**Interest is accrued during the promotional periods, but all interest is waived if the purchase balance is paid in full within 12 month. Minimum of $750 cart total.
The PEAK Performance™ saddle line is designed and ridden by Julie Goodnight. She is a trainer, clinician, host of the TV show Horse Master with Julie Goodnight, and she’s on the Advisory Board of the Western Dressage Association of America. Drawing from her varied background in English and Western riding and her strong upbringing in classical riding, Goodnight recognizes that regardless of discipline a balanced position for the rider and fit for the horse are fundamental. Goodnight’s saddles provide a correct seat, narrow twist, close contact feel, and absolute comfort for both horse and rider to make them the perfect multi-use performance saddles. Equally suitable for the arena, show ring, or on the trail, the Peak Performance™ saddles are great for trail riding, reining, cow work, and Western Dressage.
This round skirted saddle is ideal for trail riding. Beautiful hand tooling and contrasting black seat and black strings make this one gorgeous saddle. With the Flex2® tree technology, it conforms to the horse’s back while providing rider weight distribution and is light weight. Flex2® skirts have a shock absorbing neoprene filler for the horse and rider’s comfort; skirt has a close contact design for precise cueing, a Slip-Not™ skirt liner for easy care with XPG™ gel bar pad for your horse’s comfort, Impact Foam seat with narrow twist and broad pocket for all-day comfort, Softee® seat jockeys and fenders provides a “ready to ride” saddle to minimize rider’s knee and ankle strain because they are broke in right from the start. ErgoBalance stirrups™ and pre-twisted stirrup leathers reduce knee and ankle fatigue while promoting balanced riding. Available in Regular Oil finish, Walnut (as shown), or black.
“All the features of the Monarch, with a round skirt to suit close coupled horses. The Flex2® tree allows for plenty of rider support and weight distribution. I am close to the horse in just the right spot on his back for a balanced ride and good control. These are high quality saddles at a great price.” – Julie Goodnight
Flex2® saddles are designed to include comfort features for both the horse and rider that work in synergy with the Flex2® tree. Only Circle Y has the exclusive Flex2® tree design which uses a rigid ground seat for rider support, a high density bar which disperses rider weight, and low density bar which is against the horse and provides give for freedom of movement. This results in a lightweight saddle that will never get wider over time, flex in half, or overflex to create pressure points if properly fitted. Give yourself and your horse the lightweight comfort you’ve been craving!
Proper saddle fit is first priority. Use these general guidelines to help you decide which tree fit your horse needs.
Medium: recommended for a horse with a defined wither
Wide: recommended for a horse with a round, or mutton, wither
This round skirted saddle is ideal for trail riding. Beautiful hand tooling and contrasting black seat and black strings make this one gorgeous saddle. With the Flex2® tree technology, it conforms to the horse’s back while providing rider weight distribution and is light weight. Flex2® skirts have a shock absorbing neoprene filler for the horse and rider’s comfort; skirt has a close contact design for precise cueing, a Slip-Not™ skirt liner for easy care with XPG™ gel bar pad for your horse’s comfort, Impact Foam seat with narrow twist and broad pocket for all-day comfort, Softee® seat jockeys and fenders provides a “ready to ride” saddle to minimize rider’s knee and ankle strain because they are broke in right from the start. ErgoBalance stirrups™ and pre-twisted stirrup leathers reduce knee and ankle fatigue while promoting balanced riding. Available in Regular Oil finish, Walnut (as shown), or black.
Additional information
Tree Type
Flex2 PP Regular and Wide
Swell Width
13"
Discipline
Trail
Cantle Height
3 1/2"
Weight
32 pounds
Seat Material
Black Grainout
Skirt
13" D x 27" L
Tooling
Leaf with Border
Rigging
3-Way Adjustable In-skirt
Horn
2 1/4" Neck x 3" Cap
Hardware
Silver on Silver
Color
Walnut, Regular Oil, Black
Seat Size
14", 15", 15 1/2", 16", 17"
2 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5
Kathy Duda –
My husband bought me this saddle for a Christmas present and do I ever LOVE it. Over the years I’ve had and rode in many different saddles and by far this is my favorite. Very cushy and comfortable. My horses seem to enjoy it also. Several friends have test ridden it and love it also. Keep it up Circle Y. Baby boomers are sure to find this the ultimate trail saddle.
