Denise

Elton, Gorgeous shop. Glad you are all moved in and up and running. I did notice that the name on the pictures is Broken Horn. If that is what you are calling your saddlery, you might have to buy all your trees second hand...

This was posted by a guest 2 years ago. The chances of them looking here for responses now is pretty slim. Maybe try the e-mail address and see if they are still looking.

Welcome to LW.net Rhona! You have some beautiful and unique items there! Working on your own without outside influence can mean incredibly creative things are produced. We have a few such artists from around the world on LW and it is always fun to see the different things that can be made with leather. I'm sure you will enjoy the community here and we will enjoy having you aboard. Please post more pictures!

If you were closer I'd say let us have it and we will use it to make lace for stitching our trees (if it isn't starting to rot). We are needing more lace and our hunting friends don't seem to be getting too many deer this year for some reason. It isn't good for braiding (too stretchy), but it is great as sewing lace.

I have put together a list as best I could of hand made wood/rawhide saddle tree makers and their contact information. The best way to contact these people is by phone. Most don't have websites or listed e-mail addresses anywhere. I have added them where I could find them. If you know of other makers, or of changes in the contact information, please add to the list. I just thought if we had it all in one place it would be easier for saddle makers to find. Ben Swanke Swanke Saddle Company 219 N. 15th St. Billings, Montana, USA 59101 406-259-9227 Bill Bean 8000 Pearl Road Eagle, Idaho, USA 83616 208-963-0640 Dennis Lane 35 Pryor St. Quirindi, New South Wales, Australia 02343 011-61-267-461-544 (calling from North America) www.dennislane.com.au – site regarding his Equine Back Profiling System. Member of LW.net under his own name Glenn Christman Box 2527 Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada T0K 1W0 403-627-5594 Jon Watsabaugh 4115 S.E. 15th St. DesMoines, Iowa, USA 50320 515-285-0799 Jon also does fiberglass covering on his trees Member of LW.net under his own name Keith Gertsch Midway Saddle Tree Company P.O. Box 451 130 South 250 West Midway, Utah, USA 84049 435-654-0383 Rick Reed Double R Saddle Trees Montana, USA Bozeman? 307-851-6286? – cell number Rod and Denise Nikkel Box 2139 Valleyview, Alberta, Canada T0H 3N0 780-524-2490 www.rodnikkel.com – an informational site for saddle makers Member of LW.net under their own names Warren Wright 337 Rowe Road, RD 3, Ohauiti, Tauranga, New Zealand Trees available through Dale and Karin Harwood (US Reps) of Shelley, Idaho 208-357-3803 I am not sure on Rick Reed's current phone number. I have also heard rumors that Keith Gertsch is not building anymore, but I have no idea if that is true or not. Anyone know for sure on either of these?

Indy, You might want to contact Caledon Leather Sales. http://www.caledonleather.ca/ They are in Calgary and they supply the leather to a lot of the saddle makers in Western Canada. Enjoy your visit!

Bruce, could you give us a quick run down of the basics, for those of us still on dial up who can't hear the real thing?

Bob, Have you decided yet? We are at the same place of looking for something better so I was watching this thread with interest. What have you gone with and why? (OK, so I am too lazy to do my own research. I just call it being efficient... )

Doug and Gunter, I think the answer here is "niche market", one that doesn't have a lot of competition from other high quality makers (you have to compete on quality, not price. That war you will always lose.) and one where you have the knowledge to make things to the level of quality and function expected by the people who are part of that niche. I think of Suze and her dollhouse items, or HorseHairBraider with her model horse gear and Bruce Johnson with his rope cans. For us, Rod built his first saddle tree in early 1996. By the end of 1998 I quit working out and got to stay home and work in the business with him. Less than three years and this business has fully supported us ever since. It IS possible. The custom saddle making world is a small one and people talk to each other. I assume the same is true of Star Was reenactors, doll house and model horse collectors, ropers, and probably people who want authentic leather helmets. Your Hermann the German show obviously hit the niche. The helmets you sold there are probably still getting your name known in around that circle. Now to find others shows of that nature. Good statement. Finding out what people want, ideas they have and even things they don't like or would change in your product is invaluable. Some people just want to make what they want to make the way they want to make it and then complain when it doesn't sell. Customers have lots of good suggestions and ideas, and barring compromise on function or safety, incorporating their input into a specific item or even your whole line if the idea is good enough will often increase your sales and even the quality of your items.

