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Member
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| Not sure where to post this, so I decided to start a new thread. Hope that is ok.....I have been a cactus saddle fan for years. Always ridden in them and loved the quality. Mine was getting very old and worn so I decided to trade it off. Long story short I got an Ammerman, gorgeous saddle and love the feel of it, but sadly it doesn't fit the gelding I currently run. He's super wide and where my cactus fit him great, the Ammerman is a bit too narrow. (needless to say it's for sale) My question is...since it's been so long since I've gotten a new cactus, is the quality still the same? My husband has a 2008 roper and the leather is so soft and supple, just like my old cactus was. Anyone have a newer cactus that could give me some insight? I have been in touch with a cactus rep and am thinking of custom ordering one, but quality does change, and since I'm over 200 miles away from the nearest cactus dealer, I thought on here might be the best place to ask. Thank you everyone in advance! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 746
 
Location: Missouri | I just sold one that was a couple years old and it was soft and supple, so unless something has majorly changed, I would say you would be happy with them.
In the mean time, hopefully this will bump your post and someone else will have more input.  |
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 Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
 
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | my new cactus (i think its 4 years old) only fits my small tiny horses...the leather is nice and good quality and i custom ordered it in vegas, i had some very specific things i wanted and they didn't get done........i even asked for pics before the saddle was shipped and they never came and the saddle was shipped and its way to much hassle and cost to send the darn thing back..and i tried to contact the rep and i left msg and he wouldn't call me back.....i honestly would not buy another one
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I have one from the 2013 Bonus Race Finals and its great quality. Just wish it fit the horse I ordered it for. :( I have considered selling it because I'm not in love with how it fits any of my other horses either but so far haven't talked myself into getting rid of a $1200 saddle that I paid $100 for. |
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Veteran
Posts: 111
| I ordered one about year and a half ago and its great! I custom ordered it and everything came and it was even nicer in person. PM if you want the rep's name i used......she is awesome!
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Member
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| Mruggles what tree was in yours? If you don't mind me asking. Very glad that it's sounding like for the most part the quality is still the same! Now I just have to figure out which tree to go with :/
Edited by Jetpower 2015-01-26 4:23 PM
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Member
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| trulyaroyaljem - 2015-01-26 3:42 PM
I ordered one about year and a half ago and its great! I custom ordered it and everything came and it was even nicer in person. PM if you want the rep's name i used......she is awesome!
Thanks for the input!! I sent you a pm |
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Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Jetpower - 2015-01-27 3:22 PM Mruggles what tree was in yours? If you don't mind me asking. Very glad that it's sounding like for the most part the quality is still the same! Now I just have to figure out which tree to go with :/
mine is the marlene eddelman and i cant remember what tree i got....if i find the info i will pass it on
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 Butter my Biscuits
Posts: 2948
Location: MI | We have 2 Cactus trophy saddles. Both are super comfy and really nice leather. One has the NBHA tree in it and seems to fit just about everything except the really wide ones. The other was ordered with the wide tree, and its exactly that. Between the 2, one of them will fit just about anything. We like them alot. |
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  More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | I have 4 Cactus saddles in various ages. They are all great quality. I have 3 of the CJ saddles. They fit my horses the best. |
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Veteran
Posts: 165
| Not trying to steal this thread, but when Cactus made the CJ's were they all on the same tree, or did they have a reg and wide. I see some used ones advertised with a 7" gullet and others with 8.
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Expert
Posts: 2678
Location: Mi | I ordered a new cactus marlene a year and a half ago. Not a single complaint. I had a mare that was really hard to fit, tried every saddle I could get my hands on, I'm happy with my decision and will order another one. |
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More bootie than waist!
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Location: Riding Crackhead. | Glittergirl - 2015-01-26 11:44 PM Not trying to steal this thread, but when Cactus made the CJ's were they all on the same tree, or did they have a reg and wide. I see some used ones advertised with a 7" gullet and others with 8.
The ones saying they have 8" gullets don't know what they are talking about and those ads drive me bonkers. The CJ's were first made with only 7" gullets, then later years were made with 7" and also 6 1/2". They both had the real wide flare so they sit down nice on a horse. If you're buying used have them give you the number and call Cactus to find out the gullet size. |
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Member
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| A CJ is what I had and I loved that saddle. So comfortable and really fit my horses well. Been talking with a rep and she is saying the Marelen trees fit the best of all of them. I was planning on having one built on the CJ tree since my one guy is really wide and the CJ fit him, but she is assuring me the Marlene will as well. Anyone had experience with both? |
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Veteran
Posts: 165
| CYA Ranch - 2015-01-27 8:49 AM
Glittergirl - 2015-01-26 11:44 PM Not trying to steal this thread, but when Cactus made the CJ's were they all on the same tree, or did they have a reg and wide. I see some used ones advertised with a 7" gullet and others with 8.
