The Honest Answer
A saddle is worth what a knowledgeable buyer in the right market will pay for it today — not what you paid for it, not what similar ones are listed for online, and not what a generalist appraiser thinks. The western performance saddle market is specific: NRHA and NCHA buyers know the makers, the models, and the condition tells. The ranges on this page reflect what saddles are actually selling for in that community, not asking prices.
Value by Maker
Used Market Ranges — All Conditions
Ranges reflect good to excellent condition examples. Poor condition, broken trees, or heavy silver damage reduce values significantly. See condition multipliers below.
| Maker | Discipline | Used Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donn Leson | Reining | $6,000–$8,000 | Reinmaker commands top of range. TVB models run $6,000–$7,000. Supply is limited; clean examples sell quickly. |
| Bob’s Custom — Bob Avila Signature | Reining | $4,500–$6,500 | Full silver package drives the upper end. Verify both the Bob Avila and Bob’s Custom fender stamps. B17-120M and similar production codes sit mid-range. |
| Superior Saddlery — MR Reiner / Casey Deary | Reining | $5,000–$6,500 | SYMMETREES™ tree protects resale. MR Reiner at top; Casey Deary mid-range. Signature name and condition are the value drivers. |
| Pinnacle / Andreas Maschke | Reining | $4,500–$6,500 | Scarce in the used market. Collector demand overlaps with competitor demand. Full silver examples command premium. |
| Bob’s Custom — KR Lady Reiner | Reining | $4,000–$5,500 | Underpriced relative to build quality. Purpose-built women’s competition saddle. Demand from competitive non-pro women is real and consistent. |
| Superior Saddlery — Schmersal / Vanlandingham / McCutcheon | Reining | $2,500–$5,000 | Signature name and condition determine placement within range. All three have active collector and competitor markets. |
| Martin Saddlery — Trevor Dare Signature | Reining | $3,500–$5,500 | Full silver package required to reach upper range. Martin production entry models are not in the same conversation as signature builds. |
| Kyle Tack | Reining | $3,000–$4,500 | Consistently undervalued relative to build quality. Excellent tree integrity record. Strong buy for competitive riders who care more about riding than the name. |
| Bob’s Custom — Production Models | Reining | $1,500–$3,000 | B14, B16, B99 and similar model codes. Honest working saddles. Seat jockey stitching is the common wear point to check. |
| Andrea Maschke | Reining | $2,000–$3,000 | Less common in market than Pinnacle builds. Original 2004 examples carry provenance value for collectors. |
| Roohide | Reining | $2,000–$3,500 | 17” seat size commands a scarcity premium. Large-seat reining saddles are genuinely hard to find from any credentialed builder. |
| Equine Oasis / Tim Bauer | Reining | $2,000–$3,500 | Custom builder with regional following. Less name recognition than Bob’s Custom or Kyle Tack in a national market. |
| Superior Saddlery — Ranch Rider Deluxe | Ranch Riding | $4,500–$5,500 | AQHA Ranch Riding competition build. Elephant seat, full floral tooling. SYMMETREES™ tree holds geometry and protects resale. |
| Bob’s Custom — Lady Cowhorse | Cow Horse | $3,500–$5,500 | Brand new examples at top of range. Purpose-built NRCHA three-event crossover. Strong demand from cow horse community. |
| Teddy Johnson | Cutting | $900–$1,500 | Documented NCHA competition history adds value. Woolskin lining condition is a key factor. Texas-built, NCHA community known. |
| Calvin Allen | Cutting / Ranch | $1,500–$2,500 | Weatherford, TX provenance. Ranch cutter crossover design. Honest working saddle with real maker reputation in cutting and ranch communities. |
| SRS | Ranch | $1,200–$1,800 | Working ranch tool. Back cinch and full rigging included. Value driven by condition and completeness of equipment. |
| Rios Bros. | Reining / Roping | $400–$1,200 | Production western builder. Lower end of performance saddle market. Any structural issues significantly reduce value; a broken tree makes it unsaleable. |
Condition
How Condition Moves Value
The ranges above assume good to excellent condition. Here’s what each condition tier means to market value, expressed as a rough multiplier on the “excellent” baseline.
What Destroys Value
Value Killers & Value Boosters
Value Killers
Broken Tree
The single largest value destroyer. A broken tree reduces a $5,000 saddle to salvage parts. Always check before buying or pricing.
Cracked Leather at Stress Points
Fender fold cracks, jockey seam splits, rigging area cracking. Surface wear is normal. Structural cracking at stress points is not repairable without major work.
Missing Maker Stamp
On a Bob Avila, Casey Deary, or any signature build — no stamp means no premium. The signature value is not transferable without authentication.
Replaced or Mismatched Silver
Original silver packages have matched engraving and maker markings. Replaced hardware with mismatched conchos or generic silver knocks significant value off a show-quality build.
Heavy Mold Damage
Mold penetrates leather grain and cannot be fully reversed. A saddle stored improperly in humid conditions may look acceptable on the surface and be compromised structurally.
Incorrect Attribution
Claiming a saddle is a signature model it is not. Buyers verify. A misattributed saddle gets rejected, not discounted.
Value Boosters
Documented Competition History
A Teddy Johnson that has been to the NCHA Futurity, a Bob Avila ridden in NRHA open competition — provenance adds real value to buyers who understand it.
Original Purchase Receipt
Confirms maker, model, original price, and date. For collector-tier saddles this matters. For working saddles it is a nice-to-have.
Complete Silver Package
All original conchos, dees, swell plates, and cantle plates present and matching. Nothing replaced or missing. Full packages command meaningfully more than partial.
Correct, Recent Conditioning
Leather that has been maintained properly looks and feels different from leather that has been neglected and recently oiled before sale. Knowledgeable buyers can tell.
SYMMETREES™ Tree
Superior Saddlery’s encapsulated wood tree resists moisture and holds its fit profile. Buyers who understand this pay a premium for it in used Superior saddles.
Large Seat Size (17”)
Large-seat reining saddles from credentialed builders are genuinely scarce. A 17” Roohide or Tim Bauer commands a scarcity premium that a 16” equivalent does not.
Get a Real Number
Want David’s Opinion on Your Specific Saddle?
Send photos to the email below or call. David can give you a straight valuation — what it’s actually worth, what it will actually sell for, and whether consignment through Certified Used Saddles makes sense for your situation.