Lining skirts

[BuckhornBrand]

Hi- I've been following the forum since just before the big crash and finally decided to post a question. I'm just finishing my second saddle and wanted some input about lining skirts. Should you line them front of skirt to back of shearling or front of skirt to front of shearling. Most important to me is could you have one side front of skirt to back of shearling and the other side front of skirt to front of shearling. I've used Stohlman's books and they've been very helpful. As a working cowboy I understand the importance of not having saddle blankets slide under your saddle. But on my first saddle I put front of skirts to back of shearling and my blankets slid forward during summer when horses hair was short.

Thanks for the help, Chuck

[mulefool]

Well, I learned "bottom to center, butts to back". But I think this is one of those things where there is a variety of opinions.

[bruce johnson]

I was taught the densest wool is in the middle and should cushion under the bars. I was taught the lay of the wool on the sheep points to the back. So following that, the back of the skirt is to the head of the donor sheep. That is how mine are laid out. To firther reinforce the point, I was taught to saddle a horse by laying the blanket and saddle slightly forward of where it wants to rest, and sliding it back into that pocket it falls into. That lays down the horse's hair, and prevents galling according to someone I respected. It was also told to me by the same old gentleman (my grandpa) that would lay the wool down, because that is how the saddlemakers put the wool on, to hold blankets.

There is no universal consensus on this. One thing that is pretty much agreed on is that you don't want one one way and one the other. I just took everyone's word for that.

[BuckhornBrand]

Thanks for the feedback. I know this is a subject that has differing views. The shearling I had was plenty big enough but when I got ready to cut it out I found it had two large bald spots, one on each side. The wool was thick enough to cover them up and I hadn't noticed them to begin with. I seem to have a hard time finding good shearling that is big enough for a saddle with full skirts without having to sacrifice a little.

Thanks again for the help, Chuck

[raftert]

Chuck,

I was taught butt to the front because the thickest shearling is on the butt, Hideco has real good shearling for about $5.45 sq.ft. Also if I have to I use two shearlings to make sure I have good coverage, sure thats alot of left over but use that to line breast straps ect...

Tim

[andystevens]

The way I was taught by the saddlemakers I have worked under is the front of the skirt to the front of wool skin and the top of skirts to the middle of skin. The reasons for this is the direction that the wool lays, it will not allow your blankets to kick out the back of the saddle.

Edited May 19, 2008 by andystevens

[Go2Tex]

Oh, this is a great topic for controversy. I can't say one way or the other is really any better, although it makes sense the way Stohlman suggests, so I do it..... but I tell ya, it's getting harder and harder to put those skirts on there with all that waste everytime. I sure wish someone could convince me that it don't matter which way they go 'cause they would fit so much nicer with the front of the saddle to the butt of the wool skin, the top of the skirts up into the not-so-good wool of the belly. I could get an extra piece of wool big enough for another skirt layed sideways....... yeah, I know that's wrong but I tell ya, after it's been on a horse for a while, I bet most of you guys couldn't tell which was the butt.