Saddle Seat Repair/replace

[Phatdaddy]

Hi Everyone,

I'm certain this is not something I am prepared to tackle both experience and tool wise. However a friend of mine wants to have this saddle repaired.

In my opinion the seat needs to be replaced as it's all 1 piece.

I have never worked on a saddle before. Would anyone able to comment and possibly suggest an estimate at what this would cost to have a saddle maker repair?

Thanks,

Kevin

Edited June 15, 2012 by Phatdaddy

[DoubleC]

Man that couldn't be in a worse place could it? You know Kevin, I don't see why that one part couldn't be repaired. I mean if it was MY saddle and with me being the queen of cheap, I'd take that part off on down and to the sides. Then I'd sew another piece for it with a weld on the cantle because he's not going to sit on that part, or have his back or legs against it. If a saddle maker does it, they'll replace the whole seat more than likely, and I'd be afraid to guess what it would cost. I'd charge 150.00 plus materials and I wouldn't have a clue what I was doing, LOL. Cheryl

[dirtclod]

I would leave that one alone !!! Espically if you want to put a full seat in. Generally they leave very little SA to sew back to and it's a WHOLE lot more to it than you think. A english saddle is a whole different animal than a western saddle.

[DoubleC]

I agree with you. The only way I'd try to do anything with something that would be if it was mine.

[Phatdaddy]

Yeah, like I said it's out of my league, but i'm still curious what would be involved and the approximate cost to repair it should she have someone that is qualified, fix it. It may not be worth it.

Thanks again.

Kevin

[DoubleC]

Oh Kevin, I think it would be worth it. That's an expensive saddle. Cheryl

[dirtclod]

I have no ideal what somebody would charge to fix it. It's been several years sense i worked on a English saddle but the best i remember everything but the billets will need to come off to fix the seat. It's a big job.

[oldtimer]

Oh Kevin, I think it would be worth it. That's an expensive saddle. Cheryl

How can you tell from the pic that it is an expensive saddle?

I would put it in the cheapie section, from the way the cantle back is constructed!

/ Knut

Edited June 15, 2012 by oldtimer

[DoubleC]

I was going by the design and from the fact I used to ride English. Maybe it is cheap, could be a China import who knows. How do you know it's cheap from the picture? It's a nice looking saddle.

[oldtimer]

I was going by the design and from the fact I used to ride English. Maybe it is cheap, could be a China import who knows. How do you know it's cheap from the picture? It's a nice looking saddle.

Tha back of the cantle has two seams, that´s not the traditional way to make an english saddle, it is the easy way. I have no idea if it is a cheap saddle or not, but it is my first gut feeling.

Also I don´t think it would be an easy repair, as the whole seat leather would have to be removed and a new center piece made. A cobbler would patch it, but the final result ........

My two cents / Knut

[DoubleC]

I'm sorry Knut, I was just going on my gut too, and you're probably right. Cheryl

[oldtimer]

I'm sorry Knut, I was just going on my gut too, and you're probably right. Cheryl

I might be wrong, but my gut tells me ...;-)

/ Knut

[DoubleC]

I'm just sorry I snarked at you. I was too tired by then to be even looking at forums, but that does not excuse it. I haven't a clue, just know I'd take it off Kevin's hands and fix it and sell it to someone :-) It could on my list of 193272 things I'm going to do that with :-) Cheryl

[longtooth]

The cost to do the seat would be about 750 dollars. The hide for the seat and the side jockeys are very expensive. English bridle leather from England will make you gasp. I wonder who was chewing on the cantle? Some jobs are better left alone.

[Kevin]

Longtooth is right on the price and that is on the low side. You can tell from the shiney leather, it is either a cheap saddle or is very, very dry. Most English seats do, did, have seams in the back, now they sometimes pad the back of the cantle to do away with the wrinkles that would occur otherwise. Rounded (dressage) cantles are easier to do with no seams.

Everything does come off but the "groundseat" and the rear 4 billets. It's almost a three day job. Take everything apart, block your new seat leather on, let it dry, take it off, sew it together and put it all back together.

Kevin

[Kevin]

I may be wrong, but the saddle looks Argentine to me.

Kevin

[Jax]

I've done some of these, a few years ago though, its not such a scary job, if you are seaming by hand it is rather long winded though, if it is a quality saddle (I wouldn't like to say from the pics, are there any makers plates under the skirts? That may be an indication of better quality) the repair would be well worth it but if not then will the person let you have the saddle just to "play" with, then you could strip it down to see what goes on inside. The main problem you may face is if it is made on a plastic tree as you cannot tack into a plastic tree you must use staples and best to use an air stapler too. Good luck!!

[fivewayswelshcobs]

I wish we could get $750 for re-seating a saddle -last one I did was £140 , they can be a pain in the rear end but satisfying when finished. The time taken depends on the hide used. As for someone doing it without training I wouldn't touch it as everything needs to be put together in the right place and pulled on straight as it can affect the way a saddle rides and can also affect the horse and its back. It can be patched but personally I dislke the way it would look but for a cheap job it can be done. I know if someone came to me and asked me to do more than a basic repair on a western saddle I would tell them to find a saddler who knows about that type of saddle as I am only trained in english saddles.(master saddler)

[TackCollector]

It looks like an Argentina saddle to me. Cantle cover (see pic for example; this is from CWD) or the other thing I've seen in English saddle repair books is slip a piece of leather underneath there, smooth it out, glue it, and pinch up the seat edges as close together as possible while it's druing. Then take a wax pencil and fill in the gap with wax afterward. I can see where the cap might be faster, lol.