The ones saying they have 8" gullets don't know what they are talking about and those ads drive me bonkers. The CJ's were first made with only 7" gullets, then later years were made with 7" and also 6 1/2". They both had the real wide flare so they sit down nice on a horse. If you're buying used have them give you the number and call Cactus to find out the gullet size.
Thankyou, I kind of thought maybe some people were measuring wrong. |
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Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Jetpower - 2015-01-28 8:20 AM A CJ is what I had and I loved that saddle. So comfortable and really fit my horses well. Been talking with a rep and she is saying the Marelen trees fit the best of all of them. I was planning on having one built on the CJ tree since my one guy is really wide and the CJ fit him, but she is assuring me the Marlene will as well. Anyone had experience with both? i have a marlene and it fits nothing but my small narrow horses...............i will try and remember to measure mine tonight and i wil post a pic for you tomorrow
m
Edited by mruggles 2015-01-27 11:06 AM
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Expert
Posts: 2678
Location: Mi | I do not have experience with the CJ tree, however my Marleene has fit everything I've put it on. My mare that I was having a hard time fitting isn't small or narrow. The Marleene comes with a 7" gullet. If that helps you any. |
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Member
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| mruggles - 2015-01-27 11:04 AM
Jetpower - 2015-01-28 8:20 AM A CJ is what I had and I loved that saddle. So comfortable and really fit my horses well. Been talking with a rep and she is saying the Marelen trees fit the best of all of them. I was planning on having one built on the CJ tree since my one guy is really wide and the CJ fit him, but she is assuring me the Marlene will as well. Anyone had experience with both? i have a marlene and it fits nothing but my small narrow horses...............i will try and remember to measure mine tonight and i wil post a pic for you tomorrow
m
Thank you so much! That would be great!! I'm leaning more with the CJ tree because I have experience with it, but I really can't decide. I hate to spend so much on a custom one and have made the wrong choice on tree. I've always ridden CJs due to how the horn slanted forward, the Marlene's seem to be more straight up. I'm a rider who leans forward, and if I don't on my mare she will knock. So that was my concern with getting a Marlene was the horn height and placement. The CJ allows me to get up on her like I need to. Maybe I'm over thinking the horn thing a little too much.... |
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Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Jetpower - 2015-01-28 11:49 AM mruggles - 2015-01-27 11:04 AM Jetpower - 2015-01-28 8:20 AM A CJ is what I had and I loved that saddle. So comfortable and really fit my horses well. Been talking with a rep and she is saying the Marelen trees fit the best of all of them. I was planning on having one built on the CJ tree since my one guy is really wide and the CJ fit him, but she is assuring me the Marlene will as well. Anyone had experience with both? i have a marlene and it fits nothing but my small narrow horses...............i will try and remember to measure mine tonight and i wil post a pic for you tomorrow
m Thank you so much! That would be great!! I'm leaning more with the CJ tree because I have experience with it, but I really can't decide. I hate to spend so much on a custom one and have made the wrong choice on tree. I've always ridden CJs due to how the horn slanted forward, the Marlene's seem to be more straight up. I'm a rider who leans forward, and if I don't on my mare she will knock. So that was my concern with getting a Marlene was the horn height and placement. The CJ allows me to get up on her like I need to. Maybe I'm over thinking the horn thing a little too much....
im a forward rider....i had to stop wearing my belt, and i still hook my shirt on it..lol....i hook my bra on it to but that gets hooked on all my saddles....lol
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Member
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| mruggles - 2015-01-27 1:01 PM
Jetpower - 2015-01-28 11:49 AM mruggles - 2015-01-27 11:04 AM Jetpower - 2015-01-28 8:20 AM A CJ is what I had and I loved that saddle. So comfortable and really fit my horses well. Been talking with a rep and she is saying the Marelen trees fit the best of all of them. I was planning on having one built on the CJ tree since my one guy is really wide and the CJ fit him, but she is assuring me the Marlene will as well. Anyone had experience with both? i have a marlene and it fits nothing but my small narrow horses...............i will try and remember to measure mine tonight and i wil post a pic for you tomorrow
m Thank you so much! That would be great!! I'm leaning more with the CJ tree because I have experience with it, but I really can't decide. I hate to spend so much on a custom one and have made the wrong choice on tree. I've always ridden CJs due to how the horn slanted forward, the Marlene's seem to be more straight up. I'm a rider who leans forward, and if I don't on my mare she will knock. So that was my concern with getting a Marlene was the horn height and placement. The CJ allows me to get up on her like I need to. Maybe I'm over thinking the horn thing a little too much....
