8 Best Horse Saddles in 2025 – Reviews & Top Picks

If you plan on riding your horse, a saddle is one of the most important pieces of tack you’ll require. If you haven’t spent much time around horses, you might be surprised at how many saddles there are. Saddles are made in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and designs. Some are meant for basic riding, and others are specialized and intended for specific riding disciplines.

Luckily, weeding through all of the saddles and comparing them doesn’t have to be a difficult task; we’ve already done the hard part for you! The following reviews highlight some of the best all-around saddles on the market, including western, English, and miniature horse saddles.

If you’re ready to get riding, keep reading the find the perfect saddle for your needs.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2025

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Western Saddle		Manaal Enterprises Premium Leather Saddle	Vegetable-tanned leather Top-tier craftsmanship 22 finishes to choose from	CHECK PRICE
Best English Saddle		Acerugs Premium Black Leather	Heavy-duty buckles and rollers Deep padded seat for comfort Priced affordably	CHECK PRICE
Best Mini Horse Saddle		M-Royal Mini Horse Saddle	Beautiful workmanship Perfect for kids 5-10 years old Weighs just 10 pounds	CHECK PRICE
		Manaal Enterprises Synthetic Western Saddle	Reasonable pricing The underside is soft fleece Lightweight	CHECK PRICE
		Acerugs Western Pleasure Trail Horse Saddle	Reasonably priced Comes in five color options Includes free pad and tack set	CHECK PRICE

The 8 Best Horse Saddles

1. Manaal Enterprises Premium Leather Saddle – Best Western Saddle

It’s certainly not the cheapest choice on the market, but this premium leather western saddle from Manaal Enterprises is the best overall saddle. It’s a top-quality product, evident from the top-tier craftsmanship and high-end materials used to make it.

It includes a full quarter-horse bar and multiple cinches to secure the saddle to your horse’s back. The treated leather is vegetable-tanned to withstand harsh conditions, and the deep seat and wide swell and cantle provide a comfortable ride, regardless of terrain.

Depending on what you need, you can get this saddle in sizes from 10 inches to 18 inches, and it’s available in 22 colors. All in all, we think you’d be hard-pressed to find a better western saddle at any price.

2. Acerugs Premium Black Leather English Saddle – Best English Saddle

There are many forms of riding, but if you prefer to ride on an English Saddle, we recommend this premium black leather option from Acerugs. It’s our favorite English saddle, and we think it’s one of the best horse saddles for the money.

Unlike other cheap alternatives, it’s made from premium cowhide leather rather than synthetic knock-offs that aren’t as durable and don’t last as long. The seat is deep and well-padded, keeping your backside comfortable on long rides. Buckles and rollers are heavy-duty and won’t break at a critical moment. Despite the quality features, this is an affordably-priced saddle that will fit most budgets.

While the Acerugs saddle fits most horses, it doesn’t do as well with slender horses. It’s ideal for those with a thicker conformation. Still, with the right saddle pad, you can make it work with just about any horse.

3. M-Royal Mini Horse Saddle – Best Mini Horse Saddle

Some horses and riders are too small for traditional saddles. We’re talking about ponies, miniature horses, and the younger riders who can fit on them, and the M-Royal Mini Horse Saddle is one that we feel confident recommending for any smaller-sized horse and rider.

The beautiful workmanship is apparent as soon as you look at this saddle. Though it’s intended for kids, they didn’t make it like a child’s product. Instead, it’s a high-quality saddle with elegant leatherwork. It’s lightweight at just 10 pounds and won’t add much weight to your horse’s back.

The M-Royal saddle is ideal for kids aged 5–10. The stirrups are highly adjustable to fit growing legs, and the saddle is built to last. It doesn’t fit adults or standard-sized horses, of course, but if you have a mini-horse, pony, or child, it should be perfect.

4. HILASON Flex Tree Western Horse Saddle

The HILASON Flex Tree Western is manufactured in Texas and designed by experienced craftsmen. It’s made with high-quality Cordura synthetic fabric, which is durable and water-resistant. It has a 4.5-inch cantle, 26-inch skirt length, and weights only 16 pounds.

The sturdy flex tree provides a comfortable ride and flexes in all directions. It includes front and rear cinch straps and is ideal for endurance and trail riding. Although it’s made with synthetic materials, it resembles a high-end leather saddle.

Most customers were happy with the HILASON, but some mentioned that the flex tree was too wide for their horses.

5. Acerugs Western Pleasure Trail Horse Saddle

At first glance, the Acerugs Western Pleasure Trail Horse Saddle looks like a great all-around western saddle, and that’s precisely what it is. This saddle is a great starting point for most riders. However, it’s not something we’d recommend you purchase as an upgrade to an existing saddle. Though fine for occasional riding, we don’t think it is adequate for long daily rides. It’s simply not durable enough to withstand that level of use.

Part of the reason it’s not durable is that it’s constructed from synthetic Cordura material, which enables the price to be a bit lower. The underside is made of soft synthetic fleece, and the seat is nicely padded. The stirrups are lacking in adjustability, but the color choice is not, as you have five options to pick from.

When you purchase this saddle, it has a free pad and tack set. It’s already affordable, but this additional gear can help a new rider get started quickly and easily. Still, if you can afford to spend more, we’d recommend getting a more durable saddle that will last longer.

Related Read: 5 Best Horse Riding Boots for Women – Reviews & Top Picks

6. EquiRoyal Comfort Trail Saddle

Somewhere between a western and an English saddle is this EquiRoyal Comfort Trail Saddle. It features a wide padded seat with a medium tree. Crafted from real Indian leather, the EquiRoyal is a durable and well-built saddle. It’s comfortable to sit on, just like the name suggests.

