The Farmers Daughter

Update - I got the 4 screw on conchos and saddle strings replaced. I confess, it was a little harder than I thought it would be. Now how the heck do you get the little ones out that are under the swells and in the rear by the cantle binding? Those are in there tight and flush. Is there a trick to that?

Thanks Luke and Bruce. I will post a photo when I get done bulldogging this sucker.

Bruce - Thanks for the info. I was curious to know what you tape your pliers with. I tried with with channel locks and a rag, but that didn't give me enough grip.

Really, come on ... there must be a saddle smith or 2 here with some advice....?

I am attempting to replace old saddle strings with new and have replaced the leather conchos and have just purchased beautiful new silver domed conchos with screw backs. The problem is I can only get them screwed in about half way by using my bare hands. Can some one tell me how to get them screwed in flat? I don't think I can physically do it with out a tool, but I was worried that a wrench will mar the finished silver and the scalloped edge of the conchos themselves. Could really use some help here guys!

Matched set of brown or light oil. I would prefer a set of 4 but would consider 2. Please email me directly at - lam2llc@yahoo.com. Thanks.

Far as I can tell, the skirts are separate from the tree. The skirts are 2 separate panels that move independently of the tree and each other. There is no fleece, but let me see if I can post a photo that shows what I am trying to explain. Ok, the first photo shows the independent flex skirts The 2nd show the skirts on the bottom, the silver movable joint in the middle, the tree is above that and the jockey is on top.

Ok, lets see if I can post something....

Jeff - I took your advice and purchased some of the Bee Natural line. That stuff ROCKS! Thanks for the tip.

Howdy Folks, Ok here is what I need some help with because I am green as grass with saddle repair, but I want to try. Baby steps right? We have an original Ortho Flex saddle built by Len Brown that cost a small fortune in the day, but it has many miles on it and ain't quite as pretty as it once was. Still a good using rig. Its got all the saddle strings busted off. I want to replace them. How would I go about doing this? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Yesterday I planned Easter dinner for a small group of folks including my brother and his wife from PA who we never get to see and some friends. Just a small group. No big deal. I was making a 20 lb turkey and a leg of lamb. Ok, so in typical fashion everyone arrives at once. My brother ends us bring his dog Zeus. That's ok too. His dog gets along with mine so that's not a problem. Zeus is this huge thing. Part Malamute, retriever and probably some great dane or pony thrown in there too. Me being fairly smart and somewhat organized hod done all my prep work in advance. The turkey was in the oven and the lamb was deboned, seasoned and sitting in the roasting pan on the counter. The guests are arriving, the dogs are bounding around as they do. Big happy family scene. Once everyone has said hello and settled in to visit, I go back to the kitchen and froze. Something is not quite right. It took me a minute to figure it out. The lamb is GONE! The roasting pan is where I left it on the counter, but no lamb. Blackjack is under the table like a good boy. Zeus is no where to be seen. I found the guilty party hiding behind the downstairs sofa. He snapped at me when I went to drag is sorry ass out. Well that just pissed me off, so I got after him with a lariat and a buggy whip. My brother did not appreciate that. He said I had no proof it was Zeus. Blackjack would never even dream of stealing food. He knows it would be his last moment on earth if he ever tried. . .so yeah, I kinda do have proof. Anyway once I got my hands on him, I drug him from behind the sofa out the door. He peed the whole way! Fortunately we had enough turkey to go around. I hope that dog has the trots for a week. So that was my day. How was your Easter?

Where did you see that? I saw 85...?

Thanks for the tip Jeff. Where do you get it from? I am familiar with Bee Natural, but I have never heard of Montana pitch before. Lynn

UPDATE - Today is sunny and breezy so, I have it outdoors and this is day 3 after the soaking. At first I was hopeful, but now its showing signs of mold on the fenders already. Now what? Should I wipe it down with vinegar?

Thanks Bruce. Funny you should mention the quote. Its one of my favorites and despite exhaustive Google searches, I can not find the author. Everything I find comes up "Anonymous". Its a shame that a fine piece of writing should go without proper credit.

By the time I noticed it, I would say an hour max. Do I need to worry about the fleece or the seat padding or the tree warping or ??? btw, nice looking Grey you got there!

I am probably worrying needlessly. I remember hearing about how the old time cowboys would toss their new saddles in the trough and ride em dry to break them in. Never knew if that was true or an old wives tale.

Thanks Randy. The tank was just cleaned and the water brand new. so no worries there. The saddle is an old Circle A with rawhide wrapped tree and wool fleece (eeek ~ I hope it doesn't shrink). My big fear is conditioning it when it may not be fully dry and then the whole thing molds. That would be disastrous. How will I know when its completely dry? The leather feels more cold then dry, if that makes sense. How can you tell if the tree is dry? Should I wait a good week before conditioning it or longer maybe? I will see if I can get pix up here.

Accidents will happen and we had one today. There was a saddle on the fence rail that took a tumble into a horse trough. The upside to this is that all the dust came off. The downside is that it is soaked through. I dried it with a towel and have it setting on a rack in a breezy shaded spot. So these are the questions I need advice with. 1) How can I tell when its completely dry, including the tree? 2) Once it is dry, what would the best steps be to bring it back. Fortunately the leather is good and well cared for. How would you proceed? Thank you

Interesting Jeff. If that was the case, I wonder why they would go with synthetic over leather? I would think the synthetic would trap moisture and sweat. . . . and, thanks for the insight and the visual...lol!

I know that Porter made a nice saddle and this one caught my attention, BUT I don't know what to make of that seat. What do you think? http://cgi.ebay.com/...E:X:AAQ:US:1123

Helloooo? Anybody?

Howdy Folks, I was hoping some of you saddlers here might give me some information or opinions on the quality and or construction of Crest Ridge Saddles. They seem to be geared to the gaited horse market and I saw a few of them on eBay at reasonable prices. Can anyone give me their experiences or opinions on Crest Ridge? Thanks

I just picked up a real nice saddle at auction. Its a 15 inch roper by Lookout Saddlery. It has unique embellished D's and a super comfortable seat with a narrow twist and a deep pocket. The latigo holder says Lookout saddlery with a L inside a diamond shape. Appreciate any information. I am not familiar with this maker. Thanks all.

I started the project before I saw your post, but here is what it looks like right now. Its had one application of vinegar spray and is out in the breeze. For some reason, I can't seem to upload more than 2 photos. I keep getting an error message. Will keep trying. Its an old Wyeth.