All The Saddles Built By Aurelie

[Aurelie]

Hello guys!

Here is a post where i will post all the saddles i have built and the ones coming....

So that everything stays in 1 thread and does not "pollute" the whole section.....

I have seen that many of my pictures have disappeared from several of my posts ( surely my mistake) so maybe with 1 thread i will stay clear and avoid to destroy my pictures :D

Enjoy!

And as usual => none of them are perfects

I am "mad" with all of them for 1 or several reasons

things i've done, things i would do differently and some "scientific tests" .....

Every piece of advice, tips or anything are welcomed

and i would repeat something told to me not that long ago : "Rome has not been built overnight ..."

I wish there will be a day when i tell you : "this one is "perfect" but i fear that it will be "a cold day in Hell" :D

[Aurelie]

#0

a roping saddle :

Flat creek packer saddle tree with flat plates and the scalopped "crazy french touch"

the one i built in Montana during my training (this one does not really counts because it was not in France, i had support even if it was only psychologic, and i had all the good tools underfoot)

[Aurelie]

#1 saddle built back in France while i was pregnant and thus with a little help of an extra pair of hands (delivered right in time before Charlotte poking her head out )

In-skirt saddle built on a "wade" saddle tree for a girl going into the country with her horse

this one, i am particularly happy with the basket on the fenders : for any reasons i kept damn straight (and for any reasons, i can't keep straight my basket on small areas...)

Edited January 11, 2013 by Aurelie

[Aurelie]

#2 saddle

Sid special saddle tree (i had a devil of a time putting on the fork cover)

In-skirt saddle ( i wish i could built another flate plates because they 're my fav' and way easier to built IMO)

1st padded seat => learnt the hard way not to use too tough leather for that BUT "Impossible is not French"....I did it with that oiled leather i had :D ( but not really by the book tough i guess)

[Aurelie]

#3 saddle (the one i brought with me in Sheridan 2012)

Old Mexico saddle tree

inskirt

1st inlaid seat (thanks to all the advices i got here ) => to be honest, i mixed several kind of tips and did it my "mixed way" turned out really nice

and to be honest : I find it easier than padded seat AND I find it nicer too

[Hombro]

C'est magnifique !

[Aurelie]

#4 saddle

ordered specifically by a customer after seeing the #3

This one is the one i am "less" happy with for several reasons (esthetically speaking)

Legcut bowman saddle tree => this shape gave me a helluva troubles with the fork cover

Plus, I had a serie of troubles , had to stop, think, undo , redo ....in a nutshell : this one almost drove me to drop the job....

Make to myself = i will try again a leg cut ....but in some years...

The leather was not H and O as usual (chahin ) it was really great to carve but what a S***T to mold ! heavy and dense stuff

came with the whole "shebang" : back cinch, headstall, breast collar and mohair cinch

those were "calming" to do

and Chaps too (used Goligher leather : what a terrific leather to work with

[Aurelie]

Coming soon (but do not know which one 1st) :

1 saddle made from endurance saddle tree

1 saddle from a bowman roper (surely #5)

1 saddle from a Reiner 12 (#6) for a reinning saddle

and 1 saddle with a Barrel saddle tree .....

might be totally crazy

Note : All my saddle trees come from Randy Alexander (rawhide saddle tree)

except the barrel one : it's a ralide and wanted to "try" it myself

for the ones who can afford it => try Denise and Rod Nickel saddle trees => terrific stuff too!

(1 day, i will have 1!) :D

[Rod and Denise Nikkel]

Thanks for the kind words, Aurelie. It was good meeting you at Sheridan this year! It will be fun watching the progression of your saddle making skills as this thread gets more and more saddles added to it.

[Aurelie]

Thanks for the kind words, Aurelie. It was good meeting you at Sheridan this year! It will be fun watching the progression of your saddle making skills as this thread gets more and more saddles added to it.

that's my pleasure :D

I really think that you build terrific saddle tree

If i were living in the US or Canada, i would do business on regular basis with you!

but regarding the shipping + terrible customs in France.....i will had to wait .....but i keep in mind a "special saddle tree with a nice polished horn...."

[oltoot]

I've used what I make and have two observations for you

1) you are doing great working things out and obviously paying a lot of attention to what happens as you yield a tool or even just your hands.

2) Look at the works of the many that are on the net and notice the Blevins Buckles. Ideally, the sleeve position on the stirrup leather should be on a line between ankle and knee while mounted and for most folks down far enough that they won't rub on the horse's rib cage nor the underside of the riders legs.

[Aurelie]

I've used what I make and have two observations for you

1) you are doing great working things out and obviously paying a lot of attention to what happens as you yield a tool or even just your hands.

2) Look at the works of the many that are on the net and notice the Blevins Buckles. Ideally, the sleeve position on the stirrup leather should be on a line between ankle and knee while mounted and for most folks down far enough that they won't rub on the horse's rib cage nor the underside of the riders legs.

thanks , i will take a look

talk about Karma or anything else all thoses saddles (mine included) have been built to fit short legs (28/30") and i am still trying to grasp the best way to build them so that you got the middle hole of the stirrup fender and keep the efficiency and the good looking

(and even Al's books do not solve my troubles on that specific point)

so, the way being, the sleeve of the buckle always lays on the skirt and does not even come close to the rib cage of the horse

[chancey77]

Wow! I don't have the patience to make even 1 saddle much less that many! I can only stand back in awe at the saddle makers on this forum! I love looking at them but not sure I will ever attempt to make one... I have fixed several but to build one from scratch just isn't my idea of a good time cause I would surely over think it and get way to frustrated..... Lolol

GREAT JOB! I like the yellow and black one the most out of these pictures.

