All throughout history, saddles have been used and as time passed have been improved to provide more comfort to both riders and horses. The different parts of the saddle have their own purpose as to why they are included when making it. Let us see what the parts of the saddle are and what they contribute to the saddle to make it a very useful tool when riding.

The modern western saddle starts with what is called the tree, which serves as the framework for the saddle. It defines the shape of the seat, swells, bars, horn, and cantle. It is traditionally made of wood covered with rawhide. The saddle tree's main purpose is to even out the rider's weight over the horse's back, and benefits both the rider and the horse.

The swell is the front part of the saddle tree, the part that shapes the front of the saddle. It is also called the fork, and it holds the bars together. It also serves as the base for the horn. The horn was added to the saddle to help make roping cattle easier, where the rider ties his end of the rope. Another purpose for the horn was found when nowadays the riders use it to hold on for support.

The seat of the saddle is considered to be of great quality if it has the slight curve that matches the pelvic arch. This allows the rider to be more comfortable sitting or riding for hours. The seat should also be more narrow at the front, allowing the rider's legs to be close to the horse and guide the animal better. If the seat is flat, chances are it would be a very uncomfortable saddle. The cantle is located at the back of the saddle seat, the upright part. Its main purpose is to secure the rider in place, keeping him or her from sliding off the back of the saddle. It also provides a backrest for comfort.

There is also the gullet, which is the cutout part under the swell, over the horse's withers. There should be a distance of about two to four fingers between the withers and the gullet. If the distance is too short or too big, the saddle will rub on the horse's withers and it may not be comfortable for the horse.

Other parts of the saddle are the latigo carrier, jockey, skirt, and rigging rings. The latigo carrier, or the latigo holder of cinch strap holder, has the purpose of holding the loose end of the latigo, the strap connecting the cinch to the rigging. The saddle jockey covers the exposed parts of the tree bars, held in place with screws, saddle strings, or conchos. It also provides protection for the legs of the rider from rubbing on the stirrup leathers and rigging. The saddle skirt protects the horse from the saddle bars. It is a piece of heavy leather attached to the underside of the bars. Another purpose of the skirt is to help even out the rider's weight over the horse's back.

The rigging ring is another important part of the saddle because it offers safety. It connects the straps that hold the saddle in place. It is important that one should learn proper saddle rigging for the purpose o keeping safe when riding. The saddle strings are just as important because they keep the pieces of the saddle together, anchoring them to the saddle bars. They're also used to attach the saddle bags to the saddle.

Last but not the least is the stirrup, which is one of the most important parts of a saddle as it aids in mounting a horse. There are many styles for the stirrups these days, but it was originally made of wood, then of metal or added strength.

Taking all these into account makes us think of the Western saddle a little more differently, right? Suddenly, the saddle is not just a simple tool that we take for granted anymore. When we take out the parts one by one and see how they each have a purpose, we begin to see how important a simple saddle is.