The Martin Guardian: The Saddle That Helps You Ride Correct
One of Martin’s lightest saddles, the Guardian offers added security for riders on horses that drop hard, spook, or get quick underneath them. Its larger, undercut swells provide a place to hold with the thighs, while the seat and foot placement help riders stay centered through sudden moves and changes of direction. From developing young horses to running poles, the Guardian provides front-end support without preventing riders from getting up out of the seat when needed.
Jayci rides the Guardian because it gives her room in the seat and the swell. On her futurity horses, that lets her feel out each horse and sit down in the turn. Her futurity mare likes to get in the ground, so Jayci needs a deeper seat and enough room for her legs to come forward. The front of the Guardian keeps her legs from going too far forward or too far back, so she’s secure but not trapped. She can sit square, push her mare over with her inside leg, and use her outside foot to bring her around without it slipping back into the back cinch. In Jayci’s words, she hasn’t moved, but her mare can still move freely.
Why Kimmi Byler Rides a Guardian
“It’s a favorite for riders of any age who want extra support when a horse drops into the turn.”
Kimmi helped design the Guardian when her daughter was starting out in junior high rodeo. Martin built it on the BTR and changed the swells to add an undercut, so she can sit in a 13-inch tree with plenty of leg room underneath. When a horse drops into the turn, she says the Guardian “seat belts you in” without strings or Velcro. She can grip with her swells instead of getting hung into her horse. Kimmi usually rides her FX3, but when a horse is droppy, front-endy, or a colt that wants to jump out from underneath her, she switches to the Guardian. It sits her square and keeps her locked in, without getting behind.
Train Your Body to Stay Square and Centered
The Guardian’s supportive seat and undercut swells encourage a square, centered position, helping you practice consistent riding habits and stay with horses that move quickly underneath you.
Keep Your Body Square
The Guardian encourages a square, centered position, helping riders build consistent habits and use their body and feet to guide their horse.
Support When Horses Move
The supportive swell gives riders a place to hold when a horse spooks or moves quickly underneath them, helping them stay in the middle rather than tip forward.
Room to Hold
The cutaway swells let riders bring their legs up and hold beneath the swell while keeping their feet where they need them through a barrel turn or pole pattern.
Get Up and Out
The Guardian offers support without trapping riders in the seat, allowing them to get up and move with their horse when leaving a barrel or pole.
Jayci Byler
Why she picks the Guardian: Jayci rides the Guardian because it lets her sit deep and square while giving her room to feel out her futurity horses. It keeps her feet where she needs them to shape her horse through the turn, so she can hold her position and still move her horse freely without feeling trapped.
Secure, Not Trapped
Jayci likes that the Guardian keeps her secure without locking her in. She can hold her position while still moving her mare freely.
Sit Deep and Square
When her horses get into the ground, Jayci needs to sit down to help them engage in the turns. The Guardian gives her room to sit deep while keeping them square.
Feet Where I Need Them
Jayci can use her inside and outside feet to shape her horses through the turn without letting her foot slip behind her toward the back cinch.
Room to Feel
The room in the seat and swells lets Jayci feel out her futurity horses and adjust as needed without losing her position.
Kimmi Byler
Why she picks the Guardian: Kimmi rides the Guardian because it seat-belts her in when a horse drops into the turn, so she stays square and secure without getting behind. The undercut swells give her leg room and something to grip instead of getting hung into her horse. That makes it her go-to for droppy horses and colts that want to jump out from underneath her.
Support Where You Need It
For riders who don’t have as much core strength, whether they’re just starting out or have been riding for years, the Guardian adds support and catches you when a horse drops into the turn.
Extra Leg Room
The undercut swells give your legs extra room, even in a smaller 13-inch tree.
Grip, Don’t Hang
You grip with the swells instead of getting hung into your horse, so your hips stay centered and you stay balanced through the turn.
Square, Not Behind
It keeps you square and locked in, so you don’t get left behind when a colt gets quick or tries to jump out from underneath you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Guardian only for kids?
No. While the Guardian was originally developed with youth riders in mind, it’s also a great option for adults who want added front-end support and help maintaining a square, centered position.
Is the Guardian one of your lightest barrel saddles?
Yes, the Guardian is one of our lightest barrel saddle options, making it a great choice when saddle weight is a priority. Confirm the weight of your chosen saddle, since its configuration affects the total weight.
How does the Guardian help me hold my position?
The Guardian combines a secure seat with a substantial swell and leg cutouts. Its forward-rigged fenders feature our patented Stirrup Positioning Rig Slot (SPRS®), helping keep your feet forward and your seat in the pocket.
Does the Guardian provide support without making me feel trapped?
The Guardian provides support without locking you into the seat. You have room to sit deep and square, use your feet to guide your horse, and get up out of the saddle when leaving a barrel or pole.
Can I size down in the Guardian?
The cutaway swells provide leg room that may allow you to size down a half to a full seat size while still having room to hold beneath the swell. The right seat size depends on your individual fit and riding position.
Build Your Guardian
Choose your seat size, leather, tooling and finish, and we'll build a Guardian made for you and your horse.
