What’s a trusted barrel racing saddle company?
When it comes to barrel racing saddles, it takes a simple search online to know that Martin Saddlery is one of the best in the business. That’s why I’ve written one of many Martin Saddlery reviews.
Reading the Martin Saddlery Reviews is like reading a who’s who if the barrel racing world talk about their favorite saddles the way some women talk about their favorite pair of shoes. You’ll often see the company partnering with top barrel racing and rodeo queens (like Sherry Cervi and Lisa Lockhart below).
People will boast of the comfortable ride, the exquisite craftmanship, and the affordable price tag of riding and competing in luxury. And then there’s the customer service and options for their saddles. Overall, it’s really hard to find a fault in the Martin Saddlery customer experience.
Martin Saddlery Reviews are not difficult to come by. However, they are hard to trust. Are these saddles really worth their price tag?
Am I going to regret this purchase the second I walk out of the store or click purchase? If you’ve never owned one, the Martin Saddlery Reviews are like taking a deep dive into your wallet.
However, if you ever shop a sale or know where to get a good price on one, then you should definitely be up to speed on the Martin Saddlery Reviews below. For the purpose of this article, we’ve got three of their lineup to talk about.
Martin Saddlery Reviews #1
12.5″ to 15.5″ Martin Saddlery Sherry Cervi Stingray Barrel Racer 71-C2
List Price: $4,848
Our Price: $4,400
Specs:
Tree Width: 6.5-8 inch Gullet
Stirrups: 2″ Nettles OAK-Barrel Racer
Seat Size: 12.5-15.5 inch Seat
Sherry Cervi took home the barrel racing title four times at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR. In 2018, she was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and Museum.
So when Martin Saddlery partnered with her to create the Stingray, people eagerly waited to see what they came up with. And they were not disappointed.
This saddle was built for people who want a deeper seat while competing. Based on its measurements and sizes, it’s made for people who are more petite and horses that are either standard or wide at the withers.
The Stingray configuration is perfect for anyone looking for a saddle that’s all leather and will help you ride confidently (not to mention that it’s designed to be ergonomically correct at the hips and knees).
The Martin Saddlery Reviews are in, though, and this is a solid saddle with tons of padding for anyone who enjoys a more upright ride. It’s a good option for young riders as well as experienced petite riders. But don’t just trust us; check the Martin Saddlery Reviews.
Martin Saddlery Reviews #2
13″ to 15.5″ Martin Saddlery Lisa Lockhart Fearless Barrel Racer 75-C2
List Price: $4,537.50
Our Price: $4,125.00
Specs:
Tree Width: 7 inch Gullet
Seat Size: 12.5-15.5 inch Seat
Cantle Height: 4.5″
Horn: 3″x2″
Lisa Lockhart is a multiple champion at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas, NV. She boasts two of the four fastest average times ever recorded at NFR (137.98 seconds in 2016 and 144.93 seconds in 2014).
Impressed? Well now you can ride in the same saddle she does! According to the Martin Saddlery Reviews, the Fearless saddle in the C2 configuration (like this one) is the exact same one she rides in for her competitions.
With fancy tooling and padding, it sports a ride that’s beautiful, efficient, and competitive. Be sure to check out other Martin Saddlery Reviews to see if this is a great fit for you and your horse.
Martin Saddlery Reviews #3
Martin Saddlery Sherry Cervi Crown C Barrel Racer 97-C4
List Price: $4,290.00
Our Price: $3,900.00
Specs:
Weight: Approx. 32 lbs
Tree Width: 7 inches
Stirrup Twists: Short Stirrup Twist
Stirrups: Engraved Aluminum 2 inch with Rubber Tread Stirrups
Coming in under that $4,000 mark is not only a custom saddle with a pattern that’s now discontinued, it’s also got what the Martin Saddlery Reviews call the easiest adjustable rigging you can get.
Special consideration was made for people looking for a tight grip on those barrel patterns because the leather on the jockey seat and fenders is rough-out.
While it doesn’t come with accessories or the fancy painting options, this is an incredibly affordable saddle for anyone with dreams of rodeo glory. As always, see if you can try it before you fully buy it because not all horses and riders are the same.
And look to the Martin Saddlery Reviews for the best information on if it’s the right fit for your riding goals.
Even if none of these specific configurations work for you, Martin Saddlery will make a custom saddle just for you and your horse.
It just takes a simple click on their company website to get started. And they don’t just sell barrel saddles. Their western saddles are made for just about any discipline you could do with your horse, and they make great everyday trail and work saddles.
From the first day you use your saddle, a good saddle will last many years to come if you take care of it.
