Hi all! I have been around horses all my life and I thought I had seen most saddles... until now. My wife brought home a saddle the other day and it has confused me. It is an older Simco saddle. We own a couple Simco's but I have never seen one made like this. Please see pics and let me know what type of saddle this is, what estimated year it was made and what do you think its worth is.

I am thinking it is a roping or ranch saddle, maybe an "old pro"?

Thank you in advance.

Wow, I haven't seen a simco in a long time. It looks to be in good condition. That extremely high swell is odd though and that's what's got me confused.

Thank you AQHA. This is also what has confused me. I do know for fact that it is a Simco, the tag, the flower on the horn,etc... I have totally reconditioned this saddle and refleeced it. The fleece is still is still rough but I plan to trim it this weekend.

I have a guess that it is 50 years old and weighs probably 40 pounds, but again, this is strictly a guess. For its age, I would rate it fairly high in condition. It is extremely comfortable to ride in.

I'd guess if you were to sell it, you could probably get at least $350-$500 for it. But that's just my guess in western saddle selling, someone else might be able to tell you the exact worth of it. It does look comfortable.

I know alot of the older saddles are built better than the new ones, and are very long-enduring. My favorites in the barn are 3 older saddles, and two are over 50 years old. They are all in excellent condition and ride better than any newer saddles that I have.

Quality ground seats will be slightly curved to match the pelvic arch. Low quality seats are flat and can feel like you’re straddling a table. Not a feeling you’re going to enjoy on a long ride. A well-designed ground seat will also be narrower at the front, which allows the rider’s legs to be close to the horse.

The ground seat also has a “slope.” Starting at the handhold and curving towards the cantle, the slope determines where the rider will be positioned on the horse. The lowest point of the seat will be where the rider will sit, which greatly impacts his riding position.


There are a great range of opinions on the “proper” saddle seat slope; some based on different activities (i.e. cutting, roping) and some on personal preference. Most riders will be best served with a relatively flat seat that positions their legs underneath them. This is the most balanced position. Too many saddles have high slopes that tilt a rider back against the cantle and force their legs out in front. This is an out-of-balance position.

1880's Padded seats appear (although not on the rig of any self-respecting working cowboy)
1890's Saddle swells appear. Originally created by adding a type of bucking rolls around the fork. Later evolved into swells that were incorporated into the fork. Purpose is to prevent the rider's pelvis from slamming against the fork on a bucking horse.
1910 Deeply undercut swell appears. Was supposed to create security, but could be difficult to get out of and very dangerous
1930's The excessive slanting of the seat up the fork starts. Prior to this time, the seat had been relatively flat, a balanced seat. The upward slanting seat tends to force your weight and balance back and your feet forward. Not a great riding position.

Can't tell you exactly what your saddle was designed for but hope this helps.
I have a Benchmark with that same style seat and love mine.

Thank you for the replies. It is a very comfortbale saddle, but does not compare to my Ben Terrell saddle. Without a doubt, this is the most comfortable saddle I have ever sat in. I tend to enjoy and like the older saddles over the new ones. In my opinion, better quality and these saddles were made by horse people with care.