The first time I saw the little Mustang was at Tall Pines Endurance ride. He and his rider beat us by so many hours that I barely caught a glimpse of them. Reports had it that his front leg really swelled, but since he was not lame, he had not been pulled. His owner had turned him loose to find his own way home. He simply hung out by the road until some compassionate folks caught him and iced his leg.

About a month later, the young owner died in a drowning accident. Cisco ended up with his friends, and they did not get along. When they put him up for sale, they said that he needed an experienced rider. The previous owner had put him with a trainer for a short time because of problems with running away.

I am not brave, but I am determined. One look at his big feet, good bone, strong hip and long trot and I was sold.

The young woman who sold him to me said he liked to bolt for home, do leaps and paw with both front feet when tied. She was right. He tried to lose me in many creative and calculated ways. He succeeded twice.

The first time I tried to saddle him, he tried to bite the saddle. I noticed that he had some white hair on his back, so knew saddle fit would be an issue.

We spent many hours in the round pen and his behavior did improve. What bothered me the most was his unpredictability (sound familiar, Mustang owners?). He seemed to be the most troublesome when ridden hard on the previous day. I tried at least a dozen saddles on him, watching for sweat patterns and experimenting with pads. My western show saddle seemed to be the best, but the skirts are square and rubbed his hip.

I picked the brains of many patient soles and invaded tack stores with a tape measure and chart. A western style endurance saddle seemed to be the right one and I bought some expensive saddle pads for extra insurance.

Things seemed to go better and his behavior was getting quite good, but I could never get completely in sync with him. Then last year at Fort Stanton, he acquired some edema on his back. I had been noticing, also that the muscle along his spine looked different.

Many endurance riders were using Specialized Saddles, and I had been too cheap to consider one, but I had run out of options and I could not continue to hurt this valiant little horse. David agreed to look at his back and kindly told me that his back was very hard to fit being asymmetrical and long and that the muscle on his back had atrophied from the poorly distributed weight. The sick feeling that overcame me then visits me still.

Needless to say, I bought a Western Specialized saddle, wanting the extra security. I cannot believe the difference in the horse and in myself. We are so comfortable! He moves freely and his back muscle has actually filled back in!

In 2008, we completed 495 miles without pulls and won a jacket for the SW region (5th) for my weight division. No big deal for some, but a BIG deal for us. Best money I ever spent….no kidding…and this is coming from a notorious cheapskate.

We finally found that missing intangible…..harmony.

– Maribel Paulson

In May it was clear that something was wrong with our 12 yr old gelding, Levi. Vet checked him in the round pen with the western saddle I’ve been using for 4 yrs and determined that was the worst saddle fitting he’s ever seen. I guess to make matters worse I had it too far forward and held in place with a breast collar.

We had him treated for a sore back and shoulders, bought a new western saddle that was fitted to him, but he was still not comfortable when I tried to ride him and would not walk out, so I stopped riding him.

Your clinic was our last hope before taking him to Alamo for a complete check.

When I rode him at your clinic Saturday in the saddle you fitted to him he was like a new horse again to me and was fun to ride, free in the shoulders and trotted great.

I purchased the Trailmaster (without the horn) and rode Sunday for a long ride and had a great time. My old boy is back. The saddle is very comfortable and the way the fenders hang I found it easier to move with the horse on sudden moves he makes.

He used to be so uncomfortable that he would get under himself and jump or buck. I think the saddle we bought has solved a lot of problems for us.

I think the whole experience was good for us and Levi. It all made sense.

– Mary Ann

I purchased a Tracy Webb signature Santa Fe at a fitting clinic near my home in Bear Valley California.

My horse, Choco LOVES the new saddle. Some of the benefits I have noticed already would be a softening of the eye, for sure. He just looks content and relaxed. And keeps that look even when asking him to back now, which took a little while for him to forget it hurt, but now that we have done it so many times w/o any pain, he gets it that the pain is over. Very nice 🙂

He moves more freely and easily, his gait has improved, and it is easier to keep him in a gait.

I love the way the saddle feels to move in. It is a much lower cantle than my previous saddle, so there is a little adjustment on my part to bring my confidence level back up. I don’t think I was necessarily safer in the higher cantle saddle I used previously, but I think more it just felt like it, and I just need to get used to that factor. But the freedom of movement is definitely there with the Santa Fe, and thus makes me feel more “as one” with my horse, and I feel he is responding to that as well.

The “bump” on his back which was a direct result of the pinching on the last saddle is softening and shrinking. Yay! And there is no flinch at all when pressure is applied, so I know we are doing good.

And…it LOOKS pretty with all the bling! We have had a little trouble getting the purses to stay on. If Choco shakes, they fly off. But seems to be only when he shakes. I think the angle of the saddle with all the shims are not helping. I am not overly concerned. We have been working on tightening up the snaps a bit.

(Speaking of the bling, can you get me in touch with the gal who can order me additional bling? I would really like that.)

So, in summary, I am quite satisfied with my new saddle and am very grateful to all of you for educating me and taking the time to get both what Choco needed for his comfort and enjoyment, not to mention performance, and what I needed as a rider. It feels like it has all come together. You guys are the best!!! 🙂

– Beth Hall

I can’t say enough great things about my Specialized Saddle. I bought it after I had purchased 2 other saddles to try and fit my mare – one of which was a treeless saddle (which hurt her back so much she was unrideable for 5 months). When I tried the Specialized I finally had hope that something would work. I have had it re-fit to my mare 3 times in the 3 years I have had it as her fitness level and shape has changed – something very few if any other saddles can accommodate. When I rode a hard-to-fit gelding that belonged to a friend, I had a spare set of panels fit to him; we did his 2nd and 3rd 50 mile rides that weekend and his back was terrific.

I really like the saddle as well – it is very well constructed and makes me feel very secure. Also, it is a real benefit to be able to move the stirrups into different positions in order to optimize your equitation and make life even better for your equine partners. I’d be proud to wear a Specialized hat and tell even more people how great these saddles are!

– Kristen Fisher, Corinth TX

When I received my saddle by mail delivery 2.5 years ago, I could not wait to put it on my horse Jack and try it. Surprisingly, the saddle fitted him without any additional need for shimming and so I decided to mount Jack on the spot.

I could not believe the difference I felt at that time between my previous 8-year old roper and my new specialized saddle.

I had the feeling I was riding bareback ! I could feel every movement of his back and shoulders, every muscle that he was using.

This is what I like the most in my specialized saddle, it is like riding without one.

The soft feeling you have with your horse can only improve the partnership and understanding of his movements and ideas.

And no pain in the a after hours of riding, the saddle gives you all the comfort you need to stay in all day long (or week long as I did last year when driving cattle in Belgium!).

The saddle still looks very new, although it has been frequently used for more than 2,5 years now. The leather is still soft and strong, just how it should be.

The picture was taken a few days ago on the beach, we are both enjoying the ride.

Cecile Beeck, The Netherlands