0
was successfully added to your cart.

Cart

Horse Saddle Reviews

Billy Cook Team Roping Saddles Review – How Saddle Fit Affects Your Roping

 Billy Cook Team Roping Saddles.

Hmmm… What about them?  Well, if you’re reading this, it’s because you’re either a novice or a professional team roper.  You’re the header, and you love participating in the Western rodeo event called “team roping.”

It’s time to up your game by shaving seconds off your time.  To do that, you’ll need a new saddle that will help you maneuver and prevent slipping.

You’ve heard of Billy Cook Team Roping Saddles, but you want to learn all you can about Billy Cook Team Roping saddles before investing in one. I’m glad you’re doing your research.

And I want to help you with your research by giving you some valuable information on a couple of these hand-crafted Billy Cook Team Roping saddles and how they can help you, as the header half of your team, win more jackpots.

Billy Cook Team Roping Saddles Review – The Anxiety of Team Roping

Being the header is anxiety producing. You no doubt get an adrenaline rush every single time you sit in a box with your horse.

Knowing that you have to rope the steer around its horns, then turn the steer so its hind legs can be roped by your heeler (all in a matter of seconds if you want to win the jackpot), makes your anxiety go through the roof.

In a good way of course.

But sitting in your box you’re always worrying about the things that could possibly go wrong – like:

  • Slipping out of your seat
  • Feet getting stuck in stirrups
  • Dally slipping
  • Horse missing its cues

Billy Cook Team Roping Saddles – Built for Maximum Maneuverability

In general, the roping saddle was created to give the rider increased maneuverability while riding. As the name suggests, this is a big help when it comes to roping cattle.

The positioning of the horse bars, stirrups, and the horn, work to prevent slipping, giving the rider added peace of mind.

What’s The Big Problem?

These days, it’s not enough to rope the steer, you’ve got to look good doing it.  So a fancy saddle is required.  There’s no shortage of full-tooled, hand-dyed, exotic-seat saddles.

But that’s not all there is to a roping saddle.

The problem is ropers, whether headers or heelers, don’t know much about saddles.  In fact, many ropers invest an incredible amount of time and money in their horses, only to ride in cheap saddles.

Their saddles don’t fit their horses – our themselves!

Billy Cook Team Roping Saddles – The Solution – Roping Saddle Essentials

Too many ropers buy saddles with seats that are too big.  So, they end up sliding all around their horse. Or they buy saddles built on poor tree quality, so the saddle splints, and they have to waste more money buying a new one.  Or, when you take a dally, it slips from the saddle horn.

You need the right saddleBig Horn Master Craft Professional Roping Saddle

Whatever roping saddle you buy, it needs to have a high-quality tree covered in rawhide, double rigging, a strong horn reinforced with rawhide, big open stirrups so you can get your feet out quickly.

You’ll need a rubber wrap around the saddle horn to keep the dally from slipping, and the right sized gullet to protect your horse’s withers. You’ll also need a short skirt if you’ve got a short back horse.

Having said all of that, let me start off with my first, of two, Billy Cook Roping Saddles reviews.

Billy Cook Team Roping Saddles Review #1
15″ to 16″ Billy Cook Dally Team Roper Saddle 9111Billy Cook Team Roping Saddles

If you’re looking for a rugged, dependable roping saddle, take a look at the Billy Cook Dally Team Roper Saddle 9111. It’s made in America.  Sulfur, Oklahoma specifically.

It’s made with a rawhide-covered wood tree, which makes it strong.  It’s reinforced so that it can withstand the test of time.

Built Strong and Built to Last

The tree has a long bar, which will help distribute the pressure across your horse’s back. It has a bigger horn on it (3-inch cap) with a rawhide edge.

That, combined with the rawhide covering on the swell, gives the front end of the saddle more resistance to wear and tear.

It also comes with very secure reinforced stainless steel double rigging (on tree) and roper cinch and complete flank strap. It’s designed with a quilted suede seat, which gives you just enough grip, but doesn’t lock you into place so that you can’t get out of the saddle.

Low Cantel For Easy Dismounting

The low cantel and open-dish seat make it easy to swing your leg over and make a quick dismount.  The rawhide covered roper stirrups are big and open for a quick escape for your foot.

Very Stylish

This saddle is very stylish with a silver-laced cantle, accent conchos, and detailed hand- tooled basket pattern. It’s built tough, built to last, and built for ropers.

