mulefool

Does anyone know of a supplier for leather piping like the welt in boot tops? I use it for piping on chaps and chinks and thought it also might make a nice welt for bucking rolls.

Tandy leather factory has 500 packs for 80.00 to business accounts. Not quite as good a deal as the Major, but close if that doesn't work out.

I just found this group, too. Lots of interesting discussions going on. I hope to learn some things. I have built saddles and related gear full time for nearly 25 years. Maybe about 10 years ago I started to focus primarily on pack equipment along with lots of chaps, chinks, accessories, and cut back to just a few custom saddles a year. I've always felt there's alot more to learn, particularly about trees and fitting. I'm also interested in discussing ground seats, leather versus metal strainers, construction, etc. My favorite customers are outfitters or trainers that ride alot of different horses or mules and we're fitting type. I don't do the orders to micro fit one particular horse, but I've done it in the past. Mostly it worked out, but in general I've come to think it's asking for trouble in a lot of ways. Looking back I know I have made some mistakes over the years. The ones I know about I've fixed. I went to Rod and Denise's website. There's sure a wealth of information there and as soon as I have a chance I'm going to sit down and really study on it. Looking forward to learning some things and maybe even contribute some.

I just came across this forum and am really enjoying these disscussions of trees and fitting. So David am I understanding you correctly that you flare the front of the bar enough that it wouldn't bear weight and then place the saddle further forward so that the front edge would rest over the shoulder blade? But because it's flared it would not create a problem? My personal interest is in mules, and I'd be interested in hearing any of your ideas on fitting them. Of course they are as varied in their backs as horses. But in general they do present some challenges. If you were trying to design an animal that would be built for carrying a saddle alot of mules would not fall into that category.