ACERUGS Synthetic Saddle Review.

   Some years back I realized that my primary saddle, a top-of-the-line heavy ranch work model I'd been using and abusing since the days of big collars and bell-bottoms, needed to be replaced.  Much as I loved the old thing, it was not only showing its years, but no longer fit my old carcass.  (Middle-age and medical conditions can turn Bo Duke into Uncle Jesse!)  Plus, I'd gone from riding normal-sized quarter horses to mega-beasts half-again bigger, so the saddle didn't really fit them either.

   I'd long thought about building my own saddle.  And, since nothing on the market seemed close to meeting my needs, and I didn't want to mortgage the farm to pay for a needlessly fancy custom job, I went ahead and did it.

   What I built was not only big enough to accommodate my usual physique, but a good bit extra in case (Providence forbid) I get bloated-up by another episode.  Cantle spacers functioning like a truck's sliding seat.  It also has extra-long bars halfway between full QH and draft, specifically sculpted for best load distribution over the backs of horses in the 17hh, 1600# neighborhood.  Oh... I also wanted the tree sturdy enough for Gwangi roping, and impervious to Dixie humidity.  So it got steel internal reinforcements, carbon fiber external, and full fiberglass covering.

   It came out homely as a mud fence, but it fits my big horses and me nigh perfect.  Still ,it has a few drawbacks...

   First, it's quite heavy.  Around 70#.  I can usually sling that up onto my 17-2hh colt okay, and he doesn't notice a few extra stone...  But, if I get a bit busted-up or sickly, there's not anyone else around who can do it for me.  And some horses don't have that much spare carrying capacity.

   Second, I do sometimes get to ride normal-sized horses, and the Frankensaddle doesn't fit them so well.

   Third, while my saddle's tree is watertight, the leather it's dressed and rigged with is not.  Particularly troublesome, since the hills of North Carolina are trying to identify as some kind of rain forest lately.

   So I decided to get a secondary saddle.  Something light, that would fit quarter horses better (while still being usable on the bigger critters), weatherproof, and cheap to semi-disposable. 

   I looked around a bit and wound-up ordering an Acerugs synthetic western saddle through Amazon.  These come in a plethora of colors and variations.  I resisted the urge to get one in hot pink zebra stripes with rhinestone pinwheels and went with the 18" Black Endurance model.  This version forgoes most of the bling accents in favor of sturdier double-screwed lanyard rings in useful places.  It came with a matching saddle pad, bridle, reins, and breast collar.

   All for around $300.  My 1970s utilitarian ranch saddle retailed for nearly four grand in 2021 dollars.  So expectations aren't too high going-in.

   Out of the box we noticed that, for a saddle made of not-leather, it was surprisingly easy on the eyes.  The pommel, horn, and top of the cantle are covered with a leather-like vinyl.  The various panels are covered in Cordura, which is apparently a kind of nylon with a denim-like surface texture.  The seat is synthetic suede and well-padded, and did legit measure 18".  It has conventional D-rings, front and back, with nylon rigging.  Black synthetic sheepskin underneath.  Blevins buckles on the nylon stirrup 'leathers', which are stock-saddle style, meaning that the fenders are not load-bearing.  (This is a good thing).   The stirrups themselves are Cordura covered and lightly padded.  About 5" inside width measurement at the tread, which is typical for regular size western saddles.  Very light saddle overall. Around 20#.

   The saddle pad is a 30" long, cut-back with black synthetic fleece on the horse's side, slick material on top with leather-like wear pads in the usual places.  Some Amazon reviews complain of receiving pony-size bridles, but the one they sent us appears to be normal QH size.  Wide, neoprene-lined, decorated brow-band type.  The split reins are plain 7' nylon with Conway buckles.  The breast collar is neoprene-lined Y type with small star concha decorations matching the bridle brow band, and has a quick-attach snap for connecting to the cinch.

   The saddle came with nylon off billet, 'latigo' strap, and flank billets...  Oddly missing is a flank cinch.  (Not a packing error. It is not included.)

   Since the new saddle is built on quarter horse bars, I chose ol' Troubs, our 15-1hh, 1200# quarter horse, for the first test.  I used the included pad and breast collar.

   The saddle seemed to fit him pretty well, with ample wither clearance.  When I tightened the cinch, the rear of the saddle raised up off his back a bit, suggesting that the front D-rings may be placed a little farther forward than ideal.  Not a big problem though.

   The stirrup 'leathers' were set all the way out from the factory, and were a bit too long for me that way.  So they are long enough for tall riders.  The stirrups themselves were a problem though.  This wasn't a surprise to me, being a sasquatch and all... But I thought I'd be able to at least get my narrowest riding boots in far enough to do for a few laps around the yard on a well-broke horse.  I hadn't figured on the lightness of these stirrups.  Having almost no mass meant that they just 'bounced' away when a boot touched them.  Had to lean down and put them onto (and off of) my boot toes.

   The saddle was generally comfortable.  The shallow slope created by the padding from mid-seat up to the top of the cantle did, however, act as a ramp, gradually sliding me forward into the pommel.  This was partially due to limited ability to push myself back through the stirrups.  It seems like something that will fade with break-in, as the memory foam crushes down, leaving a more upright cantle.

   Several Amazon reviews complained of the "slick" saddle pad causing the saddle to shift while riding.  They were correct.  Not only the slickness, but the puffy nature of the new pad resulting in the cinch being effectively looser than intended, made the saddle prone to sliding around on the horse.  The pad might be better broken-in under a saddle that already has been.

   For the next test ride, I used our 16-2hh, 1450# quargian.  The included breast collar did have enough adjustment to fit her.  I replaced the Acerugs stirrups with Royal King black oversized westerns, and used a trusty old saddle pad.

   Still had a slight problem footing the stirrups due to the 'leathers' holding them parallel to the horse's sides.  This is common in new saddles.  It remains to be seen if the synthetics will 'train' like leather does with a broomstick holding the stirrups twisted-out in storage.  They did seem to 'fight' me less as the ride progressed.  If necessary, it's easy enough to add gadgets that turn the stirrups 90 degrees or let them swivel.

   Even with the broken-in pad, the saddle wanted to shift side-to-side at first, especially on the low-withered mare.  But, after it slid back a two or three inches, that stopped.  It seems that this saddle likes to be set a little farther back than my others in order to rest firmly in the 'pocket' of the horse's back.  Once there, it fit pretty well, and didn't try to slide-back further. (The breast collar didn't get overly tight.)

   It sits rather nicely, and I think it'll get even better with a bit of breaking-in.  I wouldn't suggest using it for heavy ranch work like roping or ponying recalcitrant fillies, as I doubt the lightweight tree would hold-together.  But, for this price-point, it's a heck of a deal for moderate riding purposes.  

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