Saddle And Some Taps

[steve mason]

Howdy;Here is a wade I just finshed. Dime corner square skirts, 8 button seat and exposed leathers, inlaid padded seat. Basket/carlos border, california rose and oak leaf accorn combo carved. Silver is made by Richard Brooks.

And a pair of 27" taps I made a while back.

Steve

[alb]

Wow - what a beauty! Thanks for posting.

Ann

[JLSleather]

Purdy! Makes me wanna shop for a horse (though I'm not sure what I would do with one ).

[jwwright]

Off the chart good in every respect Steve! What did you use for the inlay cover on this one? JW

[bruce johnson]

This is from an email I just got - It started off and finshed with some words we didn't learn in Sunday school, but this part I copied and pasted out of the middle pretty well sums it up.

Do you want to buy my tools? Between Darcy’s saddle and Mason’s now, I am about to sell out and run goats. This is like looking at National Geographic or Playboy. I am staring at colored pictures of things I won’t see again.

I can agree with that sentiment.

[Hilly]

That's beautiful! Can you post a pic straight from the back of that saddle? I'd really like to study your oak leaves a little.

[AndyKnight]

Great work Steve!!

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Steve,

great looking saddle with your usual clean lines. The square skirts are stunning and I really like your carving pattern on the tap tips and the vine wrapping around the carlos border on the lower edge of the rear jockey, nicely done!.

Darcy

[gtwister09]

Steve,

GREAT saddle as usual. There is some great design elements mixed in this one...like Darcy said.

I had to laugh about Bruce's addition to the thread....

Regards,

Ben

[Traveller]

Absolutely beautiful!

[King's X]

Very nice taps.....and beautiful saddle!

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

I usually like to point out things I like about somewone's work. In this case that would take several pages! The kind of work we all seek to emulate.

Bondo Bob

[mudman]

Great looking rig.

[tdwarburton]

First off: B-E-A-U tiful! I can only hope to one day do work like that!

I have been lurking around here trying to pick up on what I can. Call it researching....kinda.....however I have one question now: What doe 8 button seat mean? I have never built a saddle just tinkered with leather with a dream to one day build one. Sorry to hi-jack your thread.

[hidepounder]

Steve,

What a beautiful saddle! I missed the little detail in the tooling where you wrapped the vine around the border and had to go back and find it after Darcy mentioned it...really cool! (do they say cool anymore?.....I think it's supposed to be "kewl" nowdays). I was hoping someone else would ask what the large back ring was to be used for because I didn't know...rear latigo carrier...tie ropes? Anyway, great lines on the saddle and beautiful tooling! I love the taps too!

Bobby

[steve mason]

thanks everyone,

Hilly;

I will see if I have a good photo of the oak leafs.

tdwarburton;

an 8 button seat is when there is 4 leather buttons and strings on each side of the saddle, have a look at photos of old saddles, lots are 8 buttons, most modern saddles are 6 button.

Bobby;

I wrapped the vines around the border on the jockeys and going up the billets which you can't see in the photos, the ring is for hobbles.

thanks again all for the comments.

Steve

[Sage]

Hi Steve:

I have been looking at your new Wade. I would truley take pride in putting it on any horse I ride !!

I hope that you don't mind me saying this but I see alot of Dale Harwood influence in your work. His 2008 saddle in the TCAA is one of my all time favorites.

I wish I could be the mouse in the corner and watch you build a saddle.

Thanx for posting

Edited June 20, 2010 by Sage

[roo4u]

im not a fan of wades but i sure like that one! the tooling work is fabulous but even if the saddle was plain i would still think it was gorgeous. it is just so pleasing to look at. the lines, the overall balance of it. wow.