Texas Hope Saddle Sllipping...

[Hoss Fly]

Howdy,

I have a replica Hope Saddle that despite fitting one of my horses will slip back after riding a little bit. Other than putting a skirt on it, is there anything else I can do to keep it from slipping? Like maybe putting some type of anti-slip adhesive to the bars? I have time to figure it out as I am currently deoployed to the Middle East.

Have a great day,

Vince.

[oltoot]

I would think that the best (and btw most authentic) solution would be a properly designed and fitted breast plate (collar) adjusted snug at all three points. Odds are that the riggings are set to period authenticity which would have suited the average cavalry mount; a big tall TB type with a straight up shoulder. If your horse has a sloping shoulder, the saddle is just slipping back to get the rigging/cinch line straight. Another solution would be to reset the rigging. I'm not familiar with the Hope but later model McClellans had adjustable rigging to solve this without putting a lot of reliance (stress) on the breast plate. IMHO goo is not good. There is more to fit than just bars/back.

[Hoss Fly]

The 1904 McClellan had a self adjusting rigging which kept the centerfire rig in the center so to speak. I have one that I ride on an old mexican horse and it fits him perfectly. My Hope saddle has what I believe is full quarter horse bars and I think a full rigging with rear cinch. I believe that most of the Hopes were centerfire rigged back in those days. However, my problems is not just slipping backwards but it will walk forward to. I live in the hill country of Texas where there isn't much level gound so this is a problem. The saddle does fit my big QH good, but with no skirts and a bare rawhide covered tree their is no "stick" to the saddle on top of the saddle pad.

I do plan on making my own hope saddle for my other horses someday soon so I am really interested in fixing this problem besides of adding skirts. I just like the look of the thing, though it isn't much for ranch work, when it's on my horses we look we just rode out of the mid 1800's.

Have a great day,

Vince.

[GrampaJoel]

Vince.

Here's my two cents worth.

I'd say that if the saddle slips both forward and backward, that it probably does not fit the horse.

Chest and rump straps will help, but I would bet the tree is crooked in the bars.

I once had a mc clellan style endurance saddle that I rode and it didn't have skirts.

The saddle never moved forward or back, in much distance, and it had a center fire cinch.

But the saddle was custom built to the horses back.

I would think a rawhide covered tree without at least a blanket

in contact with a horses back might pose some future back problems for the horse.

And some safety problems for all involved, horse and rider.

Joel

[Hennessy]

over the years i've heard th opinion that a loose saddle [no pad under saddle\let th horse stand ,he'll move it where it should be ?sounds logical,surely off the scapula area.saddles that slide forward can easily be controlled with a crupper,a common tool in australian saddlery esp in hilly terrain.however makin a saddle stay put by attachments is not the way to solve a problem, not all saddles fit all horses ., eh