Here are the specs:

Rawhide Covered Wood Tree
Quarter Horse Bar
Quilted 15” – 16” Seat
Horn: 2 1/2″ post
Rawhide Hand Tooled 13” Swell
4” Rawhide Laced Cantle
Stainless Steel Double Rigging
Skirts: Artificial wool lined
29” Skirt Length
Rear Cinch: 27 strand roper
Stirrups: Roper rawhide laced
Pattern: Basket stamped half breed
Finish: Russet
Weighs Approximately 41 pounds

Pros

  • High-End
  • Extremely well-made, high-quality saddle
  • Durable (very long life)
  • Stylish
  • Long Bars – Equal Distribution of Weight on Horse
  • Low Cantle Open Dish Seat – Easy to Dismount
  • Rawhide-covered Roper Stirrups – Big and Open for Quick Foot Escape
  • Rear Cinch: 27 Strand Roper
  • Double Rigging for Secure Seat
  • Horn Reinforced with Rawhide Leather Makes it Extra Sturdy

Cons

It’s a bit pricey.  But you won’t find a high-quality saddle made like this for less. If you’re a serious roper, this is saddle for you.

Billy Cook Team Roping Saddles Review #2
15 1/2″ to 16″ Billy Cook Roping Saddle 2121

 The Billy Cook Roping Saddle 2121 is very similar to the 9111 version.  It’s a high-end, super high-quality roping saddle.  Its tree is covered in Toots Mansfield rawhide, which you’d want in any roping saddle.

A rawhide-covered tree means your saddle will last forever.  Well, maybe 100 years. You can also request a rubber wrap around the saddle horn to keep the dally from slipping, and they’ll

gladly put it on for you.

Here are the specs:

Toots Mansfield Rawhide Covered Tree
Quarter Horse Bars
Quilted Seat Size: 15 1/2″ and 16″
Horn: 2 1/2″ short post with horn cap
Hand Tooled 13 inch Swell
4 Inch Leather Cantle
Full Double Rigging (Stainless Steel Dees)
Skirts Are Lined with Artificial Wool
Short Skirt Length: 27″
Rear Cinch: Latigo lined
Stirrups: 3″ Roper rawhide laced
Pattern: Barbwire Border
Weight: Approximately 36 lbs.

Pros

  • Extremely well-made, high-quality saddle.
  • That it’s made with rawhide means it will last a lifetime.
  • It’s beautifully tooled
  • Short Skirt for Short Back Horse
  • Double Rigging for Secure Seat
  • Horn Reinforced with Rawhide Leather Makes it Extra Sturdy

Cons

It’s a bit pricey, but you’ll have this baby for a very, very long time.

How do these to Billy Cook Team Roping saddles compare?

Saddle #1 or Saddle #2 – Which is Better?

So, what’s the difference between The Billy Cook Roper 9111 and the Billy Cook Roper 2121?  Honestly, these two saddles are very similar (including price point).

However, the main differences between them are that with the 2121 Roper (Saddle #2), the skirt is shorter.  That’s great if you have a short-back horse.  Also, the rear cinch is Latigo lined and weighs 36 pounds.

But in the 9111 Roper (Saddle #1), the rear cinch is 27 Strand Roper and weighs 41 pounds.

You can also request a rubber wrap around the saddle horn to keep the dally from slipping, and they’ll gladly put it on for you in either saddle.  The styling is also different. Both saddles are beautifully designed.

Billy Cook Team Roping Saddles Conclusion

Both saddles are extremely well made and will last a very long time.  They also have the same price point (give or take 50 bucks).  Either way, they’re both high-end saddles and cost a pretty penny.

But you also get what you pay for.  One of the main reasons these saddles are costly is because of their rawhide leather trees.  The uniquely quilted seats and unique tooling add value to them as well.

I hope my Billy Cook Team Roping saddles review was helpful.  Do you have any particular questions you have about roping saddles? Or, maybe you prefer reading my review on Used Billy Cook ranch saddles.

Please leave your questions and comments below!

23 Comments

  • Ethan Khoza says:

    Fantastic article! I’ve always been a huge animal person and my mom has really tried to get me into horseback riding. Not sure if I will, but i’m glad I know a little bit more now!

    • Shalisha Alston says:

      Hi Ethan! Thanks for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed my post. Horseback riding is fun. I hope you’ll take it up.

  • Suzanne says:

    Hi Shalisha,l
    Wow, great post. You provide all the informations someone would need to make an informed decision.
    I used to ride when I was younger, but not so much anymore. And I certainly never roped, lol. A little too much excitement for this gal!
    We have friends that run a horse camp, and have about 20-30 horses at any given time. I’ll be forwarding your post to them. I think they’ll really enjoy it.
    Cheers,
    Suzanne

    • Shalisha Alston says:

      Hi Suzanne. Thanks for taking the time to read my article and commenting on it. I get so much satisfaction out of people appreciating the importance of buying horse saddles that fit both horse and rider. I definitely would appreciate you passing on this information to your friends who run a horse camp. Lucky them!

  • Igor says:

    Hi Shalisha!
    Another great post. I can learn a lot about saddles on your site. It seams saddle is so important for many actions (like roping) during riding the horse.

    This site becomes a reference point for such a topic.

    Great job!
    Keep up the good work.

    Best regards!

