Australian Hybrid/crossover

[rufusjames]

I've not built a saddle since last May. With work being so slow I got back in the basement and made myself a saddle for Polocrosse. This is my third completed saddle. First one unsupervised. It is similar to last two I posted, but I tweeked the design some.

[oldtimer]

Is it built on a Laporte tree?

BTW a fine well made saddle!

/ Knut

[rufusjames]

Thanks Knut. Yes it is. Sorry I didn't give any info on it. 15.5" Laporte,cable rigged,Hermann Oak. I want small and light for a game I play on horseback called Polocrosse. Small skirts with less insulation and more air flow. "balance ride" style forward located stirrups. I wanted more of an Australian saddle ride to it. The stirrups hang about 3" forward than if hung over the tree. I have a friends Aussie style saddle that was built 30 or so years ago by Brock Lynch with this setup and I really like it for what I am doing on horses.

[oldtimer]

I have built a saddle on a Laporte tree, and in my opinion the bars have too much rock .

[rufusjames]

So what did you do? It did not fit? I hear your opinion and want to know more. I see your sig... If you have the whiskey ill go get my gun!

[oldtimer]

I bought the Laporte tree just to check it out. It had too much rock and was too narrow in the gullet, so I sold the saddle when it was finished. The groundseat had a good shape.

Edited November 15, 2012 by oldtimer

[rufusjames]

Too much rock for your horse? Too narrow for your horse?I am trying to understand your opinion. Was it the tree? Or the horse has a flat/arched/ wide back. You know they are easily custom fitted within reason. If not you can ask for specific dimensions to be produced. Hell they will even adjust it for you if you send a wither tracing and a picture of the horse you are fitting if you are not comfortable doing the sanding yourself. Did you find someone that had a horse with a narrow swayback to sell it to?

[oldtimer]

Yes, I sold it to a friend who has nine horses and he had a Morgan cross that fit the saddle.

[rufusjames]

Oh good. It worked out for you then. Glad you didn't get stuck with a saddle you couldn't use. Your friend that bought it, are they happy with saddle? Better question would be, is the horse happy with the saddle?

Edited November 16, 2012 by rufusjames

[JinxedDream]

(Brand-new here) I really like that saddle. That's my ultimate goal, to make a half-breed saddle. I fell in love with the Australian hybrid saddles when I was desperately searching for a saddle that fit my horse and being on a limited budget. Found an old unstamped saddle in the basement of the local shop. I had to repair 3 other saddles and sell my favourite western saddle to buy it and now I'd never go back. What kind of rigging did you place on this one?

[rufusjames]

Thank you, the saddle is cable rigged. Here is the website with pics of bare trees with the cable

http://www.literidetree.com/Saddle_Trees.html

Edited January 23, 2013 by rufusjames

[JinxedDream]

Thank you, the saddle is cable rigged. Here is the website with pics of bare trees with the cable

http://www.literidet...ddle_Trees.html

Thanks! Do you like how the rigging works when you are actually in the saddle? I've never even ridden in a cable-rigged saddle.

[rufusjames]

I play Polocrosse just about every weekend. We play and ride HARD. Love the close contact that the cable affords me. The cable rig along with "butterfly" skirts really allows me to ride with my legs and seat and stay out of my horses mouth. Never been any problems for my horses. Never sore. No gall. I ride a pretty loose cinch too.

At first I was skeptical about this type of riggin. I do not see any reason to build my Polocrosse saddles any other way. I also frequently ride 10-15 mile rides legging up my horse for the season. Mostly at a trot. Again with no issues for my horses.

RJ

[JinxedDream]

Thanks so much for answering all my questions. I knew Kent Saddlery was making them with a cable rigging. I can imagine how much better that must be. My half-breed has less bulk than the westerns I used to ride in but is still fairly bulky. I've only found one other rider with a half-breed and hers is a Wintec. That's been my biggest hestiation for looking at saddle-making myself, its not like I can go ride in a dozen saddles and take notes about what I liked and didn't like about each.

[rufusjames]

I also like that the cable triangulates the tension to the saddle. The tension is almost equal front to back.

[JinxedDream]

I noticed that. Did you wrap the cable or how do you cinch up? I've seen a few different ways it was done. Hmm, wonder if I could find a western around here to test ride that kind of rigging.