Rated 5 out of 5
Dr. Poitras –
I’ve had horses for over 20 years and the Circle-Y Flex 2 Julie Goodnight Trail/Performance saddle is hands-down the best saddle I’ve ever ridden in! Firstly, I do not endorse Circle-Y in any way but I am giving you my true honest opinion about this amazing saddle.
I think we can all agree that saddle shopping is incredibly time consuming; fun at first then after weeks of research and trying on dozens of saddles, you just feel exhausted. In fact, it took me less time to research and find the right SUV because I didn’t have the comfort of a large animal that couldn’t talk to think about. Perhaps this isn’t the right saddle for you or your horse but hopefully this review will encourage you to consider it/try it out. At the very least I hope it sheds light on the unique properties of this saddle and misconception that all “Flex-type” trees are taboo.
Being a doctor, I am a huge advocate of research and the opinion of subject matter experts is of the utmost importance. My certified Horse Therapist and Saddle Fitter were skeptical of the Circle-Y Flex 2 saddle at first, given the unreliable history of the original flex saddles made by numerous companies, but were extremely impressed after looking at how the Circle-Y Flex 2 was made. In fact their entire opinion changed because they took the time to research and learn about the materials and build. The fact that the core of the Flex-2 (seat, cantle and forks) are made of rigid material makes the Flex 2 unique to all other “flex” saddles on the market; this saddle is durable and solid. Historically the “original flex saddles” has a rigid fork and cantle but the base/seat was flexible or the whole tree was flexible with no solid components and you could literally fold the seat to some degree. This is why most people think flex saddles are not good. Unfortunately, he word “flex” is still associated with this belief because they are not properly informed or are ignorant to advancements in technology as seen with the Circle-Y Flex 2 saddle. All that said, with the Circle-Y Flex 2, the tree is SOLID with only the outer edges of the tree and bars being the flexible components. The flexible components are two different materials fashioned in a way to allow movement of your horses’ shoulders and back without collapsing and causing your horse discomfort. The SOLID tree is key for stability and makes this saddle unique to all other “flex” type saddles out there! If this is confusing, watch the videos with Julie Goodnight for a visual explanation. There is also a video where a woman stands/practically skate boards on the tree showing the parts of the saddle that are flexible and demonstrates how durable The Flex 2 actually is. In fact, the Flex 2 is so different from the traditional/ first generation flex trees that I honestly believe it should have a category name of its own. I think that Circle-Y could have avoided many misconceptions or skepticisms if they had called the technology something else because it is build radically different than the traditional flex saddles but with the same idea in mind.
I do not believe in one-size fits all because that never works for me so I do not expect that it would work for my horse. My mare is what I like to call a little tank; 14.3hh, very wide, short backed, slightly downhill, and practically no whithers. An absolute nightmare to saddle fit. She is also the ultimate “crank-pot” if something with her gear is not right. We mainly do western pleasure, reining and trail riding. In addition, she injured her left shoulder after taking a spill in a gofer hole about a year ago and although she is a lot better, there is still a noticeable difference on that left side when riding. Also, I have not been able to ride this horse without some type of ear-pinning for 2 years. Not in this saddle! Let me explain why this saddle is right for her:
A) Short skirt was ideal for her short back and didn’t interfere with her hips;
B) The wide FQHB fits her like a dream and allows for proper shoulder movement and flexibility. Other saddles with FQHB seemed to fit her but she was far stiffer to ride. The flexibility of the Flex 2 bars allowed her to move her shoulders freely and her performance was astounding in comparison to anything else I’ve ever had on her. She can lift her back a lot easier with this saddle as well.
C) The fact that the rigging for the girth could be positioned more posteriorly allowed for increased shoulder movement as well.
D) The “gel” inserts below the saddle I believe to be helpful with impact, especially as she has a lot of lift in her lope.
