Billy Royal Work and Ranch Saddles

Billy Royal work and ranch saddles are the plain-spoken end of the range. They share the custom wooden tree, hand-padded seat and stainless steel hardware found elsewhere, but they trade silver trim for roughout leather, rigging that handles training aids, and fenders that adjust quickly.

Roughout or smooth leather

Roughout is leather with the flesh side turned out, so it grips the rider and hides scuffs. It needs brushing, not conditioning. Smooth leather shows tooling clearly and takes oil, but it also shows scratches. Most Billy Royal work saddles pick one finish, and one model mixes them.

Pro Work Saddle II

The listing is the most detailed in the group. It describes a sheepskin lining across the entire underside for breathability and resistance to crushing, and states a 6 1/2" gullet width and a skirt of 28 1/2" by 16". The listing also says "lifetime warranty" without spelling out what it covers. Weight appears as 34 pounds in one field and 35 pounds in the description, so confirm before purchase.

Ranch saddles

The Drover and Grizzly are close cousins. Both use a narrower-twist seat for a close contact feel, and both come with a leather tie strap and an off billet. The rigging is the practical difference: in-skirt on the Drover, in-tree on the Grizzly, according to the listings. If you pack the saddle with training aids or a breast collar, rigging matters more than tooling, so read the listing carefully.

Square skirt for work and show

A square skirt gives a classic silhouette. The Basketweave Square Skirt listing positions the saddle as tough enough for everyday use but tooled enough for the show ring. It is the one model in this group that names its bars: semi quarter horse. Semi quarter horse bars are a narrower profile than full quarter horse bars, which is why they suit a wider range of builds. Gullet and bars explains how to think about that.

Choosing for the job

• Long days in brush or on cattle: roughout is forgiving, and the Pro Work II adds the sheepskin lining.
• Training young horses: look for training rings or D-rings and stainless rigging. The Two-Tone Roughout and Tucson Reining listings state them.
• Ranch classes: the Grizzly listing names ranch riding, cow horse, sorting and versatility ranch horse.
• Mixed use: the Basketweave Square Skirt covers work and light show use.

Care in short

Roughout wants a brush and a cover; smooth leather wants occasional conditioning. Details are in Roughout care and Oiling smooth leather.

What we can't confirm

• Only the Pro Work Saddle II listing gives a gullet width in text. For the other work and ranch saddles, ask before buying instead of guessing.
• Skirt dimensions are published for few models, so compare carefully if your horse has a short back.
• "Pre-turned" and "broken-in feel" describe design intent. Break-in time depends on the rider and the leather.

Models this applies to

Pro Work Saddle II, Two-Tone Roughout, Basketweave Square Skirt, Drover Ranch and Grizzly Ranch, as linked above.