Ranch Roper

From $4,950.00

The RANCH ROPER is a “buckaroo style” saddle built for rugged work with a classic cowboy look. Its broad, flat roping horn, heavy-duty fork, buck rolls and deep seat are designed for maximum comfort during long hours in the saddle handling livestock or just riding the range. Lots of customized options with tooled all-leather styling incorporating our proprietary SMARTFLX foundation. (CAUTION: If your horse has very high, narrow withers, this fork may be too low. We can build a tree with higher wither clearance for you).

  • Wade-styled fork with broad, flat, 5″ Guadalajara wood post roping horn narrows toward the bottom with extra fork space out front for dallying ease
  • Low center of gravity for sake of horse stability during strong drag. Recommend roping/holding up to 800 pounds at angle to avoid over-flexing tree for sake of horse comfort.
  • Horn is protection-wrapped in replaceable mule hide. Rope strap is anchored in horn with generous length.
  • Deep-dished Cantle to hold rider securely with inset padded seat for maximum comfort.
  • Choose Cheyenne roll or pencil roll on top of cantle
  • Rugged and sturdy Saddle which weighs approximately 10-15 pounds less than traditional roping saddles
  • Small profile rounded skirts for horse comfort in lateral flexion
  • Work-wide fenders swing easily for ease of rider-horse communication
  • Choose Roughout or smooth leather for seat jockey and fenders for rider security. Smooth leather on other parts.
  • Exclusive Smartflx foundation – creating freedom & space for horse to achieve maximum efficiency in stride. NOTE: if you plan to rope, hold and drag animals greater than 500 pounds regularly, we can build on a wooden tree in our proprietary shape for you.
  • Suits all breeds. Our 2 gullet sizing choice and interface tools suit all sizes, shapes and conformations
  • Hand crafted and made to order

This saddle is available in seat size 15″ – 17.5″ *additional sizes may be available with consultation*

(CAUTION: If you rope, wrangle, drag large numbers of animals weighing more than 800 pounds on a consistent and daily basis, we recommend that we craft a saddle for you tailored to your needs and with a little less flexibility).

Please scroll down to see our “Product Description” for saddle weight, length and other unique features.
Need help identifying saddle parts? Click HERE.
Find our saddle seat size guide HERE.

*NOTE TO INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS
Your order will ship from our US Headquarters in Ocala, Florida. Prices do not include tax or any other fees associated with the import of your saddle. Please check with your local import department for your country’s import procedure and fees. In case you need any assistance, please contact [email protected]

Availability: The RANCH ROPER is hand crafted and custom made in the US, we are expecting a delivery time of 4 – 10 months. Please note that selecting brass hardware & conchos can delay saddle production further, due to ongoing supply shortages.

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Description

  • Pommel (Fork): Shape is known as a heavy “slick fork” with no swells (it has Buck Rolls instead), a shallow, wide, flat 5″ round-topped roping horn. The horn is slightly narrower at the base to facilitate stacking your rope coils on the front “lip” of the fork while dallying. It comes complete with protective leather horn wrap and roping strap. Buck rolls are great for rider security and match the seat leather color.
  • Cantle: 3.5″// 7.6 cm tall with with significant “dish” that hugs rider securely. 1.5″ // 3.8 cm Cheyenne roll.
  • Seat: Choose between suede (for extra grip) or grippy soft-padded textured dark brown or black leather seat sewn into the rough out or smooth leather seat jockey, you can select a full seat with soft padding or an inlay seat with acor padding. Seat pocket is not deeply defined, but gently sloped to balance point toward the back of the seat.
  • Leather: #1 Quality veg-tanned leather hides used exclusively. Roughout and smooth choice for seat jockey, incl. fender, available, smooth leather on other saddle parts. Select from color range as indicated. Color variations (particularly noticeable in light to medium oiled saddles) are to be expected due to the differing porosity of individual hides. Some “grab” the oil more deeply and will appear darker than others. Oftimes, leather hides may tone to more reddish or orange but become darker brownish over time with exposure to sun and loving care via cleaning and oiling. We have no way to predict exactly what shade of lightness or darkness your saddle may be in the beginning, but you can count on it looking more and more handsomely seasoned with age.
  • Skirts: Small, rounded back skirts that are not laced tightly together, and offer the horse more contoured flexibility in the loin area because they can move independently.
  • Tooling: Hand stamped border pattern or spot toolings from NHS Tooling Collection. Spot Floral on Fork, Front Skirt and Rear Skirt, Full Floral on Fork, Seat Jockey, Front Skirt, Rear Skirt and Fenders. Cheyenne roll has bead line or small tooling combo, depending on selected tooling. Horn tooling if selected. Individual leather surface textures (due to heredity, environment and tanning processes for each hide) result in unique properties effecting the appearance of individual saddles. Possible irregularities offer opportunities for our tooling artisans to be a bit creative in disguising texture differences of various areas. Adding some extra floral carving or slight alterations of a pattern are among ways to insure best mirroring of design from one side of the saddle to the other. Our toolers are excellent craftspeople. You can count on a beautiful result and celebrate your saddle’s individuality!
  • Hardware: heavy duty brass or stainless steel.
  • Conchos: Leather rosette or selection from NHS Concho Collection. Slotted conchos will be applied with tie strings, domed conchos will have drop D-rings, where the tie strings attach.
  • Main cinch rigging: Flat plate, In-skirt.
  • Rear cinch rigging included: Rear D with heavy duty, doubled-and-stitched flank billets and back cinch includes a short cinch hobble for connecting to main cinch. Rear cinch should be buckled snugly for best stabilization of the back of the saddle, and short hobble enables pressure to be located in the horse’s sternum area and not impact the soft abdominal region. Standard back cinch length is 36″// 91.5 cm, which fits most breeds. If your horse is very small or very big, please let us know and we can arrange for a custom length.
  • Fenders: Wide and free-swinging for optimum rider leg flexibility with stirrups connected via a ‘Texas twist’, which sets them in perfect position to accept your foot with no strain on your knees. Cut to size for Rider inseam length. 5 basic leg length sizes available, with numbered adjustment strap holes at 1” // 25.4” increments.
  • Stirrups: Please see stirrup choice available on this model.
  • Latigos on both sides: for main cinch rigging, no off-side billet unless requested.
  • Tie strings: 6 sets
  • Breast Collar D-rings: Set high for freedom of shoulder movement.
  • Bucking Rolls: Can be added for extra security. Leather pillows will match seat color, leather frames will match saddle color. Detachable if you want to remove.
  • Cinch keeper: Installed on right side off concho at base of cantle.
  • Leatherman tool/knife holder: installed on back billet.
  • Hobble strap holder: installed at base of cantle left side in case you need to let your horse graze while you’re busy with fence work or something out on the range.
  • Underside: Suede-covered memory foam or natural sheepskin.
  • Seat sizes 15 – 17.5 available.
  • Length of saddle: From front of saddle to back of curve at widest point: 25.5”-26.5” / 63.5 -66.04 cm depending upon seat size.
  • Weight of saddle: Average weight is 35 – 38 lbs // 15.8 – 17.2 kg, depending on final choices.