It was clear that my horse loved working in this saddle! But was it right for me? Yes in so many ways! Firstly, due to many years of playing sports, my hip flexors are tight and knees often get sore after riding for even 30 minutes in any saddle. I can ride for over 2 hours in this saddle and not feel stiff or sore because the seat is narrow and the leather is so soft! You literally have to sit in the saddle to believe how comfortable it is. The seat is made of memory foam so your butt feels great; a rarity with saddles! Another feature I love is that the leather skirt is slightly cut away under the stirrup to allow for close contact and better cueing to your horse. I can literally use this saddle for all three of my disciplines and it is so pretty. I am going to have custom silver added to the saddle to “jazz-it-up” for the show ring and make it even more unique.
After seeing one in person, you can’t argue with how well built the saddle is. I looked at so many saddles with crooked trees and the only asymmetry my saddle fitter could find with this saddle was that the horn was ever so slightly to the left, which luckily affects nothing. She said, “I can’t believe I’m saying this about a “flex-tree” but I’m really impressed with how symmetrical this saddle is and how well built it is. I thought it was like the traditional flex tree saddles. But I was obviously misinformed; this saddle (Circle-Y Flex 2) won’t collapse because all components of the tree are solid. It is so rare that I see a straight saddle. This is a really good saddle!”
Food for thought: As this is a new technology, there are no long-term/20 year studies on the durability of the Circl-Y Flex 2 saddle in comparison to the traditional wood tree saddle. However, given the materials used to make the Flex 2, I believe and my saddle fitter believes it has great potential for long-term success. Only time will tell.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a comfortable high-performance saddle, I highly recommend giving this one a try. It has literally taken my riding to a whole new level of comfort and performance.
Julie Goodnight PEAK Performance wool saddle pads from Circle Y. The Round Skirt Shape fits the 1750 and 1760 saddles. Made from genuine wool felt- the preferred material for pads. Naturally absorbs shock and wicks away moisture keeping your horse cool and comfortable. 3/4″ thick with wear leathers for durability. Choose from gray, black, or chocolate wool with choice of wear leathers to match your saddle. Pad depth measurement front 15″; rear 13″. Wear leather length 14″. 32″ drop, 3/4″ thick.
This is the perfect flank cinch to complement your Julie Goodnight saddle in and out of the arena, made with quality double ply leather for durability and hand tooled with a diamond pattern for style. Billets attach easily to saddle with simple loop attachment.
The Dodge Ranch Sorter saddle by Circle Y is beautifully hand tooled, crafted to withstand the demands of daily work, and has a fiberglass reinforced wood tree. The wood tree is coated in DURAhide to lock out moisture and add an additional layer of strength. Close contact skirt shape for precise cueing. Roughout seat jockeys and fenders for grip. Matching flank cinch set included and latigo tie straps. Six sets of strings to tie all your gear.
Special Features:
Close contact cut out skirt shape for precise cueing
Fiberglass reinforced wood tree suitable for roping
Fully hand tooled
Regular Oil finish with hardseat. Waffle with camo hand tooled border. Antiqued slotted conchos with strings; aluminum stirrups; In-skirt C rigging. Seat sizes 15″,15 1/2″, 16″, 16 1/2″, or 17″ in a wide tree fit.
Correct saddle fit for your horse is paramount. Use these general guidelines to hep you decide which tree fit will work best for your horse. For more detailed information, please view our Saddle Fitting page.
We recommend a Regular tree size for a horse with a defined wither, a Wide for a horse with a round, or mutton wither.
This Circle Y Trail saddle features a unique tree fit designed specifically for the foundation style horse that needs a wider fit from the shoulder to the loin. Wood tree is fiberglass reinforced and DURAhide™ coated which locks out moisture and adds another layer of strength to the tree adding to the longevity of your saddle. It has a close contact round cut out skirt design for precise cueing, Tunnel Skirt™ design to eliminate spinal pressure, 3-Way rigging for multiple rigging options, convenience rings, pre-shaped fenders with metal stirrups, and Impact Foam™ seat for all-day comfort. Apache leather seat has some grip for a great rustic look. Engraved stainless steel conchos resist rust with six sets of strings to tie your gear; deep walnut or rich regular oil finish (shown).
Proper saddle fit is first priority. Use these general guidelines to help you decide which tree fit your horse needs. For more detailed information, please view our Saddle Fitting Guide.
