Origin of Western Saddle could be traced to horsemen of Moorish origin who invaded Spain. The Spanish made their Spanish War Saddle based on the Moorish design. These saddles were introduced into the New World by them after their conquest. These military saddles were modified as Spanish Stock Saddles to be used by cowboys. The present day Western Saddles has derived from these Spanish Saddles.
While buying these , many mistakes are made. We now enumerate the top seven of these mistakes:
Getting misguided by looks
You should not get misguided by the pretty look of a saddle. Quality of saddle material and its construction is much more important than its looks. Pretty look of a saddle may cover up its shoddy construction. Do not fall for them.
Going for wrong image
You should not be carried by images of cowboys and cowgirls you generally encounter. You should not go for the type of saddles they are using. You should go for a saddle which is most suitable for the kind of riding you will be doing.
Going for cheap saddles
Cheap saddles are made from poor quality materials and they are badly made. These saddles would not give you service for a long time. If it is not possible for you to buy a reasonably good new saddle for $500 and upwards, you should go for used saddles instead. Better quality saddles last for a long time and buying them second hand would be a good decision.
You should be knowledgeable about saddles
You should have the basic understanding about a saddle. You should have the experience of riding on various kinds of saddles. You should talk with all knowledgeable people who ride horses before making your choice. You should also find out whether the seller would allow you to return the saddle after you have used the saddle and found it unsatisfactory.
Saddle should be suitable for your horse
You might have located a saddle which is nice looking, made of good material and quite affordable. But, ultimately it should be suitable for your horse. You must ensure that the saddle properly fits with your horse.
You should choose proper size saddles
It is not necessary that every horse should have their individual saddles. You may use single saddle for all them but you should also ensure that the saddle properly fits them.

Check branded saddles before buying
It is always a good idea to buy a branded product. But, it has been found that quality of these branded saddles does not always remain the same and may vary over time. Therefore, you should not buy a branded saddle blindly. Please check its quality before you buy it.