Horseback riding is something that you can do as a hobby or competitively. Some folks enjoy having a horse around to do some light trail riding with, while others love the thrill of barrel racing or show jumping. Whatever category you fit into, you know how important a proper saddle is. It is essential, not only for the quality of the ride but also for the health of the horse and of the rider. If the horse isn’t comfortable or happy with the saddle, if it doesn’t fit properly or pinches, then the horse may resist your commands. A good sign of this is if a horse you ride frequently suddenly starts becoming non-compliant with your standard riding commands. You may want to dismount and check out the saddle – Corriente Saddles.
It isn’t always easy to find a good-quality saddle, especially when it comes to paying for them. Saddles range from the very basic and straightforward to the very elaborate and fancy. Many times, the type of material used to craft a saddle can affect the price. Likewise, the material and the method of construction can affect the fit and the quality. With a piece of equipment so integral to the success of horseback riding, it is no wonder that it can be confusing and near-impossible to find a saddle that’s affordable and comfortable. Corriente Saddles are one contender in the unending sea of entrants to the competition for the best saddle.
Product FAQs
The Corriente Saddles Company is a family-owned business. What are some of the details about its products? Also, what do they do that makes them unique?
What Is the Corriente Saddles Company?
The Baize Family of New Mexico started the Corriente Saddles Company. They pride themselves on using their own products, and their website boasts a collection of pictures of the various family members in action, perched on their saddles, riding atop their prized horses. Their motto claims, “We ride what we build.” In the photo gallery, this is definitely evident, as some eight family members are showcased winning various competitions in all different types of disciplines of horseback riding.
Handcrafted Saddles
The company handcrafts every saddle it makes. Nothing is done mechanically. Each saddle is fit down to the saddle tree or the base frame. This tree ensures a perfect fit between saddle and horse, and saddle and rider. It all provides an ideal riding experience for horse, rider, and saddle. It is essential that your horse is measured correctly to obtain the best possible fit from the saddle. If the measurements are off by even a little bit, the saddle won’t work, and you may have just wasted quite a bit of cash. If you aren’t astute at measuring your horse, have someone who has experience do it for you. It’s worth it to have a properly fitted saddle.
It’s essential, therefore, that your horse is measured appropriately before purchasing any saddle, not just one from the Baize family.
What Types of Products Does the Corriente Saddles Company Offer?
The company has an extensive website that showcases not only their family exploits but also all the different types of saddles and other products they make.
Corriente offers a wide range of saddles for all the different disciplines of horseback riding. Some of the choices of styles include:
- Roper saddles
- Barrel saddles
- Mule saddles
- Trail saddles
- Show saddles
These are just a few of the saddle styles offered by Corriente. Each saddle is created with the dimensions of the horse in mind, again, making it super important you have your horse measured adequately from the get-go.
Baize Family
The Baize family makes custom items as well, including belt buckles, trophies, and leather-bound journals and scrapbooks. They actually have a separate website for their buckle business. These are mostly just for commemorative events or even prizes given out to the victors at various competitions. If you are part of a committee responsible for this type of event, Corriente may be able to get you the trophies and prizes you need at a bulk rate.
Corriente also has just about anything else you could need for your horseback riding, including tacks, saddlebags, blankets, headstalls and the like. Their selection is vast.
Where Can I Find Corriente Saddles to Purchase?
The best place to find a genuine Corriente is directly from the manufacturer. Their website is easy to navigate and gives you the best chance of finding actual products. However, there are third-party resellers where you might be able to find used saddles. We were able to see some on eBay, Coolhorse, and EquineNow.
How Are Corriente Saddles Made?
If you are interested in seeing how the Baize family constructs each of their saddles, there is a YouTube video on their website that gives you an idea of how they do it. They are handcrafted using traditional techniques.
How We Conducted Our Review
If you are a horse lover, we understand how you want nothing but the best for your riding buddy. We also know that you’d much rather spend time out on your horse than poring over mounds of research on what makes the best available saddles. Since we want to help you make a qualified decision in a decent amount of time, we have taken the time to check into the details behind Corriente Saddles and bring you the relevant information. This way, you can make a decision based on your riding needs and budget. We understand that price and quality are essential to you. Also, we aim to take all the information we can gather and put it into an easy-to-read “best of” list for your use. We take pride in doing the research required to get our lists right. Read on with the confidence that we have done all the extensive and hard work for you.
Overall Prices of the Products Offered by Corriente Saddles Company
Obviously, the price is a pretty important feature of any product. Horse saddles are no different. Sure, you can search and find the cheapest saddle for your mare, but really, would it be the best? You can even buy the most expensive saddle, but again, would it be the best? There are a few things that make a saddle considered a quality piece of horse equipment:
- Stitching
- Leather condition
- Saddle tree condition
- Fit and comfort (for the horse primarily)
Corriente’s products appear to be mid to high level when compared to other saddles. The difference with Corriente is their handmade process and quality of end product.
