Chi Stockyrd Saddle Tree

I am in the process of developing new trees for my line of half trees. Is the McClellan one you'd like to see?

Hi Everyone, I'm a saddle tree maker on my way to building a line of half trees. I have three fork styles to choose from at the moment. But the real problem is which fork or tree style would you guys, like the consuming public we are, like to see next? What would you guys like to try in project sized saddle trees that will make you excited about leather working? Any ideas for the next trees. I would like to make a list and start getting them out there to you guys. What I have is a Visalia style fork A modified slick fork and a modified swell fork Both the modifieds are made so that I can change the shape of the forks. So what would you guys like to see? Thanks for your help, Heath

Laporte Saddle tree has many options to choose from for bar patterns. They can make their bars shorter for the short Arabs and gaited horses and walkers. They usually round the front and the back of the bars to help the shorter backed horses. These trees are guaranteed for life against breakage. As all of their trees are. The Cost of one without cable rigging is $300, and with cable rigging is $350. If you have a problem with a tree give us or Shawn Howes a call. We will try to help out with correcting the problem. Many Saddle makers are unfamiliar with modifying saddle trees like ours. We try to talk them through how to do this or you can get us to help you directly with modifying the tree. Usually, we ask for pictures of the backs of horses to correctly modify a tree for the breed of horses a rider uses. However, there are instances were the rider changes breeds or a horse dies, and the saddle doesn't fit as well. This is easily remedied by adjusting the bars off the same tree (when applicable) to the new breed, or changing the Saddle tree for the new breed for a cost.

Steve Mason, (I have a customer who now has a saddle on order (with a top quality wood tree) who owns a saddle with a laport tree in it, it does fit horses OK, as long as you don't ride for to long, or rope anything!!) We are sorry your customer was unsatisfied. Perhaps they did not realize we would help them with the fit of the saddle( if it actually is one of my brother's trees). There are a lot of fakes out there and there is a lot of miss-information. Please, give me the name of your customer so that I may help them, or please tell you customer that we stand by our product and they can call us for help. The truth is that our trees can be roped out of all day; since cowboys and hands who actually work for a living use saddles built on our trees, for all day use. If the tree is ours we will replace it with a tree of ours that works. If the problem, is one where the horse breed they are riding does not ft the type the saddle was built for -- as is the case for any saddle any saddle maker produces. If you customer did not buy the saddle from our shop but bought it from someone else as a used saddle, who had a different breed of horses this is often a second scenario; This would also be the reason for improper fit. But again, we do stand by our product, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me. Heath Howes, Chicago Stockyard/ Laporte Saddle Tree

Hey there. Pounder, just write me on here or call me. I'm Heath Howes maker of the Lite-Ride Tree, and we are starting a line of miniature trees. Here, are a few attachments. What style of tree are you looking for?

Why do we as a group of crafters look for better tools? Why do we put limits on the inventions of tomorrow? What benefits can come from new age technologies? Well: lighter trees = lighter saddles, composite materials used for space to withstand gravitational forces and extreme temperatures= stronger more durable tree, the ability to allow ourselves to effectively use our time to create a product of which there is great demand for= cash in our pockets sooner. A working cowboy needs a saddle to work in today! Not tomorrow, not two weeks form now, not two years from now. Today! We place a bind on these working cowboys when we limit ourselves to Archaic Ideals. As an Industry only two hundred years old, there is too little tradition. Knifes have changed. Machine's have changed that help us make the trees, make the saddles even. Tools of the "tradition" have changed in design over the years to better the industry. Riggings have had several changes from who was making them from different parts of the country. Braiding and twisting methods have been refined. Ropes are poly based rather than grass. The use of alloys in all metals to change screws and nails and hardware. Why does this one aspect of saddle making remain unchanged? Or have so much push against to remain the same? Restrictions on tanneries make it harder for quality rawhide and leather to be made. It's to thin and drops off at the edges and there are smaller hides. Nothing is coming from mature hides. Forest restrictions are limiting the cutting of quality woods. What next, are we going to dip Bass wood or even Balsa in "good" epoxy to make it stronger because somebody still wants a wood tree? Why does anybody want to better their materials or their goods and products? Why don't we all stay in the Dark Ages and keep making 50Lbs saddles. Let's refuse to buy new knifes, hell, let's refuse to even sharpen them. Now, there is a place for all things. There is a place for Good, and I mean good, level, properly made wood/rawhide trees and that is along side composite trees. WE, we, all have seen what each of the trees can do and that each match up to each other. There are poorly made wood and rawhides trees out there that are mishapped and look like they've been beaten with an ugly stick. There is a bad name to composite trees because the technologies weren't being used by those who actually ride for a living. There are bad and good in both of these worlds. You go with what you know works and what can keep up with the job. And you go with the guys who can create the trees you want. AND you move forward, because that's where world goes. Forward for a better way of life and working and building and use of our time as leather crafters.

I try to keep up with these posts. Here's the link to Double H Ranch Saddle Shop. + number 1-970-482-6229. You want to ask for Mark or Heath for the trees http://www.dhrss.com The link to Chicago Stockyard Saddle Tree + number 1-312-515-0594 and ask for Heath http://www.literidetree.com/home.html Shawn of Laporte Saddle Tree, has the number 1-970-227-8011 Hope It helps

Hello Everyone @ the Leatherworker.net! Just started my membership about 2 weeks ago. Just now figuring out the set up of the site. I've posted some pics up in My Gallery. I'm a saddle tree maker. My Dad's a saddle maker and I've been watching him build saddles for a long time, but only just started to discover the art of carving leather again. I'm dabbling in new forms of saddle trees from other countries and bringing them here to the states for American saddle makers to try their hand at unique and one of a kind saddles. I'm also starting to build saddles my self since I've watched about 5,000 saddles being made over the years and thought it would be easy to pick up. Well boy'o was I wrong. I've tried to do some projects that would help with my carving and hands on technique. I thought that maybe I can get some good advice as well as give some so that all of us in the industry can grow. Here is a Half saddle that I made for a Saddle lamp project. I was getting the patterns down and will come out with a book of patters for the line of half trees I make. I didn't pay any time to carving it, but for my next two; I will carve up. I was wondering what has been sold in this area? what style of carving and if the patterns look right? I think I will bring down the Jockey housing and the rear housing a little further. But I thought they came out fairly square. What other details would make this prettier? I also have a pair of Buermann "reproduction" watch face spurs. I tooled some straps to go with them. I designed a clock gear motif that i thought would be nice. But the Teeth of the gears gave me the most problems. Any body have any pointers on a stamp that would help with those? And there isn't any leafs or vine that would go well like carving flowers for the back ground, any body have any ideas for that? Thanks for the help. Heath