Wide: recommended for the foundation style horse that needs a wider fit from the shoulder to the loin
Designed with barrel racer Tammy Fischer – 5-time NFR qualifier barrel racer, Calgary Stampede, and Rodeo Houston Champion. The treeless design keeps the rider in close contact and allows the horse unrestricted movement. Fleece lined neoprene skirts are flexible, molding to your horse’s shape and bending with your horse in the turns. For the rider that likes a deep seat, the upright swell and cantle keep you secure and positioned. Forward hung stirrup leathers keep your feet from getting behind you and provide the rider great flexibility in the stirrups. Aluminum rubber grip stirrups. “The close contact of my saddle lets the horse and rider connect in a way that traditional saddles can’t“ – Tammy Fischer
1308 features a 2 1/2″ Neck / 1309 features a 3″ Neck-the only difference between the two models so you can choose what horn height suits your riding preference
Saddle Fit: MEDIUM-fits most horses with a defined wither, WIDE fits most horses with a broad, or mutton, wither and foundation type conformation
SPECIAL FEATURES:
• The treeless design with wood swell and cantle, but no solid bars, provides unrestricted movement for the horse, especially important during the turns-the saddle is able to move and flex with the horse
• Ultimate close contact between horse and rider-because there are no bars, the rider is able to feel the horse and better communicate through clear cues
• Leg cut swells provide a place to set your legs, and because there is no rigid tree, the rider can squeeze with your thighs, staying centered and balanced
• Fenders are forward hung to keep your feet in front, but are also free swinging to allow a wide range of motion for the legs when needed
• Neoprene skirts absorb shock and distribute the rider’s weight
• The 5″ cantle and tall swells provide a secure seat. Available with rider’s preference of short or medium horn
• Lightweight design
• Great for the horse that is hard to fit or has conformation issues, the treeless saddle will conform to each horse. Regular fit in general fits horses with a defined wither. Wide fit is generally recommended for horses that are broad or mutton withered
The Circle Y Roughout Trainer has the same tree, seat, and feel as our show saddles. The Equitation seat is built right into the ground seat of each tree to keep you in perfect equitation position. The close contact custom skirt shape allows maximum contact with your horse for precise cueing. Save that beautiful show saddle for the pen and work everyday in with a saddle that has all the training extras you need. All roughout leather and brown suede seat.
Special Features:
Close contact custom skirt shape
Roughout leather for a more secure seat *Note: seat is dark brown suede*
Dees on swells and skirts to accommodate training aids
Available in Regular or Wide Equitation wood DURAhide tree
Correct saddle fit for your horse is paramount. Use these general guidelines to hep you decide which tree fit will work best for your horse. For more detailed information, please view our Saddle Fitting page.
We recommend a Regular tree size for a horse with a defined wither, a Wide for a horse with a round, or mutton wither
Kathy Duda –
My husband bought me this saddle for a Christmas present and do I ever LOVE it. Over the years I’ve had and rode in many different saddles and by far this is my favorite. Very cushy and comfortable. My horses seem to enjoy it also. Several friends have test ridden it and love it also. Keep it up Circle Y. Baby boomers are sure to find this the ultimate trail saddle.
Dr. Poitras –
I’ve had horses for over 20 years and the Circle-Y Flex 2 Julie Goodnight Trail/Performance saddle is hands-down the best saddle I’ve ever ridden in! Firstly, I do not endorse Circle-Y in any way but I am giving you my true honest opinion about this amazing saddle.
I think we can all agree that saddle shopping is incredibly time consuming; fun at first then after weeks of research and trying on dozens of saddles, you just feel exhausted. In fact, it took me less time to research and find the right SUV because I didn’t have the comfort of a large animal that couldn’t talk to think about. Perhaps this isn’t the right saddle for you or your horse but hopefully this review will encourage you to consider it/try it out. At the very least I hope it sheds light on the unique properties of this saddle and misconception that all “Flex-type” trees are taboo.
