Rigging Question

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Hi,

I was hoping to get some opinions on the connecting strap that runs between the front and rear rigging dees that are pictured on this saddle ii'm finishing up. About 95% of the saddles that I've made in the past have had flat plate riggings or been single rigged. Of the few saddles that i've used this style of rigging, I have always used a connecting strap between the front and rear rigging dees... mostly because that is how the style of rigging was shown to me. The questions I have about the connecting strap are: do you always use a connecting strap with this style of rigging, what is the real purpose behind it, and what ill effects have you seen when the connecting strap isn't present.

The reason this saddle gave me pause is because it's intended purpose will be in the reining arena and I'm wondering if there may be a slight advantage to leaving it off.

thanks,

Darc

[bruce johnson]

Darcy,

That strap contrary to some popular doesn't look to me like it will "connect and stabilize" the pull from the cinches. Basically the pull is straight down on both rings and that strap won't transfer stress. What it will do is make a ramp and fill in behind the front ring to help your stirrup leather slide up and over it. Some patterns have a tab that extends up and covers the corner, others are just a flat strap. I put them on every regular Dee rigging like that. I have had ropers wear them out, and not the kind of guys who fix much. They bring them to replace that strap after they hang a leather in it trying to face.

[Bob]

Darc, I think Bruce said it best. it's to serve as a ramp to get the stirrup leather over the rigging. I've also seen the "Connecting strap" not connected at allto the back rigging, but to the bar just ahead of the cantle binding, coming down at 45 degree angle and wrapping around the rigging dee, also there's a "thumb" like piece that comes up and is rivoted into the rigging dee. I'm going to try uploading a sketch hand drawing of what I'm trying to say.

[Mike Craw]

Several of the saddles I've repaired have had that "thumb" style of strap, and from the wear on them, I'd say that it is absolutely for guiding the stirrup leathers. I've never repaired one of those straps that broke from strain between the front and back dees. They have always worn through from stirrup leather rub.

Mike

[David Genadek]

I see the connector strap as essential. When saddles don't have them the front rigging wears out prematurely. It has to be tight to perform it's function and should be made out of very good leather. The pull may be down but the motion of the horse does puts forward and backward stress on the d and rigging. The connector strap stabalizes the rigging. If the client complains about to much bulk under their leg it is because they are not sitting correctly and in my opinion you should teach them how to sit rather than make structural changes to the saddle.

David Genadek

[gtwister09]

Darc,

Your mileage may vary but here's something that I have seen firsthand.

While I was working on a ranch we had one of the older hands decide that he wanted to feel the horse better and he wanted to be closer to his horse, so he removed the connecting strap. His statement was that he had been riding for 30+ years and noticed that the connecting strap didn't do a d_mned thing (his words). I moved on a year later but I went back 3 years later to help with gathering.

He had another saddle by this maker and three other people I know also used saddles by this maker. The point that I am trying to establish is that the saddles were well made and that there were no rigging issues on the other four saddles. Some of them had even been used longer than this one that was modified.

Three years later here's what I saw. His front dee rigging appeared as though the outside edges were rolled up on both sides. It appeared as though the dee was torquing at the outside edges and made the leather wrinkle/wear and roll up at the edges. Since the other saddles did not have this connector strap removed and they were all made closely the same way and by the same maker, I would have to derive that the connector strap removed created the wrinkles/wear in the front dee rigging. I might be wrong but that was what effect I saw from the removal of the connecting strap.

It may be coincidence but the only one I have seen with it removed had this issue of wrinkles/wear on the front dee rigging after three years of use.

Regards,

Ben

[greg gomersall]

Darcy a lot of the factory saddles use a piece of crap for this strap. Besides being a glide for the stirrup leather it is also a stablizeing deal. When run from the front dee to the rear dee the stabilizing factor is somewhat reduced but when run up to the tree as Bob showed it helps transfer some of the pull to the rear of the saddle. You don't need a heavy piece but it does need to be a choice cut of leather. Greg

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their replies.... I've decided to put a connecting strap on for the purpose of "guiding the stirrup leathers". The oldtimer that first explained the style of rigging to me gave the same types of reasons for having it there but it's great to hear other makers opinions on it.

thanks again,

Darc

[TracyMoss]

These "Connector Straps" are referred to as "Dee Hobbles" where I come from.

[Hidemechanic]

Yeh, rigging hobbles here too, I have seen the stirrup leather worn also where there was ware on the rigging leather and no hobble.

I would say that the only place there is 'stabilizing' between the front and rear D is if you use a cut back ring rig for a ring placement behind the swell center. Not too common now.GH

[figthnbullrider]

that is a beautiful saddle. just out of curiousity are you planning on covering the horn, if not is there a reason for it

[D.A. Kabatoff]

that is a beautiful saddle. just out of curiousity are you planning on covering the horn, if not is there a reason for it

Hi figthnbullrider,

the horn wound up covered on that saddle... I usually cover them after I have stamped the fork cause you have a little more room to get your stamping tools in the tight areas under the cap.

Darc

[TroyWest]

I use a dog ear on my rig connectors as well, to be a smooth transition up over the rig as has already been stated, but I also slightly bell the bottom of this piece as it provides wear leather protection for the bottom edge of the skirts, on that bottom stitch line. I also cut this out of good leather.

[AndyKnight]

sounds like I make them the same as Troys. ( I usually scallop the skirt up and the connector bridges the scallop and acts as a wear leather as well.

[ArtS]

Here is my rigging.

ArtS