The Best Saddle Rack For Your Horse's Tack

Support Your Saddle and Tack Without Dents

• Avoid saddle rack styles that indent the leather for English tacks, especially those that usually have flocking and padding. Foam is more forgiving, but those dents will interfere with saddle fit and your horse’s comfort over time.

• There are many ways to avoid denting your tack with padding, old saddle pads, or shopping for a new style.

Dented flocking will alter the way your saddle fits on your horse.

Styles of saddle rack

Whatever type of saddle you have, there are dozens of options available.

Saddle stands

• Stands with shelves or bins below for grooming tools, miscellaneous horse tack, and saddle pads are great for horse shows.
• Mobile stands with rollers are even handier for shows. 
• These may also have hooks for lead ropes, halters, and bridles.

Wall-mounted

• These can be as simple as a powder-coated frame or a piece of wood that flips down when not used.
• Some wall mounts have hooks underneath for girths, leads, and bridles.
• You can always use an old mailbox, too. Those are sometimes better for bridles.

This wall-mounted saddle rack that slips over a wall goes from your home tack room to the horse show, easy peasy. 

English vs. Western Saddle Racks

• There are not many differences between Western and English saddle stands or racks. It’s usually a matter of size. Some saddle racks with long, wide planks for a Western saddle may be too wide for an English one.

• Western saddles can be much longer than a jumping or dressage saddle and may need extra length to support the skirt.

Protect your saddle’s flocking with a towel, a numnah, or pipe insulation.

This inexpensive pipe insulation can mold to the shape of your saddle racks for maximum protection!

Go Simple and Add Protection

• A simple piece of wood is perhaps my favorite saddle rack. It’s easy to make and install, you can flip it down when not in use, and it holds your saddle down the gullet. BUT – your saddle’s gullet may not be like this, so you can always cover the piece of wood with a saddle pad, pipe insulation, or a fuzzy numnah.

They are simple and fold up nicely if you need to make room when they are not holding a saddle. This style is great for cross ties and barn aisles.

Folds right up!

• Use padding over the rack. This is cost-effective and easy to do with pipe insulation from the hardware store.

• Place your saddle pads under the saddle. Ideally, your saddle pad is clean, dry, and thick. An old, unused western pad has quite a bit of squish to make this possible.

• Fuzzy or sheepskin numnahs and other pads with natural fabrics will also dent over time, interfering with their fit and letting the saddle rack begin to dent the panels.

Accessories, Bridle Holders, and More

• Having some extra bells and whistles for your other tack helps, too.

• Avoid using hooks for extended periods if you hang anything, especially leather tack. A row of bridle holders that are rounded and broad to mimic your horse’s head makes for a tidy tack room.

• Have a designated area for cleaning tack, maybe even under your saddle rack with wall mounting.

Your saddle’s flocking will not be “dented” with this style of saddle rack. Reflocking a saddle takes the expertise of a saddle fitter.

Now you can shop around and see what serves you best!