The Wade Saddle

If you are going on an extended ride, or need a well balanced and comfortable saddle, the Wade saddle may be a good choice for you.

These saddles are lighter and not as high off the horse as a typical saddle. The way it sits low on the horse gives the horse a better footing and balance for the rider as well. The horn is not prominent, but is ‘out of the way’ when using roping techniques. Also, blankets and padding are used to protect the horse since the saddle is so thin. They are priced anywhere from about $1,000.00 to upwards of $4,000.00 depending on how fancy they are. Some of these saddles are even custom made with beautiful patterns engraved by hand on the leather.

The saddles are named after a cowboy from the 1930’s named Clifford Wade. Clifford’s father originally had the saddle made in the Eastern United States, and when the family moved to the west they brought the saddle with them and Clifford inherited it. A man named Tom Dorrance would cowboy often with Clifford and admired the way he rode and handled his horse and livestock. Clifford praised the saddle saying its design helped him stay balanced better than typical saddles. Mr. Dorrance took the saddle to Hamley and Company, a famous saddle shop and they made a replica. In the 1960’s a man named Ray Hunt who was friends with Mr. Dorrance used the saddle to conduct several horse clinics around the United States and that boosted the saddles popularity, and they remain very popular today.