roperdad Report post Posted April 18, 2011 One of my friends is a pretty solid ranch hand and a very serious team roper. He swapped for a saddle a year ago that has latigo lined skirts. He has mostly roped out of it, with just a little ranch riding done. He showed it to me a while back and asked what I thought.... I'm pretty much a traditionalist, so my first response was "wool lined is better", Now, several months and a few hundred steers later, I'm wondering if my opinion as any basis!?!? He rides big ol' soggy heading horses and ropes a lot. No sign of anything bad. My pride wants to be right, but I'm not seeing any evidence to prove me correct so far... Any thoughts? Experience? As I sit here typing this I'm wondering if I might be having one of those learning opportunities? He seriously ropes 3-4 nights a week, which rolls out to 100 or so steers a week with no trouble. Normally this is compelling enough evidence for me to give it a try, but my old school thought process says wool is the only way to go- I appreciate any thoughts or experience- Clay Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben Report post Posted April 18, 2011 Clay, A couple of thoughts. I think the wool liner's primary purpose is ensure the saddle stays in place on the horses back once the saddle lays in the natural place it is destined to be per the horse's conformation. Secondary function is to provide a little padding. If you friend is not adjusting the saddle every run and the horse tells him the latigo liner works, then either this horse is an exception or maybe we are learning something new here. Like many things this is probably only new to us at this particular time. Ben Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyKnight Report post Posted April 19, 2011 Sheepskin lining helps holds the pads in place and usually does it fairly well for a long time. I have lined some saddles with roughout chap leather over the last 16 + years. Some customers will have nothing but leather lining and others prefer the more traditional sheepskin. I find the biggest disadvantage with the leather is that the roughout tends to get slick and may allow pad slippage. but on the other side it doesn't attract pine needles and burrs etc, Also the mites aren't interested in it. Look on the bottom of english saddles and you won't see sheepskin. The padding attribute in sheepskin is not a contributing factor as we use padding /blankets for that purpose. Still a plump, thick sheepskin is darn nice..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
horsewreck Report post Posted April 20, 2011 I think a lot of us are just old school, but I have seen several Hi Tec roping saddles by double J out of Yoakum TX. that appear to have rough out maybe 5oz over what feels like close cell foam between it and the skirt. I have talked to a couple of team ropers that have them and they like them. As Andy pointed out English saddles have no wool skin under them, and from what I have read, early western saddles did not have wool under them. I would like to hear from guys who use something other than wool or Kodel under skirts and why they use it. (not trying to hijack your thread)......... Jeff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roperdad Report post Posted April 20, 2011 Thanks for the responses, guys. These are the type of thoughts, experience and opinions I'm looking for. No hi-jack worries, horsewreck. It is kind of a natural path on the same thought progression! I, too, have seen the Hi-Tec Ropers, and always figured they were alright for an hour or two of practice, but have always wondered how they'd hold up and perform for the horse under longer periods of riding. Thanks again for chiming in- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