    • Shalisha Alston says:

      Hi Igor. I’m glad you’re learning a lot about saddles on here. I hope you’ll take up horse riding one day. Saddles and their type are so important when choosing the right kind for a specific discipline.

  • Irma says:

    Great post!

    A good quality saddle is an expensive investment, but worth it from a reputable company.

    What is the policy for returns from the HorseSaddleShop and have you heard of any negatives? Do you have to do anything special when testing the saddle so that you can return it if you need to?

    • Shalisha Alston says:

      @Irma: I agree. The more reputable a company, the better chance you have of being able to negotiate a return or an exchange. The only thing is, if something is custom made, it would be more difficult to return it. I’ve only heard great things about the Horsesaddleshop. I am also affiliated with them. They have a very reasonable return policy. Here are a few of their policies regarding horse saddles and other tack. You can return a Special Order custom saddle with a 5% return fee! (this will apply whether or not there is an exchange). The Condition: Unused item will contain no scuffs, scratches, dirt, or horse hair with original packaging and tags. Boots should be returned with the boot box in good condition (no tape or shipping labels on the boot box). For a complete list of their policies, please click on the link below.

      https://www.horsesaddleshop.com/info.html

  • Gail says:

    Hi there. This looks like great fun and I love horses although I have never tried the things suggested here – although ‘never say never’ as they say. It’s my dream one day to come and do a ranching/cowboy style holiday in the US. I’m in the UK and we do a lot more dressage and show-jumping here – not that many places to rope a cow here!
    You review looks very thorough however and it’s good to see that people are making saddles that will be so responsive and stable. Thank you.

    • Shalisha Alston says:

      @Gail: Thank you for stopping by and commenting. Western horseback riding is fun. Personally, I enjoy trail riding. I’m looking to get into endurance. I’m also looking forward to getting into English riding. I’ve never been to the UK, but would love to visit – certainly not many places to rope a cow. I do my best to do thorough reviews.

  • Anna says:

    Hi Lisha,
    I am a total newbie when it comes to horses and professional terminology. Though your article made me want to actually start riding horses.
    Billy Cook Team Roping looks like a really hard task with a lot of motion and physical activity involved. I would think it is also a mental work on how the best to rope the cattle without slipping off your saddle.
    I also liked that you recommended certain saddles for roping with pros and cos and also compared each of them against each other.

    • Shalisha Alston says:

      @Anna: Thank you for stopping by and commenting. I agree. The more I write about the different types of saddles and their function, the more I want to participate in that style of riding. The riding discipline of roping does require as much – or even more – mental preparation than the physical action. The saddle helps you not slip off, but you have to have the mental acuity to know when to twist your body with the horse at the right angle. Geez… just typing that sentence made me do mental acrobatics.

  • Great article, this is something that I have no prior knowledge of. It is actually quite an interesting topic and more complex than it may seem. Love the layout of your page and the images you have used!

  • lisha42 says:

    @Matts Mom: Yes, the saddle will help him become a better roper because the saddle plays a major role in horse-rider communication and the correct position you’re sitting in. Most of all, if the saddle is ill-fitted, the horse will be in too much pain to pay attention to the rider’s queues.

    The right saddle is so important!

  • lisha42 says:

    @Stuart: Thank you Stuart. I’m glad my article makes sense to you.

  • lisha42 says:

    @Michael: Thanks for your comment. Yes, it’s amazing people will invest tons of money in a horse and peanuts for the saddle!

  • Matts Mom says:

    I do like the Billy Cook roping saddle. My son tried roping, and it is definitely harder than it looks. We never even considered the saddle. Could the saddle also help make the roper more confident, and possibly rope better? I know from my friend, that the horse is VERY important, but the saddle and taking care of everything is just as.

  • Stuart Allen says:

    Must confess apart from seeing the old westerns on television, was not aware of this art in the rodeo world. In the main had not got a clue what you were talking about, but understood what you were saying and the points that you were making. A very well constructed article.

  • I didn’t know that the choice of horse saddle was so important. I had no idea there were various kinds of saddles.

    When it comes to competition, seconds — even fractions of a second — are everything.

    I’m even more amazed that some who invest a lot in horses would fail to invest in a great saddle!

  • lisha42 says:

    @Andrew: LOL. Your comment cracked me up! Yes, physics would be on your side – if you have the right saddle. Great comment.

  • andrew says:

    I have always had the fear of falling off a horse while roping, making me not once try this! The thought of adjusting on a dime to throw my body in a separate direction to release a rope has always made be question if physics would be on my side. The way you described how the saddle affects this and then offered suggestions on saddles is amazing. Great article!

  • lisha42 says:

    Thank you Tim. I really enjoy horse riding and the topic of saddles.

  • Tim says:

    There is a lot of details. I don’t know a lot about horses. Although I did ride horses a little when I was a kid, I thought that was so cool. Could not tell you what saddle was used,to they were all the same to me. I can tell You obviously know a lot. Thank you for the information.

Leave a Reply