Saddles and Harness

     There was a time when you were considered off your rocker if you wanted to ride your draft horse under saddle. To even consider riding your big draft in dressage was even more unthinkable. Today draft horses are used in all disciplines including dressage, all purpose, trail, jumping, western pleasure, etc.

     The willing nature and calm temperament makes the draft  horse ideal for all disciplines. They are actually very light on their feet. One of the very few companies making a true Draft Horse Dressage Saddle is Frontier Equestrian Inc. These saddles are made with a 10″ gullet which is the widest gullet made anywhere. These saddles are extremely wide and flat through the pommel as they are designed to fit draft horses with very flat withers - shaped like a 50 gallon barrel.

     Saddles with no trees have been around for a few years now. They are available from 6 or 8 makers and they are all very similar in design and construction. Treeless Saddles typically have a small insert in the cantle and the pommel to allow the saddle to keep it’s shape and to give it support.

    Since treeless saddles conform to the shape of the horse’s back and the pressure from the saddle is widely distributed the treeless saddles are ideal for use on most draft horses.

These saddles allow you to feel the horse better.  They also keep the rider very secure in the seat.    They also come in a variety of colors and some are made in leather and others are made of synthetic materials more suitable for endurance events where the saddle will get wet.           

     The western saddle for the draft horse is designed differently than a western saddle for a regular sized horse. Light horses use a saddle with a 6.5 to 7 inch gullet on average. many different tree styles are available in these sizes such as wade, western pleasure, roping, etc.

     The tree types available for draft size trees is much more limited. The key features designed into Draft Horse Western Saddles are a much wider gullet and flatter angles to the bars. The biggest comcern is gullet width. many draft horses are not only very wide but also very flat through the wither area. Typical gullet widths used on these type of horses is 9 inch and 10 inch gullets. While there are several companies that produce so-called draft saddles with 8 inch gullets the saddles of this size are really nothing more than a wide tree version of typical western saddle. There are 2 or 3 companies that produce western saddles with 9 inch and 10 inch gullets and to truly have a good fit these are the size that is needed.

     Draft horses are ideal as trail riding horses - their smooth easy gate and calm temperament make for a comfortable and enjoyable outing. The Australian saddle is one of the most popular saddles commonly used on draft horses. They are available in a variety of seat sizes, colors, and gullet widths. Not all draft horses require a full draft horse 10″ gullet. Some Shires and Clydesdales have high withers along with a wide body. In this case you will need a saddle with smaller gullet width , perhaps 7″ or 8″. To check for proper fit make a wither tracing.

      The best known producer of Australian Draft Horse Saddles is Sydney Saddleworks.

Their saddles are available with gullet sizes up to 10″ which will fit the largest flat backed draft horses with ease. The Australian saddles are exceptionally comfortable for horse and rider due to the deep seat and low tension fenders and riding position. After riding for hours in an Australian saddle you can dismount without the soreness typically experienced after riding a western saddle.