m
Oh been there done that before! I stopped wearing a belt as well, and started tucking my shirts in, but sadly haven't found a fix for the bra yet lol that was my worry with the Marlene....if I did it on occasion with the CJ I'm sure I would even worse on the Marlene. I love my mare but really gets annoying having to get so forward on her to keep em up. Lol she is the true definition of "push style"... |
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 Expert
Posts: 2161
Location: NW. Florida | I have two Cactus with the CJ tree one dropped rigging and one not. Its my first drop rigging saddle and I don't know if I'm not used to it, it just rides different to me. Is it me, or do they ride different? |
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Member
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| Carbon Copy - 2015-01-27 1:09 PM
I have two Cactus with the CJ tree one dropped rigging and one not. Its my first drop rigging saddle and I don't know if I'm not used to it, it just rides different to me. Is it me, or do they ride different?
It's not just you, I've had both and the dropped rigging one I had did ride a bit different than my other one. I felt a bit more forward in it. How does it make you feel? |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | mruggles - 2015-01-27 11:04 AM Jetpower - 2015-01-28 8:20 AM A CJ is what I had and I loved that saddle. So comfortable and really fit my horses well. Been talking with a rep and she is saying the Marelen trees fit the best of all of them. I was planning on having one built on the CJ tree since my one guy is really wide and the CJ fit him, but she is assuring me the Marlene will as well. Anyone had experience with both? i have a marlene and it fits nothing but my small narrow horses...............i will try and remember to measure mine tonight and i wil post a pic for you tomorrow
m
We have a Cactus Brandi Halls sitting in the trailer with FQHB and was assured it would fit very similar to my CJ. It doesn't fit anything except a running bred mare that we no longer own. Its a beautiful saddle....just doesn't fit. |
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Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | Measurment as promised...hope i measured it right..lol....this pos wont let me attach..I will do it first thing in the morningM
Edited by mruggles 2015-01-27 8:13 PM
 (saddle1.jpg)
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 saddle1.jpg (93KB - 206 downloads)
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Member
Posts: 16
| CYA Ranch - 2015-01-27 8:07 PM
mruggles - 2015-01-27 11:04 AM Jetpower - 2015-01-28 8:20 AM A CJ is what I had and I loved that saddle. So comfortable and really fit my horses well. Been talking with a rep and she is saying the Marelen trees fit the best of all of them. I was planning on having one built on the CJ tree since my one guy is really wide and the CJ fit him, but she is assuring me the Marlene will as well. Anyone had experience with both? i have a marlene and it fits nothing but my small narrow horses...............i will try and remember to measure mine tonight and i wil post a pic for you tomorrow
m
I have heard the same complaints about the Brandi Halls. They are gorgeous saddles, but I've heard that running bred stuff with a little narrower taller withers is mainly what they fit well. The more I read the more I'm convincing myself I'll go with the CJ tree. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Jetpower - 2015-01-27 9:01 PM
CYA Ranch - 2015-01-27 8:07 PM
mruggles - 2015-01-27 11:04 AM Jetpower - 2015-01-28 8:20 AM A CJ is what I had and I loved that saddle. So comfortable and really fit my horses well. Been talking with a rep and she is saying the Marelen trees fit the best of all of them. I was planning on having one built on the CJ tree since my one guy is really wide and the CJ fit him, but she is assuring me the Marlene will as well. Anyone had experience with both? i have a marlene and it fits nothing but my small narrow horses...............i will try and remember to measure mine tonight and i wil post a pic for you tomorrow
m
I have heard the same complaints about the Brandi Halls. They are gorgeous saddles, but I've heard that running bred stuff with a little narrower taller withers is mainly what they fit well. The more I read the more I'm convincing myself I'll go with the CJ tree.
The BH measures 7" but the bars are real straight. I've got 3 CJ's because I know they fit and I like them! LOL |
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Expert
Posts: 2161
Location: NW. Florida | Jetpower - 2015-01-27 1:18 PM Carbon Copy - 2015-01-27 1:09 PM I have two Cactus with the CJ tree one dropped rigging and one not. Its my first drop rigging saddle and I don't know if I'm not used to it, it just rides different to me. Is it me, or do they ride different? It's not just you, I've had both and the dropped rigging one I had did ride a bit different than my other one. I felt a bit more forward in it. How does it make you feel?
