Ordering Saddle Trees?

[GrampaJoel]

Quite a while back I ordered a set of Lane fitting cards that are used to take measurments of a horses back.

Ok I'm all set, or so it seemed.

So now I want to build a saddle, and I tried to order a saddle tree the other day from a what seems to be a well known USA saddle tree maker. ( Oh,,,,and why is it always a 4-5 month wait with every tree maker??), anyway, I ask what measurements he needed and if he knew of and used the Lane fitting cards. He said he did and gave me the other areas he needed measurements for.

Seat hight and width and length,Cantle tilt and dish, what type of horn, neck size and height and cap style and size.

Then he ask for gullet height.

Well I was prepared for everything but this. So I reaserched the net, looked at the Nikkels web site for a long time, and read everything else I could all over the net about measuring and choosing the right gullet height.

Only to find that it seems that gullet height is an arbitrary measurment to each saddle tree builder. Usually determined by the bar angles and type of fork being used before leather is applied.

So my question is,,,

How am I supposed to give the tree builder this measurment? I don't know what the tree barrs will measure by looking at the Lane cards...

Why did I spend money to buy the Lane saddle tree fitting card if they dont tell the tree maker how to build the tree? Dont they measure the bar angle and wither height and back length and such?

How does one order asaddle tree when measurements are arbitrary?

This is not a comlaint. I just want to know how to order a saddle tree and have it turn out like I want and fit the horse I am making a saddle for.

Ok I'm hoping for some good replies .

Thanks

Joel

[Josh Ashman]

Joel,

I'll probably get scoffed at by some of the more experianced or more persnikity folks on here but I tell the treemaker the type of horses I expect the saddle to fit and let them figure out the bottom side of the tree. I buy into the "a saddle should fit a type of horse, not a specific horse" mentality and I trust that the treemaker understands his craft better than I do.

Best regards,

Josh

[Rod and Denise Nikkel]

Joel,

We ask our customers what gullet height they want as well. A lot of makers know the look they want and the clearance they want because they know our trees and how they fit on the horses they plan to use this tree on, so they have the option of choosing the gullet height they want.

But some people ask us what we would suggest, especially if they are using the DL system or haven't had one of our trees before, and then we discuss with them what we would recommend and why, and make a decision with them on this measurement.

You are correct that gullet height is chosen on a number of factors. The fork has to clear the horse - not just at the front of the gullet but at the hand hole too, and the gullet height and hand hole height often don't correlate between different fork types due to a number of factors. (There is a page on our website explaining why this is, in anyone is interested in the details - http://www.rodnikkel...llet-height-me/)

Gullet height affects the look of the fork and sometimes it is chosen based on this factor. For example, old time looking metal horn slick forks often have really high gullet heights because that was the look back in the day when horses were thinner and had taller withers to clear. That amount of clearance isn't usually needed these days, but if you want that look, you need a tall gullet height.

Your treemaker probably has a good suggestion on what would work for your order. We'd suggest you ask him what he recommends and why, and then discuss it with him. He'll help you out.

PS. Not all hand made tree makers are 4 to 5 months out...

Edited November 16, 2012 by Rod and Denise Nikkel