chevygirl

Bruce, thanks for the reply! Weird that you had one so similar.. After browsing some cutters online, I have found a few that were similar. The closest one so far was an older billy cook. I do not care for the horn, its rather inconvenient. Also, not many cutters that I have seen online have that style of horn. Would it be safe to assume this saddle is fairly old?

Yikes! I did not realize the pictures came out so dark! I uploaded these from my phone and they looked great, but I just looked at them on a computer and couldn't see anything! Sorry about that. Admins feel free to delete this thread. I will post better pics.

Just bought this, and I would really love to know what it is. The keepers were replaced at some point, so no help there. No other numbers on the saddle. Can anyone tell me what maker? 17" seat (to the stitching), 7" gullet. Thanks in advance for any help! Hopefully my pics go through:

Holy cow, what a steal! Those saddles are easily worth that much each.. WHY can't I find deals like that?! lol Love the Breyers in the background btw!

I always feel exactly the same way! I get way too attached to them.... lol Great resto btw!

I appreciate the reply I've never heard of Western Saddlery before, but good to know! I have some people wanting me to give them a price on it, but I have no idea what to ask for this one.. Any suggestions?

Here's some pics if they help... http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x1/chevygurl_88/dogs008.jpg http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x1/chevygurl_88/dogs009.jpg

I aquired an old saddle that I originally didnt see a mark on. But low-and-behold, under the dirt and grime was a mark. It is very faint and wont show up in pics (sorry!). It is on top of the horn. A very large "W" with a small saddle outline over it. Also, there is a 703 stamped behind the seat. It appears to be an old style barrel or all-around saddle. Any ideas??

I had the same problem! My grandpa used to do this, and it REALLY helps...... Buy a few bags of salt, open the tops and set them on the tack room floor. Then place a floor-standing fan in the room (leave on oscillating). The salt helps to draw the moisture out of the air, and the fan keeps the air circulating.

Hi there, In my opinion, most Simco saddles are "middle of the road." Meaning, not the best on the market - but probably won't completely fall apart either. I know alot of people who ride in simco's, and have never had any substantial problems with them. So I would say, as long as the saddle is sound and has been maintained, It should be alright.

Those are really beautiful. The design makes them unique and eye-catching, but not over-done. Looks great!

That may be the name he is trying to remember.. It's been so many years ago, that may be it. Thanks for the help, I'll definately check them out.

First off, let me say that I'm sorry for asking so many questions! I know you all are getting tired of seeing my name pop up... : ) When my dad was younger he said he rode in someone else's saddle one day when they were moving cows. He has talked about that saddle forever! All he knows about it is that it had the name "Harmony" on it. He said it was the best saddle he ever rode in, and always wanted to find one like it. Is anybody familiar with that name in saddlery? I've never heard of it, but was hoping maybe somebody else knows what it is.. Thanks in advance

Thanks Bruce. I took your advice..... something better will come along. It was a nice little saddle, but probably more than I wanted to mess with. It looked ok at first, but upon further inspection....not so ok.

I saw a great project saddle today, that I'd like to buy....but I have a question about it's leather before I make an offer. The saddle is in good shape but the leather is quite dry. It's not "brittle to the point of breaking" dry, but it has light surface cracks. Appears to have been sitting up for a while, collecting dust. The majority of the old saddles that I have worked on were just the opposite(over-oiled), so I'm not really sure what to do here.. What is a good method of getting some "moisture" back into an old saddle without hurting it. I'm pretty new to this stuff, so any input would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, the link I gave is only regarding English saddles, since Twinoaks requested info on both english and western. I'm not very familiar with english saddles, but thought that the extra info might me helpful just the same. I read some of your articles, they offer some terrific information! Really helped me understand a few things about saddle fit problems as well.

I'm not much help in the english department... but depending on how your horse is built, she may be able to wear an arab, full qh , or semi qh bars. It just depends. An arabian gelding I owned was perfectly built for full quarter horse bars. If you find that she is built for a qh tree, you will probably need to find a saddle with a short or rounded skirt. I have heard that the standard arab saddle skirt length should be 27", but that would certainly vary from horse to horse. As for the size (seat), the rule of thumb is 2" shorter for western (I think). Its really just a matter of trying them on, if possible. Because in my opinion, there is never a measurement accurate enough to beat seeing them on the horse itself. When you try the saddle on, you will be able to start making your assessments as to what qualities she needs in a saddle. check this website out, might help: http://www.arabiansaddle.com/guide.htm

I really want to stay below $800-$1000 if possible.... hopefully less!

Well I'd love to check that out, but unfortunately...I'm about 1,200 miles away from Colorado. Who knows...might make a good roadtrip

Thanks! I took a look at a 'Connie Combs by Circle Y' saddle on the internet just a minute ago...looks terrific! Hopefully I'll be able to locate something similar in my neck of the woods...

Thanks so much!

I have to agree, the new saddles that they are turning out aren't what they should be, but I still love some of the old ones. It's a good thing too, because I can only really afford a good used saddle right now...don't really feel like paying top dollar for some of the quality im seeing in new saddles these days....

Yeah I really love a few saddles that i've seen from billy cook and circle y, It's just really hard to make a decision... I would love to have a saddle custom made, just don't have the $$$. Casey- I just got rid of my "geo metro" saddle.... Actually, I don't even think it was that good. Maybe more like a "ford pinto"

When it comes to finding a new saddle for myself, I have NO CLUE what I want. There are so many terrific looking saddles out there....which brands would you guys recommend from experience?? I obviously want quality, something that's gonna last me a long time. But I want one that's good-looking and comfortable too... (typical girl ) Looking for a barrel saddle specifically.... Your opinions would be greatly appreciated before I head off to the saddle shops! Thanks!

Thank you so much! I bought that saddle off an add, and the seller told me this over the phone before I came to pick it up, "its in terrific shape, no problems, ready to ride in" . haha It looked decent in pictures (which were very low quality), but as you can see....it was not quite "ready to ride in" when i got there...lol BAD purchase, but ended up a fun project!