King Series Saddle Review: How Good Is This Synthetic Saddle?

Unusually, for a Western saddle manufacturer, King make synthetic saddles. Now, these are not to everyone’s taste as they lack some of the traditional “look” of Western riding, but they are strong and durable, and carry a much smaller price tag than their leather counterparts. They offer a wide range of sizes, from saddle for little ponies all the way through to big saddles for big horses, so you should be able to find what you are looking for from their range whatever size horse you have. Read on to learn more in my King Series Saddle review.

King Series Saddle Review

King Series Synthetic Trail Saddle Brown/BRWN 14

• Shock-absorbing construction
• Lightweight
• Scratch-resistant synthetic skirts and fenders
• Comfortable suede seat
• Padded stirrups ease joint stress

$278.55

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Today, I’m looking at their Synthetic Trail saddle. Like most synthetic saddles this one is very lightweight, making it ideal for long trail rides where you don’t want to add too much weight to your horse. It does, however, have a suede leather seat, jockey, pommel and horn.

What Am I Buying?

This is a comfortable saddle which will last a long time. It is lightweight, so it will be kind to your horse’s back, and it has shock absorbing qualities so it shouldn’t cause him any discomfort even on long, bumpy rides. Its synthetic skirts and fenders are scratch resistant, meaning that you don’t have to worry about riding it through rough ground (you’ll only have to worry about scratching yourself!)

How Comfortable Is It?

The seat is made of suede, which is a soft, comfortable type of leather, and it is also padded for a bit of extra comfort. Users have said that it is particularly comfortable on rough trail rides because of its high back, and that the stirrups are also comfy. Apparently though, it is not the most comfortable if you are planning a long riding trip – you’d have to use a seat pad or get off and walk for a bit, which defeats the object somewhat!

What Comes With It?

You will receive a brown Western saddle with silver conchos and padded stirrups – a girth is not included, but that is quite an advantage when you consider that you can attach your own girth to it with ease.

King Series Saddle Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Very easy to clean – Synthetic saddles do not need hours of polishing with saddle soap – just a quick wipe down and they’re good as new.
• Shock absorbing construction – This saddle is designed to protect your horse’s back, however hard the riding is.
• Will not break the bank – If you are looking for an inexpensive Western saddle (for English budget saddles, I would recommend an HDR saddle), you have just found it.
• Suede leather seat – Suede is a nice, grippy leather, so it is ideal for a seat covering – especially on energetic rides.

Cons:

• May not fit low withered horses – It may be difficult to stop this saddle from slipping on horses with low withers. Try one of Circle Y saddles for those.
• Very stiff fenders – You may feel that your ankles are sore after a long ride, as the fenders are hard to break in.

Final Words

This is a good, lightweight saddle that is inexpensive and should fit most horses. However, there are downsides due to the construction – synthetic materials are much harder to break in than leather ones, and you may even find that they never reach that nice, supple feel that worked in leather gets.

It has been reported that the quality may not be up to scratch and that the saddle is easy to damage, so it may not be your ideal buy if you’re looking for a saddle to ride in all day, every day, for years and years.

It is not ideal for excessively long rides, as the padding in the seat is just not up to hours of riding and it may make you sore – but for pottering around at home or a quick trip in the arena, this is a fine saddle.

This is a great saddle to buy for a young cowboy just starting out in their riding career, especially as it is cheap enough that you won’t be losing too much if they decide that riding is not for them. It will fit a variety of horses, and can be minimally adjusted to make allowances for different sized horses.

Some people swear by synthetic saddles, others loathe them – if you don’t mind a saddle not being all leather than this one may suit you. You won’t know till you try!

Where To Buy?

• Amazon: >> Click here to check the price