THE SADDLE FILES / MODEL REVIEW
Big Horn Center Fire 117–120 review: identify the size before the fit
The Big Horn Center Fire family appeals through easy handling and a simple trail layout. Its listing mixes several model numbers and conflicting seat details, so the first job is identifying the actual saddle.
In the saddle: at a glance
RIDER PRIORITIES / EQUIPMENT / OWNER EVIDENCE
KEY FEATURES
- Center-fire rigging
- Semi-quarter-horse bar description
- Leather and Cordura construction
- Approximately 18 lb listed
YOUR RIDING PRIORITIES
- Consider it for
- Riders seeking a lightweight center-fire endurance configuration
- The tradeoff
- The shared listing does not resolve every numbered variant.
- Before committing
- Confirm model number and seat size.
PROS
- The low lifting effort has owner support.
- The center-fire layout worked well for one horse’s elbows.
- The family has positive repeat-purchase history.
CONS
- A replacement felt wider than the earlier saddle.
- Seat shape and decoration did not satisfy every buyer.
Endurance-saddle assessment
Research judgments · 5-point scale · Horse fit is not scored
Short reports and ambiguous taller-seat request do not support a confident position score.
Independent owners report manageable handling.
Long-use history concerns earlier family examples.
One favorable center-fire account cannot settle current family equipment quality.
How to read these bars
Research judgments from original owner evidence. Fit, medical outcomes and competition performance are not scored. Historical and custom configurations remain qualified.
1: serious shortcomings; 2: drawbacks outweigh benefits; 3: mixed experience or setup tradeoffs; 4: repeated positives with caveats; 5: strong consistent evidence without a material unresolved limitation. Not rated means evidence is insufficient. These scores are not averaged into an overall star rating.
Read the original owner accounts117, 118, 119 and 120 are not one interchangeable specification
The selector identifies 117 and 118 as 16-inch offers, and 119 and 120 as 15-inch offers. Elsewhere the specification says 16 inches. It also supplies different skirt dimensions for 117 and 120, without filling out the complete family matrix.
| Item | Captured information | Before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| Seat | Selector: 117/118 at 16 inches; 119/120 at 15 inches | Confirm the model stamp and offered seat. |
| Skirt | 117: 26 × 10½ inches; 120: 25 × 14 inches | Verify the actual variant dimensions. |
| Tree | Semi-quarter-horse bars in the description | Assess the actual tree rather than converting the label into a gullet measurement. |
Repeat buying still calls for a fresh fitting
The recent replacement owner felt more width than in the previous saddle. That matters alongside the positive long-term family accounts: familiarity with the name is not confirmation of identical fit.
For a related construction with a different bar description and rigging, compare the Big Horn 122. Its full-quarter-horse and ⅞-position descriptions should remain distinct from this family’s semi-quarter-horse and center-fire arrangement.
Pros & Cons Analysis
Pros
- A rider changing from a heavy Western saddle describes easy lifting onto a Thoroughbred. Another values the leather-and-Cordura combination. These accounts support trying its handling, while the 18 lb figure remains an approximate merchant specification.
- An owner describes a comfortable fit on a Thoroughbred and appreciates where the cinch sits. That is a useful configuration observation, not evidence that center-fire rigging will solve every horse’s girth placement.
- Two owners returned to this general design after using earlier examples. One still uses an older saddle, but neither account verifies unchanged construction across all 117–120 variants.
Cons
- The owner says they made it work with a different pad. Treat that as a warning to reassess a replacement, not an instruction to correct an unsuitable tree through padding.
- Two same-day posts under the same name mention wanting a taller seat and disliking the decoration. The intended seat change is unclear, and the posts are treated as one possible ownership history.
Confirm the numbered saddle, then judge the Center Fire
Your next ride
Shortlist the center-fire layout when it matches your fitting needs.
The shared listing does not resolve every numbered variant.
Match the label to the saddle
Use these as reminders during your trial or seller conversation.
- Confirm model number and seat size.
- Measure the actual skirt and assess fit.
- Compare the replacement directly with any older saddle.
How this changes the recommendation
The family is worth considering for a manageable lift and a center-fire configuration. Choose only after the seller reconciles the seat and skirt details for the exact number offered. Repeat-owner praise is encouraging, but the report of a wider replacement makes a fresh fitting essential.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is model 120 a 15- or 16-inch seat?
The captured selector lists model 120 at 15 inches, while the general specification says 16 inches. Confirm the actual model and seat with the seller; the conflict is not resolved here.
Is this the same setup as the Big Horn 122?
No. The captured Center Fire family describes semi-quarter-horse bars and center-fire rigging, while the 122 describes a fuller bar option and ⅞-position rigging. Exact fit still needs assessment.
Technical Specifications
| Model / scope | Big Horn Center Fire family 117/118/119/120; variant selection required Merchant |
|---|---|
| Intended use | Endurance / trail Merchant |
| Seat sizes | Conflict: selector 117/118 = 16 in and 119/120 = 15 in; general specification says 16 in Merchant |
| Seat construction | Grainout padded Merchant |
| Cantle height | 4 in; 1½-inch Cheyenne-roll binding Merchant |
| Tree construction | Fiberglass-covered wood; 12-inch endurance front Merchant |
| Tree / bar options | Semi-quarter-horse bars Merchant |
| Published gullet width | Not verified in captured exact-model documentation |
| Main materials | Smooth leather jockeys; Cordura nylon skirts and rear housings; fleece lining Merchant |
| Rigging | Western-style center fire; stainless steel ring and dees Merchant |
| Skirt length | Model 120: 25 in; model 117: 26 in; other variants unspecified Merchant |
| Skirt drop | Model 120: 14 in; model 117: 10½ in Merchant |
| Swell width | 12-inch endurance front; measurement basis unspecified Merchant |
| Horn dimensions / type | Not verified in captured exact-model documentation |
| Published saddle weight | Approximately 18 lb; equipment basis unspecified Merchant |
| Hardware | Stainless steel rings/dees; leather conchos Merchant |
| Included equipment | Not verified in captured exact-model documentation |
| Distance-riding subtype | Western hornless endurance style Merchant |
| Stirrup system / footbed | Ralide with laced leather foot pad; 2-inch leather-reinforced nylon straps; 17½ × 7½-inch fenders Merchant |
| Equipment attachment points | Four eye loops, six clips/dees, breast collar dees, back-strap/crupper dee Merchant |
| Bearing-surface length | Not verified in captured exact-model documentation |
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