Wade saddles are a type of western saddle inspired by Californios, with a lowered seat and robust rigging system for comfort on long rides. They have a large horn and stirrups for support and are popular among Western cyclists in the American Southwest.
A saddle acts as a seat for a horse’s rider, strapped to the back using some sort of strap and providing support to help the rider stay on top of the horse while riding. There are five general types of saddles: English, Western, Lateral, Military, and Australian.
A Wade saddle is a type of western saddle, inspired by old school California riding. The Californios were Spanish-speaking inhabitants of California before it was incorporated into the United States. They belonged to the natural riding school, and had strong working relationships with their animals. Their saddles are easy on both rider and horse, providing good balance.
Like all Western saddles, Wade saddles have no built-in padding and should be used with a blanket or other form of padding between them and the horse’s back. The girth is a leather cinch and Wade saddles are meant to be used with stirrups.
This type of saddle features a lowered seat and a robust rigging system. This rigging system helps to evenly disperse the pull of the saddle, reducing impact on the horse. Very often the saddle wishbone sits very low on the horse. A large horn is present to aid in the stringing. The stirrups hang directly below the rider, allowing the feet to be used for support while left comfortably seated, in a fusion of Western and English styles.
Best of all, Wade saddles are built with comfort in mind on long rides. Every aspect of the saddle is built around buckaroos riding rough terrain for full day rides. It is therefore no surprise that they are the most favorite among Western cyclists in the American Southwest. While for some time they were of secondary popularity to other Western styles, they have recently enjoyed a resurgence of interest; many high-end saddle manufacturers now produce high-quality Wade saddles in a variety of sizes.
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