort is one of your priority and you cannot provide it to horses if the saddle limits their actions especially at the back. Gating requires sudden changes in movement and your saddle must be able to bear with it.

Saddle Bars

As the saddle for gaited horses is shorter than the usual ones, the saddle bars should also be shorter. Basically, it is to promote a stress-free movement among the horses and to avoid pressure points. They should also be durable enough to withstand pressure, and moisture.

Features

Different saddles have various features to offer. You can choose saddles with or without horns, with D-rings, streamlined saddles, or those with rigging. Before getting too amazed by these, it is crucial that you understand what they are for at first.

15 Best Saddle for Gaited Horses

You can find many saddle for gaited horses and you might find it hard to choose as they all seem good and suitable. To help you further, we gathered 15 best saddle for gaited horses.

Circle Y Alabama Flex2 Trail Gaiter Saddle

This saddle provides a guaranteed all-day comfort making it one of the most popular saddles for gaited horses. The Flex2 saddle and its design promise to provide convenience not only to the rider but also to the horse. It has an in-skirt rigging which can be positioned in 3 ways, so you can always adjust it according to your horse.

You can also notice its angled rear dee which allows you secure the saddle even on rough terrain. Its dense bar helps distribute the rider’s weight and the light bar is used against the horse allowing it to move freely.

ABETTA Classic Round Skirt Saddle

A mold-injected polyethylene Ralide is used for its tree. Molded trees make the cover fit perfectly after sewing the parts, making sure that the saddle fits your gaited horses. This saddle is made from a combination of materials. The outer shell is denier nylon with a closed-cell foam inside.

Its seat is made of Acu-suede while the pommel and cantle is vinyl. It also has a rigging secured with a nylon strap and the bottom of the saddle has fleece. There is a pleasure style horn and bell stirrups. The materials used in the outer part are all water proof so you can even wash them whenever needed.

Cashel Company Diamond Border Trail Saddle

Are you worried of getting back or buttocks pain after a long ride with your gaited horse? Worry no more as Cashel has something to offer to you. This saddle has handmade wooden trees with a fiberglass finish to give it extra durability. This tree was especially made to fit a variety of horses.

Every corner of the saddle is splayed and the bars are curved and spaced properly. It is to avoid giving pressure on your horse’s back. The seat intended for the rider is also padded with comfortable foam to make sure you enjoy every long trail walks with your horse.

Tex Tan Salem Flex Trail Saddle

Ideal gullet size, appropriate bars and 3-way adjustable stainless in-skirt are only some of this saddle’s features. Other than those, it highlights a silver flank slot and fenders which were pre-turned. This saddle also has a 4” Cheyene roll cantle, a horn and stirrups.

The tree of this saddle is made from equi-tex flex tree and the size is made ideally to fit gaited horses. It also features a border tooling, soft benders and jockeys, and butterfly air channel skirts allowing the horse to move freely. Moreover, the seat has a visco memory foam to make sure you are comfortable while riding your horse.

Premium Tooled Western Saddle Pleasure Trail Horse Leather Barrel

Whether you aim to show off in an arena or enjoy long trail walks with your gaited horse, this saddle cannot go unnoticed. Mainly, this saddle is made of high quality leather with a lightweight and durable tree made of wood and fiberglass. Its 4” deep seat is well-padded to give you comfort while riding your horse. The suede material also ensures to hold you firmly.

It has a 26” x 26” skirt, 6 ¾” gullet and a 3” long horn. The rigging is in skirt C and its Blevin buckles are easy to adjust. They offer a headstall breast collar for free but only for a limited time period.

HILASON Western Horse Treeless Trail Saddle

HILASON Trail Saddle gained popularity because of its unique design and attractive features. Although it is treeless, it provides the same comfort as others. Its design was carefully considered to distribute the weight of the rider evenly to remove the chance of pressure points.

The skirt structure and cinching/stirrups webbing also help the horse move faster and with ease. High quality genuine American leather cowhide structure was used as its materials. The beautiful black color matches its front cinch straps. It can fit most of horse’s size and there are various sizes and colors available for you to choose from.

TN Saddlery

Its flared gullet is 6 ¾”, the cantle is 4 ½” and it has man ties and rings. The in skirt is a stainless steel double rigging with 6 copper rivets on every side. The underskirt is made of neoprene foam so the horse also feels comfort while you ride it. Moreover, it has a nylon fleece lining that makes it attractive.