I have read this full article. (Thanks Jackie, for posting a link to the abstract!) The above quote really summarizes it I think. While it can be useful for acquiring information, you have to be careful in how you do it, know enough about the equipment to use it properly, and then, most importantly, understand enough about saddles, horses and their interactions to be able to interpret what that equipment is telling you correctly. David, I disagree that these sensor pads are gimmicks. They are used to sell a lot of gimmicks though! As a research tool, I can see them as being very useful. Used carefully, they can confirm or deny theories regarding saddle fit and prove in a scientifically repeatable manner what was only anecdotal prior to their availability. Used indiscriminately, they can provide a lot of false conclusions. As with any tool, the usefulness depends on how much skill and knowledge are behind the hands wielding it.

"Helped save lives but that is another story." Barra, that is probably one of the best ways to spend a birthday I can think of. Definitely worth while. Regarding age, I hit the same thing at 26. 25 was fine, but 26 was a doozy. But then I went back to 23 for quite a few years, and now that I am back to being 26 again, it isn't as hard as the first time round...

Happy Birthday, Barra! Which one is you in the band Johanna posted?

Sometimes, I just click things (and New York blacks out for a minute or two...) Actually, if you read the instructions when that notice comes up, I think it is one of the ideas they give you.

Hilly, If you hit refresh when you get the Webpage has expired message, does it come back? Sometimes it does for me.

Magical, isn't it! I imagine Johanna or Kate checked things out and fixed it up - and never said a word. They do a lot of things like that around here... Thanks!!!

that weigh many pounds... (Isn't the English language, whichever version you speak, wonderfully nonsensical?)

Welcome back, Victor. Beautiful work, as always. If creativity like this hits you in the middle of the night, I'd say sleep in the middle of the day instead!

I got onto this website today and thought I would post it for the rest of you to... enjoy. Yeah, that's the right word, I'm sure... Warning, sunglasses required, and probably a bucket at your side too. http://tackytackofth...01_archive.html

Paul, I am in no way artistic. I take after my father who always claimed "All my taste is in my mouth." But I understand this! It makes sense to me. Thank you for taking the time to put these together. They will be VERY helpful to many, many people.

Google translation of dark lady's post Welcome to LW.net! Looking forward to the pictures of your bike!

I am always amazed at braiders, not so much at the braiding (which is beautiful) but at the time taken to cut the strings, bevel the strings etc. Is this from a hide you did up yourself, Rob? How much time do you figure you have into the reins? And how much of that is string prep versus braiding?

I'm surprised you guys are saying cashier's cheques are not much better than personal cheques. I would have thought they were the same things as our money orders. As soon as we purchase one, the money is taken out of our account by the bank. (Or you buy them at the post office with cash or debit.) No money, no money order. So they are very safe, though not 100% since criminals seem to be pretty smart about how they get around the law. Could you please explain more to me about how your cashier's cheques work? Thanks.

Kathy, Pizza for ClayM. I think a doughnut - with the icing licked off - for ClayB is in order!

I was reading once about the learning curve being bell shaped. The newbie knows they don't know much. The intermediate thinks they know a lot. Some stay there. Others learn more, and discover that the more you learn, the more you need to learn, till you are back knowing that you really don't know a lot of what there is to know. I thought that was pretty accurate.

Thanks for taking the time to do up the tutorial Max!