How to Create a Trail Horse: Saddle Upgrade

 Adding wheels to our equation changes everything.

Don't get me wrong--I'm an expert in bumming rides and I have lovely friends who have always gotten me where I needed to go on time. I've also lost all desire to show horses and am skeptical about clinics unless I know the clinician (and even then idk). 

I also live in a state rich with natural beauty with tons of public land and just so happen to be riding a purpose-bred ranch horse who hates going in circles and loves to explore. It's the perfect recipe to make a backcountry trail set up.

It's still winter here, especially in the mountains, so I'm taking the opportunity to put together the essentials to go do the damn thing with my horse. I'm also blogging about it, in part because I'm excited and I want somewhere to share but also because I'm trying to piece together information from random sources on the internet and it seems like a nice idea to consolidate it here. 

All of this is work-in-progress information and I'll update it or write new posts as I learn what is most important to me. 

Here's the basics about us:

Person
SB (me): hi

Horse experience: seasoned arena rider with some experience on trail riding a variety of horses ~1-2 hours at a time. Favorite equestrian memory is hacking out event horses in the mountains.

Hauling experience: lots of miles going forward, limited miles going backward, brand new trailer owner

Mindset: old enough to know better, dumb enough to try anyways, smart enough to learn on the way

Horse

ZB (my beloved Zoebird)

Ridden experience: pretty good at circles, loves variety, can be herd bound, generally unflappable

Hauling experience: never met a trailer she wouldn't get on. Very pro food. Doesn't like to back off.

Mindset: will always try

Stats: coming 12 (!!) Percheron/Paint cross. Low single swirl. Broad/flat back, comfortable stride, wearing front shoes on big, solid feet. 

Saddle:

Big Horn 16" Draft Trail Saddle w/ Xwide Draft Bars (1680 Model)

I bought this saddle back in 2020 and have ridden exclusively in it for the last couple of years. The balance is nice for both of us and it's in good shape. I always ride in a breastcollar (note custom mohair stunner link here) due to ZB being a round lady. I upgraded the cinch strap and stirrups last year and uh "custom shortened" the stirrup leather because it was apparently designed for some 6'6" all-leg ogre and I'm simply not that person.

Another upgrade this winter was to the F10 Ultra merino wool pad--I'm a sucker for a nice saddle pad and it's the softest thing I've ever felt under a western saddle. I'm keeping an eye on it--it's definitely designed for a horse with a curvier topline so either it's going to break in to her back through use and be fabulous or it's going to slip around. I'll play it by ear. 

I'm also running in a mohair cinch with roller buckles. It came with the saddle and I like it. 

Our goal is single day treks in the mountains, which means I need to be able to change layers, carry lunch/water, and have some basic emergency supplies handy. That means saddle bags. That means they need to attach to something. We have an excellent old-school western saddle maker/repair guy nearby so the first step was to take the saddle in and replace the pretty-but-useless conchos with strings so I can tie things on. 

conchos circled

I also had him add a twist in to my stirrups--it's way easier to keep them and less torque on my knees/ankles to have them hang properly. I'm rocking my lovely, grippy purple stirrups. They're lightweight with excellent tread. Long term, I might want something more practical with a wider footbed but short term these are pretty and I already have them. 

strings and twists!

My experience with ZB in general and on trails in particular tells me that I'd rather have a more mild bit on her. Even if it means I'll have to work a little harder when the pony nose starts going to snacks, I'm in a better position if something weird happens and she gets a little reactive. Long term, my friends who are experienced at riding out have a pretty specific lightweight bosal hackmore set up that's more comfortable for the horse so I'm looking in to it but I don't think we need to wait on that to get started. 

I do have (ha ha this will shock you) a lot of bit and headstall options to play around with until we find the right fit and one of many cool things about ZB is that she's pretty much the same horse whether you ride in a halter or a curb bit or anything in between. I'm fucking obsessed with these hand made teal-accented horsehair reins so this is the current set up. 

It's false spring here and fingers crossed our maiden voyage is this week.