Acerugs New Comfy Gaited Western Pleasure Trail Show Horse Saddle

It is another saddle you can use for show or trail walks. This classic synthetic horse saddle has silver Conchos. It is also lightweight and water-resistant. When bought, it comes with a head stall, reins and breast collar that match the saddle color and design. The saddle tree is made of durable fiber glass for extra strength.

The padded stirrups are all adjustable and the underside is made of soft fleece to avoid pressure points. You will also find comfort in its soft padded seat. The skirt length is 28” – 34” long and the cantle is deep enough at 4.5” to secure the rider.

Orlov Hill Leather Co. Comfy Trail Saddle

If you want a saddle that is made from 100% premium leather, consider this one among your choices. The tree of this classic style saddle is floral hand tooled with a stainless steel fitting hardware. It can be used for shows, roping or trail walking.

The rough out jockey padded suede seat keeps you stable on horse’s sudden movements and give you comfort on long rides. Leather strings accessories attachments are also included.  It also comes with an oiled leather Latigo, billet straps and headstall breast collar. The rigging has a D-string and the stirrup is also covered in leather.

Orlov Hill Leather Co. Leather Stone Studded Barrel Racing/Pleasure Saddle

Both comfort and style are what this saddle from Orlov Hill Leather Co. offers. It is a great choice for show performance because of its features and appearance and a good choice for trail walking because of it comfortability.Made with hand tooled premium leather and studded with stones for a more attractive exterior.

Same as with other saddle from the same company, its tree is made of stainless steel fitting hardware to easily fit most horse’s size. The seat is padded and rough to keep you still while providing coziness.  It is available in 15”, 16” or 17” so you can easily choose for your horse.

Hilason Western Saddle American Leather Flex Tree Trail

Another yet revolutionary saddle from the most famous collection of HILASON saddles. Made from premium quality American leather that guarantees durability with a flex tree feature. This flex tree gives the rider a treed saddle experience while giving the horse freedom to move, thanks to the flexible bars underneath.

This saddle’s skirt also made of genuine skirting leather. It lightweight and precisely short to allow you to have more contact with your horse. With this saddle, you don’t have to worry about the distribution of weight as the stirrups have Blevins buckles for a quick change in length. This saddle is also shock-absorbing.

Wintec Full Quarter Western Saddle

This saddle by Wintec features full quarter bars which are known for their durability and fit, and the comfort they provide to gaited horses. Other than that, this saddle highlights its EZ-Fold Fenders System. You will also love its fleece lined square skirt and cantle which are made from scratch-resistant synthetic leather.

In addition to that, you will find its seat attractive and comfy. It is a suede leather seat padded with microfiber polyurethane. The stirrups are easy to adjust and the buckles are weatherproof. The overall material of this saddle is easy to clean and maintain and it doesn’t need waxing nor oiling anymore.

Western Endurance Double T Gaited Saddle

The stirrups can be adjusted from 28” to 38” and you can add holes to the leather adjustments in case it is not enough. It has a 2.75” horn, a 4” deep cantle and 6.5” gullet. This saddle is available in colors and 2 sizes.

King Series Gaited SQ Synthetic Saddle

A great fitting to today’s gaited horses is what this saddle highlights. Most of its parts are made of synthetic leather combined with other materials for strength and effectiveness. The synthetic skirt and fenders are crafted from durable nylon and the smooth leather seat is padded.

It is also difficult to ignore its other features. It has a quick change buckles, back flank cinch, nylon tie straps, pommel and cantle and leather jockeys. The tree is made of rawhide covered bars and it has a drop dee rigging for all your stuff. Without a doubt, this saddle is good for trail riding and the like.

Royal King Triumph Gaited Saddle

It may be the last one from our list, but it is definitely not the least. The tree of Royal King saddle is made from rawhide covered horse bars to make sure it fits most gaited horses. The skirting design was also made minimum to allow the horse to move with ease. This saddle is mainly made of smooth leather and a neoprene in skirts.

It provides comfort not only for the horse but also for the rider. The leather seat is padded and the buckles are easy to change. The aluminum stirrups have a rubber thread and the rigging is also a drop dee.

Conclusion

Like what you have noticed from the list we provided, every saddle has a different feature and advantages. Their appearance tends to be different from one another, too. But the most important thing for you to consider is whether the saddle fits your horse gaited horse or not. Gaited horses are really the best choice for transport as they are comfortable to ride. So in return pleasure and comfort they give you while you ride them, choose a saddle that would work best for them, too. Get a saddle that possesses the most important features, not only the appearance. Most importantly, choose a saddle which will not result to any stress and pain to your horses.