Parts of the Synthetic Saddle

Synthetic saddles are popular with trail riders because they are so easy to clean. While cleaning a leather saddle requires a special conditioner and saddle soap, cleaning a synthetic saddle requires nothing but soap and water. The parts of the synthetic saddle are the same as the parts of any saddle -- the difference is that those parts are covered in a durable synthetic material instead of traditional leather.

  1. Saddle Seat

    • The seat on a synthetic saddle looks much the same as the seat on any saddle. The main difference, of course, is that the seat uses a synthetic form of leather or suede instead of the genuine article. Most synthetic western saddles use an artificial suede seat, while English saddles use a material that simulates smooth leather.

    Cinch and Girth

    • Many synthetic saddles use nylon riggings for the cinch and girth, with a full nylon cinch strap and a nylon rigging for the girth attachment. You can use any type of girth on a synthetic saddle. When you buy a new synthetic saddle, the girth is typically not included, so you need to buy one separately.

    Saddle Horn

    • If your synthetic saddle is a western style, it has a saddle horn just like any other type of saddle. The difference is that the saddle horn is covered in a synthetic material that is easy to clean, instead of leather, which is prone to cracking and damage if it gets wet.

    Stirrup Leathers

    • The stirrup leathers on a synthetic western saddle tend to be very flexible and easy to move. That makes it easy to move the stirrups up and down, and to move the various parts of the saddle for cleaning. The leathers themselves are generally made of nylon, the same type of material used for the cinch and riggings. The leathers come with pre-punched holes to make it easier to move the stirrups up and down to accommodate riders of different heights.

    Stirrups

    • Synthetic western saddles come with a variety of different stirrup styles, from traditional stirrups wrapped in synthetic suede and leather to wooden stirrups. Synthetic English saddles use the same types of stirrups as all English saddles, typically iron stirrups that attach to the stirrup leathers via a slot at the top of the stirrup.