steele saddle – Trail Saddles by Steele

I ride a Steele on my cross gaited mule Newt.

“I am getting a lot of questions on my Mule as to what brand saddle I am using when people are seeing these pictures. Here I painted my Rocky Mountain Cross Gaited Mule Newt to look like a Zebra for a parade. My Steele Saddle fits all my mules so well, no need for breast collars or cruppers even on the mountain trails I ride.”

– Laura of Shady Spring. WV

*We love our customers and their trail riding or parade photos. Laura has some really great photos and stories from her Steele Saddle. Thank you for sharing it! Send us yours to share here on our website. We would love to see them! Eric & Fred

My horse and I are both pleased with your Steele Demo.

After over a hundred miles of trail riding in the Black Hills of South Dakota my horse and I are both pleased with your Steele demo saddle. Love this saddle. It fits my horse great!

Thanks Eric. Tony Davis.

Steele Saddle has changed my riding life forever. I Highly Recommend Steele!

My husband and I love hunting, and our annual horse-packing elk hunting trip is something we look forward to and prepare for all year long. This year we had a wonderful trip and harvested a beautiful 6×6 bull elk. We hunt in northwest Wyoming near where we live and the trip we take is not for the faint of heart. Seven miles into the back country on horseback trailing two pack horses through difficult terrain, we camp in some of the most beautiful mountain country you’ll find anywhere. The trail is often 4-5 inches deep in mud as it winds along on the hillside above three mountain lakes with tree roots threading through the trail making footing dubious at best. Steep, rocky hillside trails no more than a couple feet wide give you pause when you think about what a misstep by your trail horse or pack horse might mean. And then there is the ever constant awareness that we are in grizzly bear country, and the chances of a bear encounter of some sort are very good. In past years, I have had a fair amount of anxiety just riding in and out!

Earlier in the year, I ordered a custom saddle from Steele Custom Trail Saddles in McEwen, TN. They graciously provided a demo that I rode extensively during the summer, and they allowed me to borrow it for our hunting trip. I had the Outlaw Steele Saddle which I think is the most secure saddle they build. The difference was amazing. The high swell and cantle gave me such a secure seat regardless of the terrain we were challenged with on the trail. Having that saddle during this trip was priceless! My whole attitude about the ride was different. I didn’t have to worry about staying in the saddle and rode for hours with no discomfort. In my old saddle (which didn’t fit me or my horse), my knees and seat always hurt by the end of the day and I would constantly be re-positioning as I rode. With my Steele demo saddle, it fit so well I would ride for hours and not squirm at all. I can’t wait to get the custom Steele Saddle version. This saddle has changed my riding life forever, and I would recommend it to anyone!

Thank you Eric and Fred, for making such a quality product! – LeeAnne Bell, Lander, WY
10/26/2015 Testimonial

I am amazed at the quality and their patience at Steele Saddle

I was in the market for a new saddle, like my vehicles, I keep and use everything until it wears out. I’ve had a Tucker Troop for 20 yrs that I loved. But it was time to let it become my backup saddle. I intended to replace it with another Tucker Trooper, but discovered the quality of the leather was not the same. So I did a lot of research on the type of saddle I wanted. I was not happy with anything I had seen. Then in May 2015 I was camping at a friend’s place and she had just gotten a Steele Mountaineer Trail Saddle and it was just what I was looking for. I called & talked with Eric and he was really patient with me. I had a lot of questions. He sent me out a demo and I was very impressed with the 12 step program. I am so amazed that Eric can tell so much about how to fit the tree to a horse by looking at the pictures you take. I included 1 of the 12 pictures he asks you to take.

I Ordered the saddle and Pad. Looking forward to receiving this fine saddle. My husband says Merry Christmas 🙂 BOY, did he get off easy!! LOL – BJ Horton De Leon Springs Florida

Nothing worked for my hard to fit horse until the Steele Mountaineer Trail Saddle

My story is bittersweet. I tried EVERYTHING – NOTHING WORKED until I purchased a Steele Mountaineer Trail Saddle about 8 years ago or so for my very HARD to fit Missouri Fox Trotter. She was tall and lean and I couldn’t get a saddle to fit. EVERY saddle I tried slid back at least 3 inches. She had a very high wither. I did 50 mile Competitive Trail Rides with NATRC and I could not afford to have this horses back rubbed or injured by poor fitting equipment. I reluctantly contacted Steele Saddles (I say reluctant because nothing ever worked!) and they were extremely kind and very encouraging.

I did everything they instructed me to do, to the letter, I received a demo saddle. I used it, testing it to the extremes of hills and hard terrain. Oh my gosh! I used it completely without a breast collar or crupper and it didn’t move an inch, then I used it with my crupper to see if it really didn’t move…it didn’t! I didn’t have to re-tighten my crupper at all! Not even an inch! I didn’t want to send the demo back I offered to pay full new price!!! But it wasn’t mine.

I actually was sick sending that demo back, but in return, weeks later I got the neatest saddle I have ever owned. I loved my saddle, I showed it off all the time!

Sadly to say I decided to sell my Missouri Fox Trotter, with her went my lovely wonderful saddle. It was honestly her saddle. No other saddle ever fit, it wouldn’t be fair to my sweet horse to have a new owner with an ill fitting saddle.=

My story is bitter-sweet. I love and miss my horse and my prized Steele Saddle, but there is one heck of a happy horse out there!

— Rochelle Gribler, Sugar-N-Spice Kennels
www.cattledogsulove.com

BEST PHOTO CONTEST, MEET THE WINNERS

We asked our riders for their best photos of their Steele on…a Gaited | Non-Gaited | Mule with the prize our new Custom Steele Leather Saddle Bags. Our point? Steele Trail Saddles fit 85% of ALL breeds! It was a hard choice! We want to thank everyone who sent us great photos and testimonials. We read each of them and once again it wasn’t easy so we have 5 winners instead of the 3 as planned but couldn’t be happier. Meet our winners!

GAITED HORSE WINNER LAURA HARK-PLUMLEY who rides twice daily 6 days a week on rough mountain trails! Read Full Story Here

NON-GAITED HORSE WINNER MICHAEL MURRAY who trains horses “and his grandson” to ride with his Steele, competes in cowboy mounted shooting contests, and simply enjoys riding! Read Full Story Here

BEST GAITED HORSE WINNER, KERRI HUMPHREYS who rides all over the country and competes in obstacle course competitions plus is known to let people just “hop up” into her Steele saddle to try it on the trail! Read Full Story Here

BEST NON-GAITED HORSE WINNER, MICHELLE AUTRY one of our new Steele saddle riders who loves the fact that she no longer needs a gel set cover! Read Full Story Here

BEST MULE PHOTO, FLO BRIMSTEIN happy mule – happy rider! Flo competes in her Steele saddle and trail rides with two mules and sent us photos of both! Read Full Story Here