Handcrafted in USA or Europe.

 

SMARTFLX™ TECHNOLOGY

“Welcoming” the horse’s back in motion requires that you MANAGE THE INTERFACE – which is the space between your horse’s body and the underside of the saddle. After incorporating a good saddle, this is the next most important factor for successful saddle fit when you want to give your horse the opportunity to enjoy the journey with you. With SmartSaddlePads.com saddle pads and tapered foam shims you are best equipped to custom fit the interface of your horse to adapt to individual age, top line shape and state of training.

SMARTFLX´S EXCLUSIVE, UNIQUELY SHAPED TREES ARE THE SUBSTRUCTURE AND MAJOR KEY TO SUCCESS OF ANY OF OUR SADDLES.

The very special SMARTFLX™ shape provides room needed for the horse’s back to come up in performance of any athletic maneuvers, especially ones requiring significant engagement or “collection”. Also sculpted into the SMARTFLX™ shape are the ergonomic considerations built in for the rider which enable feeling close to the horse´s body and it´s movement while securely balanced and unstressed in hip, knee and ankle joints. The “bars” and “groundseat” of the SMARTFLX™ western tree are a one-piece molded shape based on years of research and development incorporating thousands of horses worldwide. This molded piece is formed utilizing a particular, extraordinary elastomer compound material that is solid enough to support the rider and protect the horse’s back yet flexible enough to allow the horse to move as nature intended and the human to feel connected in harmony. It is amazingly thin and keeps you close to your horse. Our wooden forks and cantles provide the base stability to hold the bars at the attitude and angle that our research proved was optimal. Our english saddles are constructed with the same principles regarding the spacious, welcoming shape we know is necessary for healthy, comfortable movement. English SMARTFLX™ trees are handcrafted by Master Saddlers in England utilizing digitally sculpted, laminated beechwood bars reinforced by steel head plate and thin diagonal steel bands that support appropriate diagonal flexibility. Because the SMARTFLX™ trees are sculpted to welcome the expanded “moving” horse body, there is room to accommodate an enormous variety of horse breeds and sizes.

VersaFit™ unique shimming concept provides a simple way to offer dynamic custom fit. The welcoming “hug” of our saddles’ undersides provides for a physically and mentally un-restricted equine athlete capable of enjoying full physical potential under saddle.

Additional information

Weight 24 kg
Dimensions 69.85 × 50.8 × 55.88 cm

Sizing Guide

The right seat size is important for you to be comfortably secure on your balance point. Some riders prefer to be snug in their saddle, some riders like to have a little more room to move around in the seat. If you seat is too small for you, you may cause your Horse discomfort and pain. In case you are uncertain, take a test ride:

We encourage you to make sure you like the fit & feel!

Choose your saddle´s size based on your height, weight and leg length in combination with any preference you might have for snugness or a more *open* seat. In case you need assistance, please touch base with us by sending us an email to [email protected], we´re happy to help you!

SIZING GUIDE CLICK HERE