A Martin Saddle is no different. This cowboy-run company has been in the business of crafting saddles and leather accessories for so long that they have developed several features in their saddles to help keep your horse comfortable while achieving optimal performance.
This includes a bar design that maintains space between them to give the horse’s spine enough room to breathe while working.
The careful craftmanship of the Martin Saddles doesn’t stop at the insides and basics of their saddles. The tooling, the seating, every piece of their saddles are done by hand.
The entire company believes in creating saddles for the modern horse and rider using the same traditions of generations past. At the end of the day, comfort and performance can go hand in hand with good looks. That’s one of the reasons Martin Saddles are so popular.
But if you read the Martin Saddlery Reviews online, you already know that. Was this post helpful? Would you like to see reviews of other barrel racing saddles? Check out my post Double J Barrel Saddles Sale.
Very well written and incredibly informative. Just looking at the pictures, I can see why one would charge the prices they do for these saddles. I know very little about the differences in saddles and how they affect performance, but just from the pictures I can see the incredible attention to detail on the leather and the different materials used in their construction.
Horseback riding is an interesting topic and you make it a very interesting read!
Hi William. Thank you for visiting my site, and thank you for your comment. Yes, these saddles are made with incredible detail. As for the pricing, there are several factors that go into how a saddle is priced. First, there’s the tree. Certain kinds of material are more expensive than others. The kind of wood (or other material) used can be expensive depending on the type of wood.
Then, if the wood is covered in rawhide, that will jack up the price too. If the saddle is hand tooled, that too plays a major role in the price. Lastly, the name brand stamped on the saddle plays one of the biggest factors in terms of how expensive a saddle will be. Of course, we sell used saddles, which are also high quality. So, if price is a factor, head on over to my used saddle section. Thanks again for your comment.
Hi there,
Great article and review on Martin Saddlery. I don’t own a horse, but a lot of family members, especially my granddad owns a horse. Hence I will be sharing this review with friends and family. This will be a great holiday gift for my granddad.
The review gives me an idea of what to expect when I visit the farm. I should speak the language of the saddle and be able to take that quick sharp turn
Hi Akumendoh. Thanks for your comment. I’m glad you’ll be sharing this with your grandad and other family members who love and own horses. They may want one of these saddles for Christmas. Thanks again for stopping by.
While you say that these saddles are pricey, in my opinion, you get what you pay for. And you definitely want a quality saddle when you ride. I really like that these saddles are ergonomically crafted for more comfortable riding! While I like the look of the Lisa Lockhart Fearless Barrel, I think I would go for the Sherry Cervi Stingray Barrel, as I am more petite.
Hi Cynthia. Thanks for your feedback! Yes, I too believe that you get what you pay for (in most cases). These saddles are made with the highest quality material. In addition, once a celebrity endorses a product, you’re paying for the name. The Sherry Cervi Stingray Barrel is beautifully crafted. You’ve got great taste. And I like that this particular saddle is made for people who are more on the petite side and for horses that are either standard or wide at the withers. Thanks for stopping by, and come back again.
Wow, I didn’t know that saddles cost over $4000. From the ones you reviewed here, #2 is the one i like the most. Is there a reason why they are so expensive? I know little to nothing about them, and I am quite curious. Hope to hear from you, and Great job on this article. 🙂
Hi Champ. Thanks for your interesting comments, and thanks for stopping by. Yes, saddles can be very expensive. The featured saddle in my post, Martin Saddlery Lisa Lockhart Fearless Barrel Racer, costs $4,125. And that’s not even the most expensive saddle out on the market!
But to be fair, in general, when a saddle is expensive, it’s because they’re made with the best tree as the starting point. From there, they use more expensive materials. The saddles are often handcrafted, and really good leather is used. You’re paying for great craftmanship and high-quality material.
Now, if you don’t want to pay such a high price, there are lots of high-quality saddles that are mid-range. In addition, you can always buy a high-quality used saddle. The good news is that when you buy a used or new saddle from us, you get a two-week money-back guarantee.
Also, all used saddles are thoroughly inspected, cleaned and oiled. We only accept quality used saddles. I hope this helps. Thanks for stopping by, and come again.
You got some good talent with this site and being a good writer. I do not ride however this would probably help my sister. She loves to ride and this looks like something she most likely would use. It has great content and helped me understand the product better. Thank you.
Hi Kiersti. Thanks for stopping by my site. And thank you for the compliments. Even though you don’t ride, I appreciate that my site is helpful to you, and I’m glad you think my site would be helpful to your sister. Yes, please do share this site with her. I’d love to help her.