Below you will find an excellent selection of used cutting saddles for sale. Please scroll down for our article “What Is A Cutting Saddle?”
Below: A cutting horse in action.
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Used Cutting Saddle Photos
In this photo you can clearly see this cutting saddle has high swells and a tall, thin saddle horn.
This cutting horse rider uses the design of her saddle to help her stay seated during a hard stop and turn.
A used cutting saddle can still be in great condition and continue to provide many years of service.
What Is A Cutting Saddle?
A cutting saddle is a saddle designed to meet the needs of riders competing in cutting horse competitions. Cutting saddles are highly specialized to meet the unique demands of a high performance sport characterized by powerful horses performing hard, sudden stops; low-in-the-front-end turns; and lightening fast changes of direction.
Cutting saddles have several specialized features to help horses and riders perform their best. Some of these features are described below.
- Saddle Swells and Saddle Horn: One of the most noticeable differences in a cutting horse saddle compared to other saddles is their swells (also called the “pommel” or “fork”) and the saddle horn. The swells of a cutting horse saddle are taller than in other saddles, giving the rider more security during the tipped-forward, low-in-the-front-end turns so common in cutting horse competition. The
saddle horn is taller and thinner than in other types of saddles, and might be straight or tipped forward slightly. This design allows a rider to grip the horn and push, helping to keep them stable during low, hard turns and sudden stops. - Saddle Seat: The seats in cutting horse saddles are designed to be close to the horse, and to create a pocket for a rider to sit deeply and securely during cutting.
- Cantle: The cantle of a cutting horse saddle is lower than in some ranch and other types of saddles. The cantles in cutting horse saddles are designed to allow the rider to sit deep during hard, sudden stops, or low, fast turns.
- Saddle Stirrup Fenders and Leathers: In a cutting saddle the stirrup fenders are hung farther forward than in many other types of saddles. This allows the rider to push back and sit deep into the saddle during the hard, low, turns, and sudden stops common in cutting. If the stirrup fenders are hung too far back, the rider’s legs will be behind them causing them to fall forward. In addition, the stirrup fenders and leathers in a cutting saddle won’t be as heavy as in, say, roping or ranch saddles. Cutting horse riders need close contact with their horses for good, split-second communication.
- Rigging Position: Most cutting horse saddles are full-rigged or 7/8 rigged. When used with a back cinch, full-rigged and 7/8 rigged saddles help to keep the saddle in place without twisting or moving back. If you aren’t familiar with saddle rigging positions, you can see our short, illustrated article on it here: What Are Saddle Rigging Positions? (<<< This link will open in a new window.)
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