- Double-billet rigging
- D-rings for optional stirrup attachment
- Padding will not shift, pack or deteriorate
- Top-quality split cowhide seat
- Small D-rings front and back to attach accessories
Bareback Saddle with free blanket. Free blankets are made to order in solid colors of black, green, blue, and brown, in standard shape (squared off at the back) or contour (which follows the shape of the saddle). All blanket colors are backed with black fleece.
Whether you ride English or Western, bareback riding is unsurpassed as a way to learn balance, a good independent seat, timing and coordination. But a bareback rider may be so worried about falling that he is unable to relax and move with the horse! Our bareback saddles provide the best advantages of bareback riding while also giving the rider a level of security and confidence approaching that found in traditional saddles. They also reduce or eliminate problems of saddle fitting; since the LittleJoe is treeless, it will conform itself to almost any horse. They feature:
- Exclusive girth design fastens with leather billets and English-style girth for unsurpassed security: the saddle is nearly slip-proof; use your horse’s most comfortable girth; no metal buckle on your horse’s belly or side
- Split cowhide seat for superior traction and comfort
- Padding will not compact or deteriorate
- Absorbent and comfortable
- Side D-rings for optional stirrup attachment
- Sturdy enough to use every day
- Comes in many attractive color combinations
- Comes with free no-bunch saddle blanket that helps keep your saddle clean!
GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH LARGE HORSES!
- IF A SADDLE WILL BE USED ON MULTIPLE HORSES, it’s best to order the long billets.
- The large billets are recommended for horses 16 hands or over, or for shorter horses who have a very round build.
- Our regular billets are about 12-13 inches long when measured from the bottom edge of the saddle, and are the ones seen in all the photographs on this site. The longer billets are 18-19 inches long (see comparison photo).
NOTE: when ordering a saddle, please specify regular or long billets. There is no charge for longer billets AT THE TIME YOU ORDER, but if you return a saddle to have the billets changed, there will be a $40.00 charge because of the labor involved.
CHOOSE CAREFULLY! We won’t take a saddle apart to change out the billets, unless it’s a repair job. If you order the wrong size billets, there won’t be an extra charge, but you will have to return the saddle and wait for a new one.
Why our bareback saddle offers you much more than a traditional bareback pad
First and foremost, our unique double-billet rigging dramatically reduces the dangerous slipping that is a problem with so many bareback pads. It can be used with any English-style girth.
The billets are sewn securely through tough nylon web straps to the split cowhide seat, providing a much larger girth attachment area than a single strap. Two-ply laminated for toughness and resilience, these billets will last for years if they are kept clean and oiled.
Precisely spaced to work with any two-buckle girth, the billets allow the rider to choose the best girth for the horse. Increased attachment area and a high-quality girth make the saddle so secure that slipping is practically eliminated.
Heavy-duty 2-inch D-rings are sewn into the web straps on the sides of the saddle for optional stirrup attachment. Of course we recommend the use of safety or breakaway stirrups, whether English or Western.
Though stirrups are not recommended for use with most bareback pads, many of our friends use them with their Little Joe saddles. Some even use their saddles for jumping or dressage!
The padding in our saddle will not shift, pack down, or deteriorate (see cutaway diagram). Under the split cowhide seat are two layers of extra-thick Berber cloth–springy, resilient and absorbent. They are separated by a one-inch piece of recycled poly foam that resists rot and compression and holds its shape through years of wear.
The bottom side of the saddle, next to the horse, is a third layer of Berber cloth. This whole construction is quilted to prevent it from shifting or pulling apart under pressure. The result is a pad that is extremely tough, resilient, long-lasting and comfortable for both horse and rider–so much so that they have been used successfully on 25-mile endurance rides.
The seat of the LittleJoe bareback pad is sturdy, top quality split cowhide, available in a number of attractive colors. The suede surface provides excellent traction, making the rider feel more secure and relaxed. The grab strap is mostly for mounting, but is also handy if you lose your balance, or for learning to sit the trot!
All this and a blanket, too!
Receive a handmade, one-of-a-kind quilted blanket FREE with every bareback saddle.
SAFETY NOTICE
While the LittleJoe bareback saddle is exceptionally comfortable and secure, NO BAREBACK PAD IS EVER AS SECURE AS A TREED SADDLE AND EVEN THE MOST SECURE BAREBACK SADDLE CAN SLIP. PLEASE FOLLOW THESE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
- Fasten the girth tightly and check it frequently while riding.
- Always use safety stirrups, and use extra care mounting and dismounting.
- If the pad slips, dismount immediately to adjust it and tighten the girth.
