Australian vs Western Saddle: Which is Better for You?

By Zunnun Ahmed •  Updated: 09/23/22 •  6 min read

Every rider has their preference in buying a saddle. 

Some look for outstanding, valuable features, while others look for luxury beyond. 

Where Western vs. Australian saddle comes along.

Remarkably, they both have different feature structures for your riding needs. 

And if you are new to the game and want to get the most secure, most comfortable ride all your adventure, then obviously you must know them a bit.

Let’s discuss the Australian saddle vs. the Western saddle, how they differ, and which one you need for your perfect adventure.

The ultimate difference between the Australian saddle and vs Western saddle

Almost every rider who convinces them to ride like a pro knows both first. Because if you don’t see the tools’ character, then the tool’s content will never give you what you want. This article is all about showing that so you can decide. Let’s begin…

What is an Australian saddle?

The Australian saddle is the cross combination of the Western and English saddle. 

But it has so much to do with it as it’s designed.

What they included from the Western and English saddles. Let’s look over it.

Every time you look for a saddle, you’ll see the Western saddle is designed for a specific work purpose. 

Whereas the English saddle is all about performance. 

You may not understand it in one shot if you don’t know about horse riding

But still, you can find out what exactly it is. 

Most riders use the English saddle for the speed of the horse-like games.

They choose the western for the exact Cattle drive. 

The ultimate feature the Australian saddle carries is comfortability to a larger extent. 

And some of the Aussie saddles included the horn itself. 

Which was not included in previous saddle days. (Read more about Mexican Saddle vs Western Saddle)

Half breed saddle.JPG
By Wikipedia: CC BY 3.0, Link

Why should someone use an Australian saddle?

Some expert riders I got through the exploration believe there is no good or lousy saddle.

It’s all about good and bad riding. 

If you still believe so, you should have some reason.

It’s a Fastforward seat like an English saddle

Where the rider can comfortably sit back to get more control. 

It feels comfortable for the horse as well. 

Some of the components that make the Aussie more powerful are:

So these are advantages you’ll get primary when you consider the Aussie saddle.

When should someone consider an Australian saddle?

Anyone who starts riding and going for a longer ride would like to have an Australian saddle. 

Because the ultimate power of the Australian saddle is riding flexibility. This allows you to go the extra mile within the comfort of your riding. 

But you may not move around within this time.

From the point of comfort, it gets you. 

Because the Australian saddle is designed for much more luxury and pleasure. The only thing you need to do is get the edge to keep it wide enough stirrup to save your legs from the pin.

Related article: Looking for a new saddle? Wondering if Simco makes a good one? Discover what others are saying in this comprehensive review.

What is a western saddle?

The western saddle is a heavy one. 

It’s far heavier than the Western or English saddle. 

It’s because the western saddle is designed with more components to fit with the horse and your body to sit comfortably. 

What you’ll see most commonly in every western saddle is the rope horn on the front.

The thing you would love to do is customize your preference.

This is one of the reasons, the rider chooses it. 

You also get dozens of features to enjoy a comfortable long ride.

What separates the Australian saddle is the deep seat. It allows you to move around every way while you ride without even thinking about falling out.

Because if any case you find out you’re falling from the saddle, trap the legs securely.

Australian saddle

Why should one choose a western saddle?

When someone starts riding as a beginner doesn’t have much control over the saddle. 

Which can lead to the worst-case scenario. 

But the western saddle easily protects someone securely while riding comfortably every time. 

The reason one should choose the Western is; that it allows you to ride for long hours.

Listen:

Riders choose it for many reasons, and experts suggest using it for trial purposes to get your next ride smarter.

Related article: This guide provides a step-by-step process on how to make a saddle from scratch.

When does a rider need a western saddle?

Are you planning to work cattle or join any of the traditional ranges? 

It’s one of the best saddles when you are just starting along.

Because others saddle is good. But not everyone is capable of balance. 

For pro riders, it’s not the best choice but for beginners is.

Because the western saddle itself is designed with better security.

So you get the fullest control over your ride. 

The fully furnished features will allow you to keep your ride safe every way while maintaining speed and performance at the same time. 

What should you choose for yourself?

This is a very controversial topic. 

It mostly depends on your riding style.

Because most experts tell you to start with the western saddle as we talked about earlier.

And if you are good at this. Then you can easily move forward with English or Australian.

Look, It’s not about the saddle all the time, but riding style also counts.

Which one is affordable?

You can’t separate affordability based on price. 

Because both saddles are affordable for the riding style. 

If not, why do riders buy it and suggest others?

And when it comes to price, both are almost the same. 

You can buy the cheaper Western or Australian saddles for under $500. Where higher will cost thousands.

The best choice would be anything you buy, go for the quality one. Because cheaper saddles die easier and never waste your money on the Indian poor crap.

Also read: If you’re looking for an in-depth exploration of the Arena Jump saddle, then this article is for you.

Last note

Finally, you may get a closer understanding of the Australian saddle vs the western saddle.

Remember, none of those is good, bad, or worse. 

It’s all about how better you ride. 

Just watch the world, and you’ll see most experts are good at any saddle you give them. 

So when you get better, you can choose any saddle you love to supercharge your next adventure.

Zunnun Ahmed

We are a group of horse enthusiasts. We want to provide information and tips to help others learn more about horses, how to care for them, and how to enjoy them.

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