[Aurelie]

Wow! I don't have the patience to make even 1 saddle much less that many! I can only stand back in awe at the saddle makers on this forum! I love looking at them but not sure I will ever attempt to make one... I have fixed several but to build one from scratch just isn't my idea of a good time cause I would surely over think it and get way to frustrated..... Lolol

GREAT JOB! I like the yellow and black one the most out of these pictures.

Thanks Chancey77

You know, i think that if you know how to fix a saddle and used to do it you can built one from scratch with the Al'stholman books as a back up

I have to admit it : yeah , sometimes it drives me crazy and i swear like a trucker => in that case, i just get out of my workshop and do something else before i really get mad and make a terrible thing!

And i am awed by the terrific things you do yourself too!

[chancey77]

I have the patience if a 4 year old sometimes hahaha the longest I work on a job is about a week and then I need to move on.

Thanks for you compliments! I love this stuff and learn something from the members here every single day. We all have our specialties and I know what my weaknesses are and accept them for what they are:) hahahaa I really want to go to some workshops someday! I think the more flexible we are the better. Sheridan carving is my kryptonite for sure! But I am working in scraps now trying to get a grasp on it more. Until then I think I'll stick to my tattoo styled art... It comes more naturally.

[Aurelie]

.... Sheridan carving is my kryptonite for sure! But I am working in scraps now trying to get a grasp on it more. Until then I think I'll stick to my tattoo styled art... It comes more naturally.

AhAh ! Welcome on board buddy !

I also do have some "troubles" with this floral carving

technical and "emotional" troubles alike

why do you think i "tattooed" my saddles ??? :D

[oltoot]

On the leg cut Bowman, I have learned the hard way that anytime you put the welt someplace other than right down the point of the swells it can be daunting. I dont use the jigs as described by AS and I have come up with my own last minute check and cheat that has made the welt part come out much more consistently and here it is: after pinching and removing the cover and cutting 3/8 from the pinch line, I fold the cover and see if the resulting lefts and rights on each side match and if they dont, I trim to make them match. Thus installing the welts will be easier than trying to match up two unequal sides with a third line (the welt) so that they will turn out straight.

JMHO

[Aurelie]

On the leg cut Bowman, I have learned the hard way that anytime you put the welt someplace other than right down the point of the swells it can be daunting. I dont use the jigs as described by AS and I have come up with my own last minute check and cheat that has made the welt part come out much more consistently and here it is: after pinching and removing the cover and cutting 3/8 from the pinch line, I fold the cover and see if the resulting lefts and rights on each side match and if they dont, I trim to make them match. Thus installing the welts will be easier than trying to match up two unequal sides with a third line (the welt) so that they will turn out straight.

JMHO

you do not know how happy i am to see that there are others saddle makers using their own tricks

and as you said : you always learn the hard way.....

i was laughing out loud reading "I fold the cover and see if the resulting lefts and rights on each side match and if they dont, I trim to make them match"

because that was what i 've done BUT there is a kind of akward moment when you think "ok now which side do i trim to match the other one???? " Héhéhé

cause when it's cut...it's cut

[Aurelie]

Hello guys!

i ve fallen a bit behind!

here latest one out of the workshop :

1st attempt at Barrel race saddle

15" seat and antiqued to look "old"

2 other more to come really soon! :D

Edited June 7, 2013 by Aurelie

[Josh Ashman]

Looks really good Aurelie! Thanks for posting and keep up the great work.

Josh

[Chaed]

Hey Aurelie, I'm really enjoying your saddles. Some questions from a newbie. How long does it take you to build one? And seeing as you're in France, where do you get your leather from and what kind of leather do you use? (I really love HO and Wickett&Craig, but getting them shipped to Europe is a no go money wise).

[Aurelie]

Thx guys

Chaed => Hermann et oak i use

I used to import directly from them in the USA but found "easier" and not more expensive to get them from "Logis de Cordes" near Lyon . They import Hermann and Oak for whole Europe now .

if you give me your email address by mp i can send you their informations and price .

No choice when you want to build western saddles...got to get almost everything from the USA.....(leather, saddle tree , hardware...)...and pay the price for it

It takes me a while to build a saddle (2 or 3 months sometimes 4 ) for several reasons :

1/ i am still "wet behind the ears" in saddle building department - in my opinion at least.

i am about to finish n°7 and 8

I take my time to build them good and i try to build 1 thing new (never done before) on each of my new saddle

You can't learn if you do not try (and often you learn by your mistakes) . this forum and lot of guys here helped me by sharing kindly advices

2/ In August 2013, it will be 3 years since i started that "business" and during that time frame : i got pregnant, had my baby girl and worked on my saddles.......still now i work part of the week and the other part i care for Charlotte .

I can say this : i suspect that if i worked full time i could build a saddle within 1 month maybe 1 1/2" month .......and with a wee bit more experience : 3 weeks sounds acceptable

[Aurelie]

#6 is finished => a Bowman roper

i ve built #6 and #7 at the same time (pics of #7 are coming) and 1st time i did 2 fork covers and 2 seats without any troubles, without wasting a single piece of leather!

and, this is not any longer or difficult to build 2 saddles at once

[Aurelie]

Hi guys!

and here the #7

ARABIAN saddle tree with all the "trimmings" : back cinch, tapaderos and knife on the billet :D

[Aurelie]

Hi guys!

I ve been a bit busy and lost a bit the count but here are the last saddles from my workshop