Need Advice On Saddle Repair

[Dwight]

A friend asked me to look at his saddle, said it needed a bit of repair.

He brought it over, . . . the wool on the underside of the saddle is split, . . . from the very rear of the saddle, about 8 or 9 inches straight forward, . . . almost dead center of the saddle.

He suggested I could maybe cement it up against the bottom of the rear skirt, . . . but I told him I would ask the experts, . . . on here.

Personally, . . . I thought of just hand stitching the split back together, . . . would like to hear "What would you do?"

Thanks, may God bless,

Dwight

[KAYAK45]

Well, dwight, that leather tore for a reason. Maybe it was made too tight, maybe the horse was REAAAALLLY FAT! LOL Don't try to cement. You'll need to add a piece of leather (any good kind) between whats there, to widen the sheepskin, and hand sew it, if that's to your liking.

Good sewing and tight stitches!

Kevin

[Dwight]

Kevin, . . . thank you, . . . I was really afraid of the cement idea, . . . but there just simply isn't much of a pool of help in this area.

I really had liked your idea, . . . but had not formulated in my mind that the reason it split was maybe a fat horse, . . . and come to think of it, . . . he has some pretty "robust" stock.

Seriously, . . . he does take good care of his animals, . . .

Again, my appreciation.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Denise]

Dwight, Is this a normal western saddle? Typically the skirts are two piecs of leather with sheepskin sewn to them individually and the skirts are commonly laced together at the back. There isn't one piece of sheepskin that covers the whole underside of the saddle. Posting some pictures of the problem will probably help.

[longtooth]

Dwight, Is this a normal western saddle? Typically the skirts are two piecs of leather with sheepskin sewn to them individually and the skirts are commonly laced together at the back. There isn't one piece of sheepskin that covers the whole underside of the saddle. Posting some pictures of the problem will probably help.

Denise,

You are correct two skirts with sheepskin sewn to each one. If the sheepskin is coming away from the skirt closest to the gullet I probably would pull that skirt off and correct accordingly. When you take the skirt off watch for nails in the area the sheepskin is coming loose. Usually that's the area that is nailed to the tree.

[helmethead]

My recommendation would be too reline both skirts. A fair amount of work, but it's what I would want if it were my saddle.

[Dwight]

My recommendation would be too reline both skirts. A fair amount of work, but it's what I would want if it were my saddle.

I went out today to the shop, . . . got a really good look at it, . . . the wool leather is gone, rotted, it is like watered down cardboard.

You hit it on the head 'helmethead" (no pun intended,............) and that is exactly what I will have to do.

Ahh, . . . well, . . . my fingers were just getting well after being smashed between two concrete blocks, . . . guess we'll see if they still work

Hey, everybody, thanks for all the good words, suggestions, etc. Y'all make me glad I stop by here.

May God bless,

Dwight