Is It Ever Too Late To Learn ;-)

[yellowdun]

Hello,

My interest in saddles has been many years' long. Started when I bought my first custom hand built saddle in 1997, which sadly was far from my last. Saddles bought and sold that did not fit well, each time trusting the next saddlemaker was the one who would get it right, sometimes waiting over 12 months to see the results. Let me say a couple of them did do pretty well, but looking back I can see that I could have invested in saddle school, set up a shop and learned the trade with all the time and money invested in saddles that had to be resold. I am still going through sorting out what works and what doesn't in saddle trees and some of the saddlemakers I have dealt with all had good intentions but in the end seemed more fascinated by their topnotch leather work than in choosing a tree that would fit my horse(s). I've also had trouble finding a saddle on the market that had exactly the features I wanted in seat style, rigging, stirrup placement, etc.... seems the trends do not match what I'm looking for.

Here I am now approaching the age of 56 but still feeling mighty young ;-) and I can't let go of the idea that I'd like to learn to make my own saddle. I have never even done so much as run a single stitch through a piece of leather, nor tapped a single stamp of a design. But I have excellent hand - eye coordination and have not disappointed myself when setting about to learn something new, be it sculpting, designing, drawing, etc. I have supported our family for many years in my own business in more than one field and so I have confidence that I can devote myself to an intense learning curve.

Soooo... I have been reading websites till I'm cross-eyed, including this one, working to formulate opinions on the best books, DVD's, schools, tools and materials. I had a heart to heart talk with my husband and after his observing this interest was only gaining momentum as time passed, said "Let's sell our California home and property and move to the midwest" (where he ultimately wants to live) and with the extra funds we'd make, set me up in a shop where I could practice saddle and bridle making between stints of education. It's a mighty tantalizing carrot he's hanging out in front of me.

I guess with all this interest and self-professed confidence, I'm still a little shy about asking questions... wondering why I didn't know this was what I wanted to do when I was much younger. I thought I'd introduce myself and let y'all meet an ol gal who isn't even qualified to be a rank beginner, but is getting ready to dive in... oh, and are there any midwest towns you might recommend over others, hehe.

Thanks for all the input here. I have been soaking up the knowledge sometimes while my dishes are soaking in the sink till the soapy water turns cold.

YellowDun

[TwoWalks]

"Let's sell our California home and property and move to the midwest" (where he ultimately wants to live) and with the extra funds we'd make, set me up in a shop where I could practice saddle and bridle making between stints of education. It's a mighty tantalizing carrot he's hanging out in front of me.

YellowDun

If you have this opportunity presented by your husband ... Grab on and go for the ride ... I live in California and would leave in a heart beat if that offer was given me by my wife. Now for your question:

"Is it ever too late to learn?" Yes there is a time when it is to late too learn. You will know when that is without asking, someone will be throwing dirt in your face. Between then and now, do not build too many "I wish I had." regrets. If you want to make saddles, then make saddles. I am past 65 and I am waiting to get in the tools I ordered and the scrap leather so I can begin to learn this art. Why, because I wanted to.

[Norwegian]

GO! Dive in! There is nothing worse than a future full of "I wish I had.."

[Russ]

Yellow;

That is exactly how I started building saddles.....wanted to buy one, couldn't find what I wanted, thought "I'll just build mine." It's a bit more daunting than you might think, although some folks can build a good one from books, DVDs, and leatherworker.net advice. Only you would know if you can take that route.

I would suggest investing in a saddle school. That will give you a great idea as to what it takes, both "how to" build a saddle, and the physical labor involved, and whether you think you are "too old" to go for it....something that again, only you will be able to answer.

When I went to my first school, I worked a hard 6 straight days to finish my saddle. Came home with a saddle and a ton of knowledge and experience for just a little bit more than what that saddle would have cost me. It was worth twice, 5 times, 10 times what I paid. When you are done, if nothing else, you can sell the saddle and keep the knowledge.

Russ

PS: Can't tell you where to move here in the Midwest, but I can say.....stay out of Dayton/Cincinnati! Yuck!

PPS: On a serious note, if you want to sell saddles, my limited experience is that folks won't easily pay for a custom made saddle here in the Midwest. You need to be in Cowboy country. Folks here seem to be more interested in a $400 saddle that will last a few years. I've found I can build a saddle here and ship it to my teacher in NM and sell it there a lot easier than if I tried to sell it here. Something to investigate before you find your landing spot.