Top 5 Best-Selling Saddles Offered by the Corriente Saddles Company
The following are some of the saddles being offered by Corriente on their website. The following model numbers all come from the “What’s New” section. There is an extensive collection of saddles on this website, and we could not get to review them all. We decided instead to take the recent best-selling options as ranked by their own website.
CSA Model No. 349 Corriente Ranch Association Saddle
Key features: This Corriente Ranch Association Saddle is built on a wooden rawhide tree and features with barb wire trim all around. The saddle is compliant with Ranch Association standards. It is available in Sizes 14-inch through 18-inch. It also comes in half sizes. The tooled leather seat and stirrups add to the overall aesthetic appeal of the saddle. It comes with a latigo, back billets, off strap stirrups and back flank. You can even customize it with your name or any other type of logo you would like it to include.
Timing: This saddle usually takes 40 days to complete once ordered.
Pricing: The price of the saddle starts at $900 for the 14-inch option. It tops out at $925 for the largest size (18). These prices do not include any customization.
Coupons/Deals: At the time of writing, there was no deal or coupon.
CSB Model No. 578K Corriente New Style Barrel Saddle
Key features: The New Style Barrel Saddle allows the rider to take turns and speed up without a problem. The chocolate leather and crazy tooling make this saddle one of the most beautiful of the bunch. The 1-inch leather Cheyenne Roll, half breed roughout and 45-degree skirt all add to the functionality of the saddle. This saddle is made to work. You have your choice of conchos, and you may swap out the seat with a suede solid of your choice.
Timing: This saddle usually takes 40 days to complete once ordered.
Pricing: The price of the saddle starts at $1,000 for 12-inch to 16-inch options. Custom letters are not included.
Coupons/Deals: We found some other barrel saddles in the clearance section.
CSLA Model No. 399 Corriente Lady Association Saddle
Key features: The Corriente Lady Association Saddle meets the specifications outlined in the Lady Association handbook. Some of the saddle specifications include antique double flower tooling, half breed roughout, a single skirt, rawhide stirrups, four strings, and 45-degree skirt, to name a few. You have the option to add sheepskin lining on the entire saddle for $150 extra. The sheepskin is 100% real wool.
Timing: This saddle usually takes 40 days to complete once ordered.
Pricing: The price of the saddle starts at $900 and the sizes available range from 12 to 18. This price, again, does not include custom lettering.
Coupons/Deals: We were able to find a few Lady Association Saddles marked down for clearance. These saddles are premade and ship as-is.
CSY Model No. 701CB 10″ Corriente Youth Buckaroo Association Saddle
Key features: The Youth Buckaroo Association Saddle follows the specifications and requirements mandated by the Youth Buckaroo Association. This 10-inch saddle is perfect for that special young rider in your life. Some of the features include a hard seat, aluminum stirrups with a traditional skirting and antique double flower tooling.
Timing: This saddle usually takes 30 days to complete once ordered.
Pricing: The price of the saddle starts at $625, not including any custom lettering.
Coupons/Deals: We were able to find a few of these in the clearance or bargain bin that was already made and ready to ship.
CSB Model No. 576E Corriente Strip Down Barrel Saddle
Key features: The Strip Down Barrel Saddle is perfect for those sharp turns and bursts of speed. It is handcrafted to be lightweight and comfortable to get on and off of. This is considered to be a stripped-down barrel saddle that is made with chocolate leather with white stitching all around the saddle. The double flowering tooling and tooled seat add both comfort and decorative appeal. Sheepskin lining made with real wool can be added for an additional $150. You also get your choice of Conchos included at no extra charge.
Timing: This saddle usually takes 40 days to complete once ordered.
Pricing: The price of the saddle starts at $1,100 for the 12-inch option. The largest available is size 16. This price does not include customization.
Coupons/deals: At the time of writing we found a few pre-fabricated barrel saddles in the clearance section of the website.
The Verdict
If you are in the market for an elegant, handcrafted and well-crafted saddle, then many of the Corriente Saddles Company’s choices seem to fit the bill. If you aren’t convinced, check out some of the testimonials on the web.
Customers enjoy the selection process, as well as the finished product. These saddles are built to stand the test of time, all while being comfortable for both horse and rider. The Baize family prides itself on making products they themselves use, and you can see several examples within the webpage. One of our favorite testimonials was that of a veterinarian in North Carolina who used heat-seeking camera technology to prove that the saddles made by the Baize family didn’t pinch the horse at all. Considering who his patients are, we believe he is probably an expert in gathering such data. We know you have many choices out there for quality saddles for your horse. Consider taking a closer look at the selection offered by Corriente Saddles so the next saddle you buy may be one of your last.
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