First Saddle - 15-1/2" Wood Post Will James

[thecowboy7]

Howdy folks... got my first saddle finished (and starting on another when the tree gets in next week). I built this while at Dale Moore's shop in Belgrade, MT... was very fortunate to get to help build 2 other saddles before starting this as my first solo project. I'm pretty pleased with the results, but definitely see a few things I'll do differently on my next project.

Specs:

• 15-1/2" Will James w/13" swells
  
• Wood Post Horn
  
• Half-breed design
  
• San Carlos Border w/tooled jockeys
  
• 7/8 Flat Plate Rigging
  
• 5" Cantle (tooled)
  

I'll try to take some more pics today and put them in an album. This is first time posting pics so I hope they show up ok...

Any and all feedback would be much appreciated. Thanks!

~ David

Twin Mountain Saddlery

Fredonia, KS ~ Del Norte, CO

www.twinmountainsaddlery.com

[rktaylor]

David,

Congrats on the first saddle. It really looks great. Maybe some of the experts can find some mistakes, but I couldn't. I want to build one on a Will James tree so I appreciate the chance to see yours.

Do you have a shop in Fredonia? I haven't been through there in ages. I went to college with a guy who used to teach ag there.

Randy

Edited February 26, 2014 by rktaylor

[jbdunn]

Hi David your saddle looks great. Do you have a shop in del Norte Co. I think I might know you, did you work for the rainbow trout ranch. I road on conejos river for two summer's in the early 2000's. I have a saddle shop now down by manassa. Brandon

[thecowboy7]

David,

Congrats on the first saddle. It really looks great. Maybe some of the experts can find some mistakes, but I couldn't. I want to build one on a Will James tree so I appreciate the chance to see yours.

Do you have a shop in Fredonia? I haven't been through there in ages. I went to college with a guy who used to teach ag there.

Randy

Thanks Randy! You'll really like building a Will James. My tree came from Randy at Timberline Trees. Very happy with it. And yep, I do have a shop in Fredonia. My wife's family is from the area. We've only been here since Nov, and the shop is just now up and running (and by that I mean it's in my garage lol).

Hi David your saddle looks great. Do you have a shop in del Norte Co. I think I might know you, did you work for the rainbow trout ranch. I road on conejos river for two summer's in the early 2000's. I have a saddle shop now down by manassa. Brandon

Hey Brandon! Yep, I did work for RTR and remember going on a few rides with ya. You came by to rope with us a few times also, right? My folks live in Del Norte, so I do a few orders for folks in the area that they know. I'm usually there a bit in the summer, and would really like to get some outfitter permits for the area sometime in the future. Next time I'm there maybe I can swing down and say howdy.

[CWR]

David,

That is a really nice saddle. You did a great job. One thing I would do is cut the seat jockey fuller. I like it to run up to about the center of the swells then flatten out and parallel the skirts. You would have less of the stirrup leather and fender showing. I think it gives a more balanced look. Just an personal opinion.

CW

[thecowboy7]

David,

That is a really nice saddle. You did a great job. One thing I would do is cut the seat jockey fuller. I like it to run up to about the center of the swells then flatten out and parallel the skirts. You would have less of the stirrup leather and fender showing. I think it gives a more balanced look. Just an personal opinion.

CW

CW,

Thanks for the compliment and the advice. The seat jockey was definitely one of those things I would do different. It just doesn't sit right (pun definitely intended) to me. I like your idea of running it to the center of the swells before the upswing. Thanks for the input!

~ David

[oltoot]

Ditto the seat jockey; kudos on the neatness and symmetry; The skirts don't look quite right to me in the gullet. 1" above the bars at the contact of the bars with the gullet is about right. That's after blocking. The tall skirts in front look like they have the effect of narrowing the gullet significantly from the tree dimensions. Front jockeys look about right and if the skirts were just a whisker above them, that would look right to me. I would try to get the Blevins buckles down several inches so they wont rub on the rigging.

[jbdunn]

Hi David I would like to visit with you sometime when you are back in the valley. Congratulations on opening up your shop wish you lots of luck. Talk to you later. Brandon

[thecowboy7]

Ditto the seat jockey; kudos on the neatness and symmetry; The skirts don't look quite right to me in the gullet. 1" above the bars at the contact of the bars with the gullet is about right. That's after blocking. The tall skirts in front look like they have the effect of narrowing the gullet significantly from the tree dimensions. Front jockeys look about right and if the skirts were just a whisker above them, that would look right to me. I would try to get the Blevins buckles down several inches so they wont rub on the rigging.

Thanks for chiming in. I see what you're saying with the skirts, but in person they really don't look all that out of place. Doesn't seem to affect the way it sits on the horse at all. Still, after looking and re-looking at the saddle (ok, I may have spent a good 1/2 hour going over it this afternoon) I agree those skirts are a tad bit high. Thanks for pointing that out. As for the Blevins... was intended to be lower but the inseam measurement I took was off just a bit... couple that with the balanced ride set-up and I ended up having to raise the stirrups up for the shorter inseam. For a taller person I think they'd sit fine. I don't think I'll do the balanced ride again unless someone really presses me for it. I like the way it rides but there definitely isn't very much adjustment in the stirrups!

Again, thanks for the advice. Much appreciated!

~ David