It does make me feel too forward. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | Carbon Copy - 2015-01-27 10:06 PM Jetpower - 2015-01-27 1:18 PM Carbon Copy - 2015-01-27 1:09 PM I have two Cactus with the CJ tree one dropped rigging and one not. Its my first drop rigging saddle and I don't know if I'm not used to it, it just rides different to me. Is it me, or do they ride different? It's not just you, I've had both and the dropped rigging one I had did ride a bit different than my other one. I felt a bit more forward in it. How does it make you feel?
Are you guys talking about the Record Breaker vs the Barrel Racer? I own both saddles. I thought the RB had dropped rigging but if you measure they are exactly the same. |
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Expert
Posts: 2161
Location: NW. Florida | CYA Ranch - 2015-01-28 8:01 AM Carbon Copy - 2015-01-27 10:06 PM Jetpower - 2015-01-27 1:18 PM Carbon Copy - 2015-01-27 1:09 PM I have two Cactus with the CJ tree one dropped rigging and one not. Its my first drop rigging saddle and I don't know if I'm not used to it, it just rides different to me. Is it me, or do they ride different? It's not just you, I've had both and the dropped rigging one I had did ride a bit different than my other one. I felt a bit more forward in it. How does it make you feel?
Mine is the barrel racer. I never liked the look of the record breaker. Mine is a Cactus with a Charmayne tree. |
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Member
Posts: 49
| I bought a new Charmayne James recordbreaker saddle last year and yes it did have a 8" gullet FQHB. It was described
that way when I ordered it (it wasn't special ordered or anything) and I measured it myself when I got it, just to see. So, they do make them, they're just harder to find than the 7" gullets. It fit my wide horse great, love it.
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Member
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| mruggles - 2015-01-27 8:10 PM
Measurment as promised...hope i measured it right..lol....this pos wont let me attach..I will do it first thing in the morningM
That is a lot narrower than my CJ was. Not necessarily narrow, but it doesn't have as big of flare as the CJ did. Which has been my biggest problem with saddle fit. If I had the money I'd buy a Caldwell and be in heaven, but sadly those cost more than my car....lol I have talked to the cactus rep, lined out what I want and kept it within budget, but we seem to be "butting" heads on the whole tree thing. She is saying a Marlene tree will fit, I just need to use a thinner pad (I use the 3/4" and 1" thick Ed Wright wool pads or 1" 5 star pads depending what the horse needs) and she is saying I need to go down to 1/2 possibly if the Marlene is too tight. I don't necessarily agree with that. I get that less padding will help make it not as tight, BUT shouldn't it fit well enough that when I'm doing miles and miles of trail riding I can have a thicker pad? Having never tried a Marlene tree one on my horse I can't say if it will fit or not....i just know my CJ did, although it was several years old (probably 10 or more) I'm assuming nothing about the CJ trees have changed much. |
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Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | i use air rides................and i also have used to charmayne airride (its a lot thinner than the reg air rides) (i dont recommend this pad at all, felt like i was on a darn slip n slide)..........i guess your just gonna have to go with your gut on this.....good luck
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 Been Blessed
Posts: 7587
Location: Living in my Promised Land | I have a newer Cactus Charmayne James and it fits my mares so well, it is very pretty and the leather and workmanship is great. I like the flare of the bars and the balance of the saddle. I tried Caldwells, Martins, Pozzi's, BobMarshalls and several Cactus. I am keeping the Cactus because of the fit. |
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Good Grief!
Posts: 6343
Location: Cap'n Joan Rotgut.....alberta | looking back i wish i would have gone with the cj, but as i have an old cirlce y eddelman(this saddle fits everything), i wanted another eddelman.......and thats where i made the mistake............
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 ND Sweetheart
Posts: 3471
Location: In My Own Dream Land | I have had CJs and Marlenes. The Marlenes did not fit my gelding what so ever. I think they sit differently. My Cj fit him so well, I didnt even need to cinch him to step on.. The marlene was too tight on his shoulders. |
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 The best bad guy on the internet
Posts: 3519
Location: Arizona | I have (2) CJ record breakers. One is a 2012 model and one is a 2006/2007 model. Same tree, same gullet size, same seat size but yet they ride completely different. Frustrating. |
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