Being a doctor, I am a huge advocate of research and the opinion of subject matter experts is of the utmost importance. My certified Horse Therapist and Saddle Fitter were skeptical of the Circle-Y Flex 2 saddle at first, given the unreliable history of the original flex saddles made by numerous companies, but were extremely impressed after looking at how the Circle-Y Flex 2 was made. In fact their entire opinion changed because they took the time to research and learn about the materials and build. The fact that the core of the Flex-2 (seat, cantle and forks) are made of rigid material makes the Flex 2 unique to all other “flex” saddles on the market; this saddle is durable and solid. Historically the “original flex saddles” has a rigid fork and cantle but the base/seat was flexible or the whole tree was flexible with no solid components and you could literally fold the seat to some degree. This is why most people think flex saddles are not good. Unfortunately, he word “flex” is still associated with this belief because they are not properly informed or are ignorant to advancements in technology as seen with the Circle-Y Flex 2 saddle. All that said, with the Circle-Y Flex 2, the tree is SOLID with only the outer edges of the tree and bars being the flexible components. The flexible components are two different materials fashioned in a way to allow movement of your horses’ shoulders and back without collapsing and causing your horse discomfort. The SOLID tree is key for stability and makes this saddle unique to all other “flex” type saddles out there! If this is confusing, watch the videos with Julie Goodnight for a visual explanation. There is also a video where a woman stands/practically skate boards on the tree showing the parts of the saddle that are flexible and demonstrates how durable The Flex 2 actually is. In fact, the Flex 2 is so different from the traditional/ first generation flex trees that I honestly believe it should have a category name of its own. I think that Circle-Y could have avoided many misconceptions or skepticisms if they had called the technology something else because it is build radically different than the traditional flex saddles but with the same idea in mind.
I do not believe in one-size fits all because that never works for me so I do not expect that it would work for my horse. My mare is what I like to call a little tank; 14.3hh, very wide, short backed, slightly downhill, and practically no whithers. An absolute nightmare to saddle fit. She is also the ultimate “crank-pot” if something with her gear is not right. We mainly do western pleasure, reining and trail riding. In addition, she injured her left shoulder after taking a spill in a gofer hole about a year ago and although she is a lot better, there is still a noticeable difference on that left side when riding. Also, I have not been able to ride this horse without some type of ear-pinning for 2 years. Not in this saddle! Let me explain why this saddle is right for her:
A) Short skirt was ideal for her short back and didn’t interfere with her hips;
B) The wide FQHB fits her like a dream and allows for proper shoulder movement and flexibility. Other saddles with FQHB seemed to fit her but she was far stiffer to ride. The flexibility of the Flex 2 bars allowed her to move her shoulders freely and her performance was astounding in comparison to anything else I’ve ever had on her. She can lift her back a lot easier with this saddle as well.
C) The fact that the rigging for the girth could be positioned more posteriorly allowed for increased shoulder movement as well.
D) The “gel” inserts below the saddle I believe to be helpful with impact, especially as she has a lot of lift in her lope.
It was clear that my horse loved working in this saddle! But was it right for me? Yes in so many ways! Firstly, due to many years of playing sports, my hip flexors are tight and knees often get sore after riding for even 30 minutes in any saddle. I can ride for over 2 hours in this saddle and not feel stiff or sore because the seat is narrow and the leather is so soft! You literally have to sit in the saddle to believe how comfortable it is. The seat is made of memory foam so your butt feels great; a rarity with saddles! Another feature I love is that the leather skirt is slightly cut away under the stirrup to allow for close contact and better cueing to your horse. I can literally use this saddle for all three of my disciplines and it is so pretty. I am going to have custom silver added to the saddle to “jazz-it-up” for the show ring and make it even more unique.
After seeing one in person, you can’t argue with how well built the saddle is. I looked at so many saddles with crooked trees and the only asymmetry my saddle fitter could find with this saddle was that the horn was ever so slightly to the left, which luckily affects nothing. She said, “I can’t believe I’m saying this about a “flex-tree” but I’m really impressed with how symmetrical this saddle is and how well built it is. I thought it was like the traditional flex tree saddles. But I was obviously misinformed; this saddle (Circle-Y Flex 2) won’t collapse because all components of the tree are solid. It is so rare that I see a straight saddle. This is a really good saddle!”
Food for thought: As this is a new technology, there are no long-term/20 year studies on the durability of the Circl-Y Flex 2 saddle in comparison to the traditional wood tree saddle. However, given the materials used to make the Flex 2, I believe and my saddle fitter believes it has great potential for long-term success. Only time will tell.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a comfortable high-performance saddle, I highly recommend giving this one a try. It has literally taken my riding to a whole new level of comfort and performance.