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 Sexy Bee Yacht
Posts: 5849
   
Location: WA | We wanted to order a 12" saddle for our son. Working through a tack store as we traded in another saddle, etc. I want to stay loyal to the tack store, they have done a lot to help us and spent a TON of time answering questions, etc. Problem is, when they went to order the saddle this morning, the manufacturer is completely out of that saddle in a black seat 12". They have 13" available. Our son turns 5 next month. He is an older saddle with a real low back and I wanted to get him in a nicer barrel saddle with a higher back to boost his confidence a little bit. This post is NOT to discuss my decision to get him a more secure saddle. My only question is would you put your kiddo in the 13" with more room in the seat or the more approrpiately fitting 12"? We have to shell out another $270 for a nicer one if we change our minds on the brand. There is a cheaper saddle by same company but it is ugly and since I have to be the one riding with him all the time, I at least want him in a decent looking saddle. |
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Sexy Bee Yacht
Posts: 5849
Location: WA | Also, granted I know that the fender lengths would be different, but I can ride in a 13"... seems he would just have so much room in it. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 222
Location: Texas | My 3 year old son and 5 year old daughter both ride and fit well in a ten inch. A 12 had way to much room. I wonder if you could put one of those buddy seat savers in that reduce seat size? I know people use those to shrink roping saddles for kids I just don't know how much it would shrink one. We plan on using the 10 in ( corriente ) and changing fenders out when they get older before boosting them up to a 12 That brand has a tendency to out grow fenders before seat size. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | If you dont like the saddle dont get it, you will be kicking yourself later for buying it. Find something that you will be proud of and feel good about him riding in. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| If you can afford the extra money and like the other saddle then go for it.
If you have a budget then look somewhere else and get what you really want. |
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Sexy Bee Yacht
Posts: 5849
Location: WA | Married2Rodeo - 2014-03-17 4:30 PM My 3 year old son and 5 year old daughter both ride and fit well in a ten inch. A 12 had way to much room. I wonder if you could put one of those buddy seat savers in that reduce seat size? I know people use those to shrink roping saddles for kids I just don't know how much it would shrink one. We plan on using the 10 in ( corriente ) and changing fenders out when they get older before boosting them up to a 12 That brand has a tendency to out grow fenders before seat size.
He turns 5 on April 10th. He is 41#... I would think he is going to outgrow the fenders before the seat. How much does it cost just to get new fenders?! He uses buddy stirrups now but I hate those things because it throws his legs ahead of him putting him off balance. To get an Alamo 12" is going to cost us an additional $270. The Circle S that I know fits the mare (granted, the kid is litle, a not perfect fit isn't the end of the world) we can't get in a 12", only 13". The cheaper on in a 12" is ugly. I just want to get the Alamo, but since he doesn't ride all the time, but loves barrel races and game shows, want to make sure I can justify that amount of money.... Lol, I hope this all makes sense. I checked with the tack store to see if they had any Corrientes in a 12" or could get one. My friend rides in that and I trust her when she says it will last a bit. |
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Veteran
Posts: 222
Location: Texas | I want to say when I called corriente and asked it was like $60 for 12 inch fenders but not 100%. I give an 8 year old lessons in the 10 inch and she's only about 1/2 way down the fenders. My daughter is still on the top holes at 5 . We went with the corriente buckaroo saddle bc it fits the big horses and their minis. And the buckaroo holds them in better then the barrel saddle (deeper seat) and the rough out makes them stick once they start "running". Also they can drag small logs and calves and the saddle will hold up. . That's what was recommended to us when we were looking and I have to say I LOVE these saddles since we bought that 10 inch. I have bought a team roping one for my hubby's hard to fit head horse. Then I sold my custom double J barrel saddle bc no matter what I did it wouldn't fit my new barrel horse. Went to Teskeys ( hauled him 2 1/2 hrs) said find me a saddle that fits him I don't care what it is. I never would have believed it but it was another corriente. We are planning on buying another one for my sons birthday this Aug. and those kids saddles you can dang near sell for what you paid ( I think it was $420 shipped) when you go to sell it. I still like other brands of saddles ( I have my eye on a sibley ;) but for the money you just can't beat them. |
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 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | A seat shrinker would fix the problem with the 13". http://www.bigdweb.com/Seat-Shrinker-Leather/productinfo/SSHRINKER |
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Veteran
Posts: 109
| I bought my 8 year old (70#) daughter a 12.5" corriente and really should have gotten her a 12". My opinion is you will be shooting yourself in the foot getting even a 12". Without knowing your child I would bet a 10" would give you several years of riding and like another poster said you will always be able to sell it. |
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Sexy Bee Yacht
Posts: 5849
Location: WA | Thank you all very much!! We measured the kid, measured the old saddle, looked at everything and we are going with the little more costly 12". I can't find a good used saddle to save my life, so I am pretty confident, despite what the tack store told me, that we can sell his for a good dollar when he outgrows it. Again, thank you! I just needed another few people to bounce this off of! |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | My 5 year old is in a 10" Allen Ranch and has room to spare--she is small, 36 pounds. Her older brother is 9 and just now outgrew it--he's around 65 pounds. I'm about to change the fenders out for her because they're so short they don't turn well and are uncomfortable. So I'm putting English leathers on instead--she's wanting to step it up and needs to learn to use her stirrups. I think I stayed in a 10" until I was 10 or 11. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 729
Location: south central usa | have a 5 yo that is 46# in a 10in corriente that is perfect sized (think of it this way- use it for a couple of years and get your money back instead of trying to use the same saddle for 6-7 years) there are some adults that ride in a 13 |
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Sexy Bee Yacht
Posts: 5849
Location: WA | Three 4 Luck - 2014-03-18 5:55 AM My 5 year old is in a 10" Allen Ranch and has room to spare--she is small, 36 pounds. Her older brother is 9 and just now outgrew it--he's around 65 pounds. I'm about to change the fenders out for her because they're so short they don't turn well and are uncomfortable. So I'm putting English leathers on instead--she's wanting to step it up and needs to learn to use her stirrups. I think I stayed in a 10" until I was 10 or 11.
That's a GREAT idea!!! He won't fit the 12" stirrups for a while either so was trying to figure out how to use the stirrups without the buddy stirrups. I don't want him to get in a bad habit with them. The english leathers seems like a great idea AND he will have to learn a steady leg. |
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