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Posted

Another Polocrosse saddle completed. CSST cable rigged tree,Hermann Oak,16.5" 4"x12"seat, rawhide hidden stitch bindings...

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Posted

Awesome, like the other ones! You're killing me here... I'm still saving my pennies :)

Question, have you ever covered the poleys in a single piece with welts (basically like covering a pommel without the horn)? I saw it on a Blue Creek Saddle once but haven't found anyone else that does that.

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Posted

MU thank you. I have been to your site a couple of times. Your work is absolutely amazing.

Jinxed,thank you too. I do not cover the front with one piece. Couple of reasons. First is, I am building these saddles primarily for Polocrosse players. The rawhide helps keep the high points from getting too beat up by the sticks we play with. Also we untack between Chukkas(periods) to cool and care for our horses. Usually just throwing the saddle on the ground as we only have 8 minutes between chukkas. Lastly long trailer rides have torn up more than one of my Aussie stock saddles with welted poleys. This is also why my skirts are so small and "butterflied". Less insulation = cooler horse and closer contact.

My main reason is looks. I think that one [piece covers look plain. The rest of the saddle has detail, lines, shadows, detail... The one piece cover just looks too blah to me. Honestly, to me it looks like a pair butt cheeks. My opinion fwiw. A pic of me and my horse at practice last weekend.

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Rufusjames,

What's the difference between polocrosse and polo? I could google it I guess.

My wife and I moved to Santa Barbara in '79, she to start her PhD and I to start photography school, we rented a place to live on the Santa Barbara Polo Grounds. The owner of this particular condo was also a member of polo club. I don't know why but that afforded us a lower member status as well. I watched a lot of matches during those years there. What an exciting, thundering sport it is.

Paul

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Posted

Thank you for explaining that. It does make sense. Form to function and all of that. I do really like how you used the rawhide on the poleys, its a preferable look to those that were done in a 3-piece and have welts.

Did you handstitch all of that detail? Because I'm impressed with it, definitely different (and probably easier to clean than carved leather!).

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Posted (edited)

MakerUnknown,

We play with a sponge rubber ball and catch,pass,bounce with a racquet. Like LaCrosse on horses. 3 on 3 for a section. Eight minute Chukkas(periods). Major difference between polo and Polocrosse is smaller size of field(3 acres as apposed to Polo's 10), we catch,throw,bounce... Being that we play with a racquet the direction of the play changes rapidly. So a lot of cutting, juking, quick stops and spins... VERY athletic horses. We are only allowed to compete with one horse. So no string of ponies. Just one for the tournament. There are exceptions but only for horse injury/ or deemed unfit to play by the onsite Vet. Then you have to play a horse that is rated equal or less if you change horses. Horsemanship is first and foremost.

More info here

http://www.americanpolocrosse.org/

Edited by rufusjames
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Posted

JinxedDream,

I have been messing with dyeing the rawhide to get more of a monochromatic look. Or at least not stand out so aggressively. I like it fine on lighter colored leather but not with the darker. I stitched it with my Toro 3000. And yes I try not do any carving/tooling on it because it is a dusty game and I like ease of maintenance over fancy. That being said, I think this design will be a PITA to clean anyway.

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Posted

It's funny, last night I went to see all the Oscar nominations for live action shorts. I had been trying to come up with the name of game that originated throughout Central Asia that probably polo and it's related games came from and one of the films was an Afghan one called "Buzhashi Boys". Exactly what I was thinking about. The sport that the players carry around a dead goat and score with that. Interestingly, the film was mainly funded through the US State Dept.

http://vimeo.com/34778382

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Posted

Wow that looks cool. Interested in seeing that movie. Looks interesting. A look into Afghan life, through the eyes of a dead goat!

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