Skirts

[Blake]

David

Some of the later model McClellans actually had sheepskin. The blankets were a high quality woven wool usually two layers thick sewed together.

A lot of the modern felt blankets and pads also have a percentage of synthetic fiber included which can add to the instability. A true 100% wool felt pad is pretty expensive .Even the wool felt pads will vary from pressed rag felt to high quality needled or woven felt.

The Pads/blankets were dampened before saddling according to information gleaned from an old field manual. I suppose this was to set the blanket so that it didn't slip.

Blake

[AndyKnight]

to my way of thinking the function of the sheep skin on the skirts is to help hold the blankets/pads. I have built lots of saddles with foam covered with rough out chap leather. They work very well until the sweat starts to cause the leather to slick off. Then the pads want to spit out the back. Sand paper helps some. I have had it in mind to try one with smoothout glove tan type leather. however there would need to be away to attach the pads similar to an english saddle. ( velcro)The advantage is that you don't get crap sticking to your wool .eg. pine needles and twigs.

Bottom line is that I still recommend Sheepskin for longevity unless you get the bugs! Small skirts will work well.

Bare rawhide is especially slick which may explain having trouble keeping a pad under them.

I will quit rambling...

[mulefool]

I got a tree to build a saddle on for my mule. I've been busy and haven't had the time to work on it so I got the ground seat and a rigging on it, pulled some stirrup leathers from my old saddle and have been riding it that way for 2 years. It's kind of embarrassing for a saddlemaker to be riding a saddle like that, but the problem is, it's been working really well that way. if it wasn't, I'm sure I would find some time to make it work. It's sure nice to throw up there, it probably only weighs maybe 15 pounds I suppose. Anyway this winter I'm going to get it respectable looking, but I'll probably just put some pretty small skirts on it.

[Echo4V]

Mule fool- I would like to see a picture of that. I have wondered, ever since seeing my first McClellan, why skirts are needed and how a saddle would work without them.

[daviD A Morris]

The Pads/blankets were dampened before saddling according to information gleaned from an old field manual. I suppose this was to set the blanket so that it didn't slip.

Blake

Blake,

That is interesting. I noticed when I was in Argentina that the lomillo style saddles had a definite indenation in the felt pads under the lomillo (tree). At the time I didn't think to ask if that came about from use or was built in when making it. When I find a photo I will post it here.

One of the pads that I used was 1" pure felt. about $140 worth of felt.

Thanks

dam

[Timbo]

Just so's ya know........I found some wool felt. Comes in different percentages of wool too. I didn't price the 95% wool as it only came in white. But I did price the 87% wool felt which comes in a light grey color. It comes in all thicknesses, but I got a quote for the 3/4" thick stuff. One yard (which is the minimum) by 72" is $164.36. Wow. Can buy 2 sheep for that price.

The same thing in a polyester synthetic pad but is 66" by one yard is $26.55 which is way more reasonable but it is still poly. But according to there website it performs better in equestrian use than does wool.

So there ya go..........if anybody was wondering.

By the way the website I am looking at is http://www.aetnafelt.com/index.htm

Tim

[colttrainer]

Just to continue this topic further, what is the purpose of the felt or wool lining. I have packed many a horse in the mountains and the trees or bar and sit on a good quality pad. Call me stupid but I don't see the need.

Al

[jefpainthorse]

older pattern MCClelland saddles... Cav troopers used their bed blankets folded in quarters for a saddle pad... that a pretty big footprint and I figure than amount of contact gives enough friction to keep the blanket from slipping.

Skirts in general... small skirts save weight... and scalloped skirts offer a bit more contact so some horsemen prefer them...

I like a generous skirt.. but my horses are big....small skirts look like a pony saddle is on my paint.

[nobearsyet]

At the risk of running this thread off on a small tangent I have wondered on numerous occassions if you had a good fitting saddle (read that as a custom tree fitted to your horse) and made the wool lining slightly bigger than the skirts so it hangs out all the way aroung the skirt if you really even need a pad at all. I haven't tried it but I can't see where you 'd end up with any big bloody sores from a small skirt and about 1" or s oof sheepskin sticking out all the way around. Anyone else care to chime in on this one?

[AndyKnight]

no matter how well the saddle fits you still need good padding. The saddle is rigid so you need to give the horse some room to move under the saddle.and to also absorb some of the shock. this is accomplished with the padding. Sheepskin ,once compressed provides very little padding. IMHO

Edited May 10, 2009 by AndyKnight