But it’s more expensive than most of the other saddles, and we can’t seem to justify the price increase. You don’t get anything extra with this saddle like you do with some of our other favorites. It’s a good saddle, but not worth the extra cost.

7. HILASON Western Bareback Horse Saddle

If you’re looking for a lighter model, you can try the HILASON Western Bareback Horse Saddle. It’s flexible and lightweight, though it features enough padding to keep your backside nice and comfortable on long rides.

However, it has a few flaws. First, it only fits people weighing 140–169 pounds, which is a pretty small percentage of the population. It has a very minimalist design, but the price doesn’t seem to reflect that. It’s also prone to moving around when you’re riding, which is concerning. We’d rather deal with the aches of riding truly bareback than deal with the headaches that this bareback saddle introduced.

8. Tough 1 Ride Tandem Saddle

If you want to bring along your child once in a while when you go riding, you might consider the Tough 1 Ride Tandem Saddle, but it’s not useful for anyone else. It’s too small for adults to ride tandem with you, which is fine because even double riding with just a child isn’t good for your horse.

Of course, this is a tandem saddle, so it must be attached to a full saddle. It’s also made from nylon rather than leather, which keeps the price down but reduces the saddle’s durability. It’s pretty difficult to attach it to a standard saddle, but most children enjoy the comfortable ride thanks to the shock-absorbing foam.

Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Horse Saddle

Even with a list of saddle brands, it can be difficult to sift through them and decide which one is right for you. If you’re still having trouble picking a saddle, this buyer’s guide is intended to help.

The following five points are great places to start your comparisons.

Saddle Type

What type of saddle do you need? Are you going to do western or English riding? Each saddle is best for a different type of riding, and the differences between them could make one a better option for you than the other. Western saddles are bigger and heavier, spreading your weight over a larger area across your horse’s back. This allows you and the horse to be more comfortable spending long hours in the saddle.

English saddles are designed to give you more connection to the horse. They’re small, light, and thin, giving you greater contact with your horse’s back. Because of these differences in design, you’ll ride differently in each type of saddle, so be sure to pick the one that suits the way you want to ride.

Materials

Saddles are generally made of natural leather or a synthetic alternative such as Cordura. Neither one is necessarily better; they each have pros and cons. Synthetic saddles are lighter than leather saddles. They’re also priced more affordably because the materials are cheaper. However, they’re cheaper because they’re far less durable.

Leather saddles offer superior durability compared to synthetic saddles. On the downside, they’re heavier and more expensive. If you only have to buy one leather saddle and it takes two synthetic saddles to last the same time, leather saddles might be cheaper in the long run.

Comfort

Every saddle is going to fit you differently. You’ll have to find one that fits you comfortably. Often, manufacturers include multiple layers on the seat to make it softer and provide more cushion. If you find that riding horses often makes your backside sore, you might want to look for the saddles that offer the most padding in the seat.

Included Accessories

Riding a horse requires a lot more accessories than just a saddle. Figuring out all the necessary items can take time and research. However, you can buy a saddle that comes with all the accessories you need. This simplifies the entire process and saves you money at the same time. Additionally, your saddle and accessories will match, which always looks nice.

The problem is that many saddles don’t include accessories. If you already have all the other tack you need, this might not matter to you. But getting the accessories with your saddle can be a significant convenience if you’re new to horse riding.

Price

If you find several saddles that meet your criteria in the categories mentioned above, you’ll need to compare them based on price. Remember, you’re not comparing the sticker price but the value of the products. That is why the build quality, durability, and accessories matter so much. A more durable saddle lasts longer, which increases its value. The accessories save you money and time since you won’t have to research everything you need and find all the items individually.

Remember, you don’t always get what you pay for, and if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Our Horse Saddles Selection Process

The horse saddles we reviewed in this article were chosen by PangoVet’s writers and editors, in collaboration with our experienced veterinary team, based on personal experience with the product, knowledge and expertise about the pet’s care needs, brand reputation, and reviews across multiple retail outlets from other customers that have purchased and used the product. The combination of these factors allows us to gather a wide range of information to help you choose only the best horse saddles and ensure you have the most accurate information about these products to promote proper care, health, and well-being of your beloved pets.

Why Trust PangoVet?

PangoVet’s licensed and experienced veterinarians have a knowledge base that extends to all kinds of pets—furry, scaly, and feathered—and want only the best for pets of all shapes and sizes. We also have experienced writers and editors who are pet owners with a variety of different pets, and we love our pets as much as you do. We recognize pets as part of our family. We make sure to only choose products from reputable brands highly rated by customers as well as products that we have personal experience with, to ensure that every horse saddle featured in this review is high-quality and safe for your pets.

Conclusion

Horse saddles come in all sizes, shapes, designs, and materials. They’re meant for riding in different disciplines and can be made for children or adults. If you’re just starting out in horse riding, you don’t need to overcomplicate things. You need a quality saddle that fits you and your horse correctly so you can forget about finding more tack and get to riding.

If you’re looking for a western saddle, you can’t go wrong with the Manaal Enterprises Premium Leather Saddle. It features top-tier craftsmanship, vegetable-tanned leather, and 22 finishes to choose from.

Our top recommendation for those who prefer an English saddle is the Acerugs premium black leather English saddle. It’s made from premium cow leather, has a deep padded seat for comfort, and has heavy-duty buckles and rollers—all at an affordable price.

Kids and mini horses will appreciate the M-Royal Mini Horse Saddle. Ideal for ponies, miniature horses, and children aged 5–10, this quality saddle is built to last with beautiful workmanship and quality materials, though it weighs just 10 pounds.

Featured Image Credit: JimKnopf, pixabay