Is this the prettiest saddle out there….no. Is this saddle showy enough for larger show pens….also no. But IT IS a great, American made saddle known to last. This Crates All Around Show saddle is from 1992 and clearly has been a favorite of its last owner, seeing a ton of ride time and use. Despite being used…and a bit abused, this saddle proves that quality tack lasts. A true 15″ saddle, built on a ralide tree, so on the lighter side. Built on a trail saddle tree, offering a comfortable ride. On a Steele Equi-Fit ralide tree, on QH bars, measuring 6″ with plenty of shoulder flare, fitting flatter through the bars. What makes this a ‘show saddle’ is the nice Alpaca silver package added along the skirt and all conchos, giving it just a bit of bling. Shorter 25″ single skirt, 2.75″ duck bill style horn, 3″ cantle with a nice padded seat. Fenders are free swinging, offering a ton of adjustment. Set back rigging to open up the shoulder a bit. Ok, so why isn’t this saddle very pretty? The leather has some discoloration/variance throughout the saddle, has some scuffs and dings, with some surface cracking to the leather. Some of the tooling has smoothed out over time. We have gone over this saddle, repairing some loose stitching and replacing screws, so we know this nice old saddle is sound! Crates made some darn nice saddles, and at this price, you will surely get your value out of it!
