|
|
Veteran
Posts: 278
 
Location: arkansas | Crown C, FX3 , or Martin Racer??? Pros and cons of each. With the price of a good saddle I want to be sure before I buy. Thank you |
|
| |
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1035
Location: TN | I've had a Crown C and a Racer and have an FX3 on order.
Crown C - holds you in position very well and is more for someone who likes to ride up/forward like on your crotch. If your horse drops into the turns though you can get thrown forward a little since it's not made to sit you back. However, you won't get left behind in it because it holds you in position. The horn is more straight up and down so it's a little harder to push back against it.
Racer - The swells are lower so I've struggled more with staying in the middle of him than I did with my Crown C - I need more to grip with my legs and hold me in. However, it sits you back more than the Crown C does so you can sit down in your turns better. The ground seat doesn't feel quite as close to my horse as the Crown C did though. I'll be selling mine as soon as my FX3 comes in.
FX3 - I have not sat in one yet but I have one ordered because after talking with Brian at Martin he suggested I try it. It is supposed to sit you back on your pockets more and has higher swells for gripping and holding you in. It also sets your stirrups/feet a little more forward so they won't get behind you.
The style you like best will depend on how you like to ride and how your horse runs/turns. I personally would choose the Crown C and FX3 over the Racer. Also, I would make sure you get your horse fitted properly from either the factory, the demo program, or a dealer. |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 278
Location: arkansas | Thanks, I am not sure I am going to keep the horse I have now and he is just starting to loap the pattern so not sure how he will turn with speed, I cannot afford $$ to buy a saddle for every horse so I will have to get one that will have to work on anything, I may not know much about the fitting but alot of the used ones I see are wider than any of our roping saddles???? The new ones cost more than my curret horse. I have an old circle y connie combs and it has fit everything I have put it on, I wish they made them now like they did the old ones but the repair man said mine was close to being unrepairable, it has a gullet just under 7. |
|
| |
|
 Coyote Country Queen
Posts: 5666
 
| I agree that it's going to be a personal preference. I have a Racer and love it. I tried a Crown C and just didn't like how it sat me.
But I do agree about getting your horse fitted. I got an 8 1/2" gullet because I was riding in a 7" in a different brand and thought this would be big enough. Was able to put a demo saddle on mine while at an event at OKC Fairgrounds, and it turns out she needed at least a 9 1/2" if not a 10".
My Martin is a little heavier than the other saddles I've had, but it is excellent quality and I plan to buy another when I'm in the market again. |
|
| |
|
The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| If you want a one size fits all don't go with Martin, as they are more of a specialized saddle unless you have horses that are all the same weight and build.
|
|
| |
|
Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | What Katie said.
If you have a wide variety to ride, I would not go too wide. I have an 8.5" and I can make it fit a wide variety of horses with thicker or thinner pads. |
|
| |
Folks on-line