Saddle Identification

[richardbessey]

HELP!

My wife and I are not horse people, I haven't a clue how to saddle a horse!

Anyway, My wife brought this saddle home from her mother.

The saddle has been in her family and has some sentimental value to my wife.

Does anyone know anything about this saddle?

Is it a good saddle?

Is it restorable?

Can the leather be saved or does it have to be replaced?

Is it worth restoring or is it better off to purchase a new saddle?

Thoughts?

[horsewreck]

Its best to clean it up and set it on a stand in your game room or den. Saddle has seen better days and could and should not be ridden. It most likely won't fit most modern horses anyway. Leather is to far gone to save. But a old saddle with family ties deserves to be cleaned up and kept, but to ride go buy a newer model.... Jeff

[Denise]

I agree with Jeff. We have an old saddle sitting in our living room which is in much better shape than that one (it has been worked on since it was rescued), but it won't fit today's bigger horses (or today's bigger people either...) but it is worth having for the historical value and for us, as a discussion piece. But please, fix it up before you put it up for show somewhere! I see these magazines that have "decorated western" with bits of JUNK tack around. Decorators may like the look, but those of us who appreciate good tack don't! It sounds like this one is worth it sentimentally to keep, and that makes it worth the time and effort to make it look good again, even if it won't be usable.