Saddle Identification, Restoration & Repair
Questions and Answers for restoring and repairing saddles and tack, routine maintenance expected and help with the care of antiques or special saddles. Can't identify the maker's mark? Post it here. Interested in the history of your saddle? Ask.
682 topics in this forum
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This is a saddle that came through the Cowboy Antique Roadshow today. It is an unmarked saddle, but we have some suspicions who made it. We have some pics going out to some collectors who might have an idea too. I thought the border was kind of an interesting use of the Carlos border tool. It was stamped adjoining to make the dot in the center of the impressions.
Last reply by Don101, -
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Ok, i do use burgundy latigo, i love the siegel santa Ynez one, but when i repair old, even antique saddles, i'd like to match these old brown latigos and strings, sometime it look ugly with new burgundy strings... Were can i buy quality brown latigo, it look to me to be alun, yellow center. Weaver do carry an indian tan but the weigth is too thin for latigo cinch, probably right for strings...they sell ot for making lace. It say to be not color fast, is that bad for horse skin? I can understand you dot want this if you have a grey horse. And about alun, pure chrome and veg-retanned, what do you preffer? why? What thickness do you use for the latigo cinch (mounting sid…
Last reply by pella, -
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I needed a good saddle that I could use until I can afford to buy a good quality new one. I found this saddle on eBay. It is supposedly a Wyeth. It needs some work but the saddle is solid. I'm trying to figure out how old it could be, what type of work it was meant for, etc. The tooling is rather simple and almost completely worn off in places. The stirrup length is adjusted by running leather strings through the holes. It's probably the widest seat I've ever sat on. The fleece was real wool and it is just completely worn out. It's gotten alot of use and there's some new leather on it. The saddle strings are new as are the conchos which I thought looked cheap so I took t…
Last reply by AndyKnight, -
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Hello, Just bought this saddle would like to know if it is a Bona Allen saddle. No maker but there is a number under the rigging on lower skirt, it is 5151. It does have the 5 petal daisy flower, and some other carving. Can any one help? Thanks, Hot Wire Horse Ranch
Last reply by skip, -
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I'm restoring a barrel saddle for one of my customers, an old Martha Josey 15 1/2" racer. I need to replace the sheepskin on it, it now has synthetic on it and it worn out. I dont know why it was repaired with cheap synthetic fleece, but anyway , thats another discussion we can have over beers one day. I have bought the sheepskin to replace it, have disassembled the saddle skirts,etc., cleaned the old junk fleece off of the skirts, glued the sheepskin on, and am now ready to finish up the sewing job. Since this is my first attempt to do this type of job, Im practicing on an old saddle that I have that is my practice saddle (screw up my own stuff before i screw up a custo…
Last reply by rwc, -
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Hello, i do have 2 "vintage" Textan saddles (maybe from the 70's-80's) and i am curious to know more about them. One is stamped Hereford brand - Tex tan of Yoakum Other is stamped Hereford brand - Tex Tan Kenway leather co On both there is a bull but they are of different design (Yoakum look best!) My Yoakum is of much better craftmanship than the Kenway. I want to know wich one is the oldest? What is that Kenway leather co? I read somewhere Tex tan was called texas saddlery before the 1940's. Do someone know how to read their serial number? My Yoakum is stamped 72-59289 (My guess was that it's made in 1972?! maybe not at all! lol!) and it is fitted with "mo…
Last reply by pella, -
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I am taking apart an Australian-style flat saddle to replace billet straps. I have forgotten how to remove those round metal buttons that sit up near the pommel. Any ideas are most welcome. Kathy
Last reply by Onsite Tack, -
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I just purchased a used Coats cutting saddle. Overall, the saddle is in very good shape. However, I desperately need some advice on how to repair one thing about it. Please bear with me, this is hard to describe, as I am not a saddlemaker, just a cutting horse rider:-) The fleece on the underside is still very well attached to its leather (skirt?). However, that leather has come loose from its attachment to the gullet and the "main frame" of the saddle. My question is this: how is the leather that holds the fleece attached to the saddle? Is it sewn to the gullet and the rest of the saddle? Is it glued? I have looked at my other cutting saddle, a Sean Ryon, and I sti…
Last reply by kypeep, -
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Okay, you guys have got me hooked. If you have been following my posts you may know me as the novice horse owner with the overweight, downward horse. I have made the decision to get Sunny a custom saddle, but have still been looking for something to use for the next 4-6 months until her saddle is built. During my search I came across a saddle that caught my eye. It was on e-bay, no bids, no questions posted and had 12 minutes left on the auction so I did some very quick research, found ML Leddy had a bother by the same name as the maker and he sold saddles from Fort Worth Texas from 1943 -1968. I put in a bid for $245.00 and bought the saddle. Don't know if the tr…
Last reply by kypeep, -
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My wifes great uncle passed away a few months ago so her and I went to So Cal to help clean the place up. It was like walking into a "living museum". I never had the chance to meet the man but it was obvious he was very intelligent man. The partially completed projects (as well as completed and stored) were fantastic. In a barrel, in the back of his garage, covered by more projects, was a barrel. In the barrel were several (5 or 6) partially assembled, or dis-assembled english saddles. The leather was VERY warn, and no good. I know NOTING of saddlery so my question is, is there someone that would want the "frames" of old english saddles, or do I just send em to the dump? …
Last reply by Onsite Tack,
