My new ride...

[SOSHorses]

Okay, I very seldom brag. I am very insecure about my work even though I do a good business. I just get nervous sometimes, I guess because I can see the flaws. But I purchased a new saddle a couple of months ago from the Bob Marshall Sports Saddle Company. They are made about an hour from me and it was a custom order because of the seat size (I am a big girl). So I had ask if they would mind letting me do some work on the leather before they put it together. Of course they said no because then it would be opening the door for everyone else to ask for stuff like that and would slow production to a crawl. I understand that so I just had it made in a smooth finish with NO tooling at all.

I knew I would do something but didn't have any idea how it would turn out since it would be all put together. It has turned out MUCH better than I imagined and I am very proud of it.

It has taken me a few days to get photos of it and I did want to show it to them before I posted photos of it. We went today to pick up my daughters saddle and I carried mine back with us.

So here are the photos. So tell me what you think.

[wildrose]

Very cool!

[SOSHorses]

wow ok this must not be as nice as I thought since there have been so many look and on one comment. *sigh*

Thanks wild rose I do appreciate your comment

[cjf]

May I ask why you went with this type of saddle?

[SOSHorses]

May I ask why you went with this type of saddle?

because the saddle I had was digging into my mares back in front of her hips and preventing her from striding out from behind. When I discovered the problem I was riding in a different kind of treeless saddle I had for a rescue horse that was extremely narrow. This saddle was so universal that I could put it on anyone so I had thrown it up on Bonnie. She immediately began to work like she has already been warmed up.

After further investigation it was discovered that my old standard saddle was hampering her movement. So I was going to have to buy another saddle and instead trying a jillion different saddles I went with one that I knew would work for whoever I wanted to use it on.

[wildrose]

Don't worry about the lack of replies - sometimes people are just "lookie loos".

[KcKenny]

Did I understand you right that you tooled the leather AFTER the saddle was constructed for you? So did you do your own dying and finishing too? That's pretty amazing if this is the case, I would think it would be hard to tool something post-construction.

[Kevin]

Your work is fine, especially impressive that you could get the cantle back under the Cheyenne roll, I think some people are being shy because of the saddle itself.

Kevin

[SOSHorses]

Yes I did the tooling after the saddle was constructed, I only did the coloring on the patches on the side, the rest was the medium oil finish that was on the saddle with antique over it.

Kevin, apparently I do not understand. What about the saddle would cause then to be shy?

Here are a couple of pictures when I had it in the shop working on it.

[CarvedOn]

Wow! I think you did a great job, especially AFTER the saddle was done. I sure understand about getting the right saddle. I have an old Arab mare that is a bit swayed and I can't put just any saddle on her. KEWL.

[Stan]

Some history. Al Stohman early on, so I've been told, tooled many saddles after they were built. His reputation in leather work is very special, so is your saddle and I suspect so are you. My wife likes the looks of your saddle as well and she really knows saddles. Stan

[maddhatter]

I don't know any thing about saddles, sorry, but the tooling work i like, you did a real great job, you should be proud of what you did.

maddhatter

[shadowryder]

I can only say well done,your work is in my eyes exeptional when taking into account you were working on a already built saddle,I wish i had a fraction of your skills,

good work..

JJ