Skirt Style

[klousfrog]

Why are short skirts becoming so popular.. i could understand on ladies but not saddles. i see all these saddles with the skirts cut 3 in above where the rigging plate ends. the skirts distribute weight and add padding with sheepskin. that's the plus of western saddles vs. English. It may make the saddle lighter but that doesn'tt help much when you pinpoint the weight into a smaller area. i do like the lighter look of it...not so bulky...but after i did some research i decided not to shorten the skirts. what are your opinions on this is it another style that's not so functional or does it work just the same.

[BOB BRENNER]

Somehow I missed this.

I think there are several reasons why skirts a getting a little shorter. I have been shortening the skirts on most of my saddles for the last 20 years or so and this is my reasoning. I generally only shorten the length of the skirt and not the depth, but will depend on the horse and rider.

Back in the 90’s I started seeing a change in the conformation of horses I was building saddles for. These horses had a heavier and more developed shoulder. Therefore. I began to shorten both the tip of the bar and the distance between the front of the bar and the leading edge of the skirt. My normal bar and skirts measurements were restricting the movement of the shoulder and could develop a pressure point. In fact after a few years my tree maker informed me that they were shortening the front tip of most of their bars, as they had also seen this change in conformation

In the last few years I have noticed another change in conformation. I am seeing a more compact or shorter coupled horse. Again, I am shortening both the back tip of the bar and/or skirt whatever the case may be. My standard skirt length was interfering with the movement of the hip. Plus, from time to time was seeing a pressure point on top of the spine due to the conformation.

Also, have been making more saddle with round skirts. I have been making a trail riding saddle for about 25 years. In the beginning most of the skirts were square and now most of the skirts a round. In fact do not make any 16" seats with a square skirt. The saddles with round skirts seem to fit more horses now days.

This is what I am seeing in my market, yours could be different.

Bob

[compound]

If I can add my experience from the other side of the ocean.

I understand the big skirts and I like them-but not in women ....

For us in Europe are short saddle skirts are very popular. The saddle is smaller, compact and lightweight. And it is for hobby riders comfortable. In Europe, they are not real cowboys, and therefore the opinion hobby riders for the manufacturer of saddles important. In addition, we have a slightly different type of horse-small, short, short and broad back. Such horses have a coat worn by long skirts and riders do not like it.

This year I built a saddle for Leather World debut in Sheridan and the jury agreed that the skirts are short. Nevertheless, this type of skirt popular in Europe .... and finally I was on the 2 spot. So I think that short skirts are beautiful, but not too bad

Martin

Edited September 17, 2013 by compound

[oltoot]

Here's my 2 cnts. Years ago when I using and making and repairing saddles, I took note that the corners of a lot of square skirted rigs curled up or sorta just curled. I rode a square skirted rig at the time and had learned to repeat all the "increased weight bearing area rhetoric." Then one day when I was saddling up I stuck my hand up underneath that square corner and noticed that I didn't meet any real resistance til I got close to the bars and I started looking close and decided that I had just been repeating the conventional wisdom which was not too wise. Sooo, it was a process of years of observation and trial during which I moved from Texas to Wyoming (via Arizona, South Dakota, Montana) where folks were already where I was getting to. Now I sculpt skirts with about 2 1/2 - 3 inches behind the bars and then tapered around following the shape of the bars til I get to the back rigging. Then shaped to that then to the front rig then to the front of the bars, which as noted above are different than they used to be. I still believe in the basic function of the skirt just that it doesn't take as much leather to achieve it. And another thing. Years ago, I quit lacing my skirts together in back, except on mother Hubbard's.

Edited September 18, 2013 by oltoot