just finished

[AndyKnight]

Here is a saddle that I just completed. The inlay is ostrich and the bucking rolld are ostrich leg.

Silver is made by Richard Tenisch.

[jonwatsabaugh]

Andy,

Nice clean work as always, especially your lines. Your seat jockey shape, depth, and radias are right on the money.

Jon

[SCOUTER]

Andy that is breathtaking! I wonder if you could tell us about how many hours a piece of art like that takes... Thanks for posting!

[Beaverslayer]

That is a beautiful saddle, I especially like those silver humingbirds, they add so much to the look. I too would be interested in knowing just how long it takes to make a saddle like this.

Beautiful work.

Ken

[steve mason]

Howdy Andy;

Nice work!!!

You have nice lines, good balance, the silver birds are a nice touch.

I really like your carving, that is what carving should look like on a saddle, not to small, very life like, lots of depth and a very nice flow, I have always liked your creativity in your layout on your partial carve saddles, you use the negative space very well. I assume some of the reason why I like your carving so much is because we have both been influenced By John Visser, who by my standards is one of the best carvers there is.

I like your design for the inskirt rig, I have been toying with the idea of building some of these as I have not done so to date, I sure would like to get a tutorial from you some time on these. Your skirt/rig line is very clean and balanced, some of the inskirt rig designs just have no flow to them, looks like yours would be very functional and yet still maintains a nice classy look. Of course I like the gaucho braid on your billets since I do that on all my rigs. Richards silver adds some class to a classy rig, the stirrup hobble buckles are a nice touch.

There is not much of anything that I could offer as constructive criticism, the only thing that my eye picked up is I don't think I would have scalloped the skirt at the rear billet, it just seemed to stop the flow of your nice lines a little. But in saying this I am really nit picking that is a pretty minor thing, you have great lines overall.

All in all a very top shelf rig, you should be proud.

[Bob]

Andy, nice workmanship. Very nice.

[AndyKnight]

Thanks for the compliments.

Steve, My carving would not be anywhere near what it is if it wasn't for John Visser. who I also agree is one of the best carvers our there. When I look at his carving I feel like I am in grade 1 .

I drew these flowers especially for this customer and was quite pleased with the way they turned out. I tend to get in a rut and always carve the same old stuff.

I build a saddle like this in about 9 -10 working days plus a day for the tree.

The front riggings are harwoods and were promised to my next saddle so I am trying to find another pair as my supplier has none.....If any of you have any extras give me a call. I will try calling Harwoods directly today...

Andy

Edited April 4, 2008 by AndyKnight

[Don101]

Andy i also agree with all the above you are trully an artist that is a wonderfull saddle and as every one noticed i also love the birds, Don

[buffalo]

Dang, that's beautiful.

Regards Buff

[Myriam]

Now this is one heck of a beautiful saddle. Great work!

[TroyWest]

Real nice work Andy. Hummingbirds about to feed on the flower is a nice touch. I like the hobble buckles too.

I like the shape of them. I like your tree too. Is that a nightlatch on the offside? Tell 'em they won't get thrown outta that saddle! Nice job.

[mudman]

That sure is a nice rig! Just simply beautiful.

[LarryB]

wow thats nice.... That is SO nice. Look at all the tooling and done so nice. I like the birds in white... sets the back off perfectly...

[gtwister09]

Andy,

Great work! Great clean looking saddle. Lots of nice touches from the partial tooling/stamping to the billets, hummingbirds and matching ostrich inlays/bucking rolls. Many others have stated all the great details. Tutorials from you would be a great thing. I would throw my hat in to encourage tutorials out of you as well.

Regards,

Ben

[Ian]

Wow...just WOW!

[Duke]

oh man, im drooling! that is exactly the kind of saddle I want to learn to make. your attention to detail is overwhelming. the hummingbirds are a nice one off touch, as are the stirrup hobble buckles. nice deep depth in your carving, I am in awe. I am hoping to become good enough to turn something like this out. I know this will take time, and I am more than willing to learn. that is why I have given myself 8 months to prep to do a saddle, including making my own draw down saddle stand, and a few other things before I jump into it. any tips, tricks, pointers, anything at all, if not a tutorial, would be awesome. thank you so much for sharing this with us.and btw, there is something I have bneen meaning to ask, and maybe you or others can shed some light on this: the latigo strap that is wrapped arounf the the stirrup leather, that is to turn the stirrup so that you dont have undo muscle strain right? how do I do it?thanks

[AndyKnight]

Troy,

That is ac "o sh..t strap" on the swell. Doesn't do much for the saddle. I have some better pics without that and the bucking rolls on another camera but hav't got them downloaded yet.

Duke... The latigo wraps on the stirrup leather are about 90 percent show and 10 percent function. The stirrup leathers are twisted and wrapped prior to putting them ib the saddle. I use a stirrup twister which will also pre stretch them a certain amount

This is all done with the fenders and where you want to twist them wet. so when they are dry they will hold there shape forever as long as the riders don't mess with them. The wraps just cover the area where the backwards twist is set in. In the past I have done lots where I don't put the wraps on. I will post a pic of my stirrup jig one day.

[Duke]

thank you for the expleanation. I am definitely interested in viewing your jig.my gf asked me what that strap was also, and thats exactly what i told her,that is was like the oh sh!t handle in your car.I like it, and definitely wish I had one on my saddle a few weeks ago, when my QH mare went to full on buckin with me on her.needless to say, I will be making one

[CitizenKate]

You saddlemakers are just freaking amazing.

Kate

[LadyJ]

Wade tree, bucking rolls (squawk tits is the politically incorrect cowboy name), round skirt and the humming birds/flower combination is so unique. WOW!!! Now please tell me how much it weighs?

I ride an old Capriola that is basically the same rig (only not as nice or well finished as yours --- really). Mine is well balanced and light enough I can ride it in endurance without soring a horse's back. That is because it is almost as centered as a dressage saddle). My Capriola is injured (maybe fatally) and I was thinking about finding a new saddle built like it-- but trying to lighten it even more.

If you could use the lightest leather (that won't stretch out too much), and your lightest tree, and eliminate all nonessentials except D rings for snapping things on the saddle (like water bottles, sponges), what would you guess is the lightest you could make that saddle?

[pete]

Wade tree, bucking rolls (squawk tits is the politically incorrect cowboy name), round skirt and the humming birds/flower combination is so unique. WOW!!! Now please tell me how much it weighs?

I ride an old Capriola that is basically the same rig (only not as nice or well finished as yours --- really). Mine is well balanced and light enough I can ride it in endurance without soring a horse's back. That is because it is almost as centered as a dressage saddle). My Capriola is injured (maybe fatally) and I was thinking about finding a new saddle built like it-- but trying to lighten it even more.

If you could use the lightest leather (that won't stretch out too much), and your lightest tree, and eliminate all nonessentials except D rings for snapping things on the saddle (like water bottles, sponges), what would you guess is the lightest you could make that saddle?

I believe that's "squaw tits- not squawk"

[grumpyguy]

Andy,

A job that's all class! I took a very close look at the bound cantel. The stiching on the front appears perfect. The back is so clean and the stiching is not visible, howed you do it? I have not yet built one of these types but have repaird one. It did not come out as well as I would have liked. I'd appeciate any pointers or help you could give as I expect to be trying one again.

[Traveller]

Very, very beautiful, Andy. But then, your saddles always are!

Thanks for the visual feast!