Association Saddle With Wade Horn? Opinions?

[Slickhorn]

I've seldom seen this type of saddle over the years, but I HAVE seen them. I've always liked Wade trees with the high cantle and the big 'pelican horn', but I've done too much horse breaking to live life without swells, and I just can't get myself to care for bucking rolls.

But considering that they're so few and far between, is there something "wrong" with this type of set up? Tradition is one thing, but any other problem with it functionally, in terms of saddle quality/integrity, or in terms of build complication?

(First post here, by the way. Not really a saddle maker, have built a few for myself after doing my own repairs for many years. I wish I had time to make a "side job" out of it, but I tend to have too many irons in the fire to make that happen).

[rdl123]

Slickhorn.

I like the idea of a swell fork with the larger wood horn too. I'm not an experienced maker, however I can't really see a difficulty with constructing this type of saddle - If anything, the larger wood horn should allow your tree maker to get the horn closer to the wither - Making life easier for your horse...by decreasing the leverage on it.

Here is a real nice saddle on this forum: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=40989

And an example of another Will James tree on Rod & Denise's website: http://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/wood-post-will-james-saddle-tree/

As well as: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?app=galleryℑ=1766

I sure can't see anything 'wrong' with this style - Looks to me like the ultimate set-up for riding green horses yet still having the ability to slip rope while out in the pasture... I am building two more slick forks this winter but maybe I'll get one of these wood post swell fork trees on order...I think it would be a neat project.

Regards,

Ron L

[oltoot]

IMHO, there is nothing wrong, there are some plusses and minuses:

PLUSSES

1) all the good things about big vs small horns

2)Not as likely to cause serious injury in a wreck

MINUSES

1)Horn will be way up in the air, making it a little awkward for some to dally on, especially the gastronomically well endowed;

2)If the user or the circumstance results in rope giving and horn taking a solid hit vs the practiced running of some it will produce a lot of leverage on a horse's withers maybe even causing some to start diving off when they see a jolt coming;

3)Tree Makers may add some practical limitations in actual horn design, placement and selection; and on another subject, buck rolls, I shared your feelings when I was younger but age has made me reconsider as the same net result w/ rolls vs those 'cancerous growths' known as swells can be significantly lighter and a little differently (some would say better) balanced when hefting it up.

All that said, diversity can be a great thing!

Edited October 8, 2014 by oltoot

[Slickhorn]

Quoting oltoot: 2) If the user or the circumstance results in rope giving and horn taking a solid hit vs the practiced running of some it will produce a lot of leverage on a horse's withers...

Can you elaborate on this statement a bit to be sure I'm tracking with you?

I'd tend to agree that an advantage of a low gullet Wade as compared to swell fork saddles is that the leverage against the horn is lower, reducing pressure and giving power and stability back to the horse - BUT...

Comparatively, would you still expect a difference in leverage compared to a 'normal' swell fork association or roping saddle? In my limited experience, I guess I wouldn't expect the horn design it self to affect the leverage, but rather the height to be the dominating factor. I wouldn't necessarily expect that an association saddle with a Wade-style would have different leverage than any other swell fork tree with a similar horn height, am I wrong about that?

I've always ridden in swell fork saddles like association saddles and roping saddles, but I'm looking for something new to try. While I'm not pulling bulls anymore like I used to (where I REALLY wished I had a low riding Wade), most of my riding isn't under load these days, and I'm back to breaking colts and training, so I suppose I'm looking for a bit more to hang onto and something that looks good.

[AdamTill]

Rod and Denise made me a nice Bowman tree with a large wood post horn. There were a few changes required to balance to look of the fork (stock and gullet thickness), but I don't foree and problems building on it. I had the same thought as you - like the slick forks, but wanted something to ride jumpy horses in the mountains on.

[kseidel]

I've made lots of swell forks with wood post horns. They perform the same as a swell fork with a steel horn. With a wood post horn, you do have the ability to adjust the gullet measurements on your tree. The standard gullet height for a tree with a steel horn is 8" in front and 6" in back. This thickness is needed to support the bolted and screwed on horn. With a wood post being made into the swell, you can reduce this thickness to the same as a Wade tree. Front gullet can be 7½" high, back still 6". The horn can be 3" high, thus reducing the overall horn height by 1" total. Yyou are lowering the base of the horn ½" and the horn height ½". That also translates into reducing weight.

[oltoot]

First to slickhorn: You're pretty much on, I was really speaking more about the mulehide vs rawhide debate, I guess on that point.

On a completely different point to Keith: I have meant to ask before; how do you suspend or support your saddles for pictures to get the clean perimeter lines? However, the outcome looks great?

[kseidel]

On a completely different point to Keith: I have meant to ask before; how do you suspend or support your saddles for pictures to get the clean perimeter lines? However, the outcome looks great?

I use a pedestal saddle stand made of pipe and steel rod, and we cover the base and pedestal pipe with the same paper that we use for the backdrop. I do spend the money to have the saddles professionally photographed. I think it is worth it for promotional use and advertising.