The best lightweight saddle brands are Wintec, King, Circle Y, Cashel, Henri de Rivel, and Kincade. The more weight over long rides, the quicker your horse will tire. They are particularly beneficial as they keep the horse well-conditioned and comfortable over long rides. Many people opt for lightweight saddles when trail riding and competing in endurance. Lightweight saddles also put less pressure on your horse’s back, vital for horses with sensitive backs or past injuries. Lightweight saddles let riders sit closer to the horse’s back, allowing for better contact. The weight of a regular saddle can be hard for some people to carry, let alone put on the back of a horse. Heavy saddles can be particularly difficult for petite adults with tall horses, as it can be hard to place a 30+ pound saddle on a 17 hand tall horse’s back.īoth horses and riders can benefit from using lightweight saddles. Saddles, particularly western saddles, can be rather heavy.
