English Saddle Pictures Some Of The Stages

[smirak]

Adam My favourite part of saddle making is flocking/stuffing. It is a art to get it right. It is worth your time learning how to do it. As you can make some good money in the USA doing it. A full reflock would take less than a hour to do and if I remember correctly you charge 250 to 300 dollars to do the job in the USA less a material cost of around 20 dollars. That sounds like a good hourly wage to me.

If you would like to see some more saddle making pictures look on my other businesses Facebook page I have some on there. www.facebook.com/dosthillsaddlery/photos

Then if you get the bug and want to do more just jump on a plane and come on a course. Not only can you learn you can eat Haggis and black pudding, drink whisky hear bagpipes and you might even buy a kilt.

I don't know anything about making a saddle, but I did grow up riding. However, I just want to come drink whiskey!

[gmace99]

Smirak

One should only drink whisky for medicinal purposes. It is a great cure for many things after all they do call it the water of life.

Uh oh I just had a cough. Best I run for some of the golden medicine.

[NormaMoore]

Thank you for the photos. I recently picked up an old english style saddle, but I've never seen one put together the way it is. It is a monoflap, but this thing is really old, I'd say over 100 years. It is stamped Manufactured by S B Swaggerty. The under panels are stamped 1810. Other then that I see no other markings on it, but it isn't sewn like any of the newer saddles. Have you by chance ever run across anything like this? I'm reverse engineering it (I was an alteration seamstress for 30 years lol), but even the flocking appears to be of horse hair, not wool. The tree is cracked, but I bought this more as a curiosity piece then in hopes of repairing it. 

Thanks for any information on this type of saddle. 

Norma

[Matt12345]

Norma,

Stewart B. Swaggerty was born in 1874 and died in 1937. I found a little info on him via the internet. His business is listed in the General Rating Book: Ratings on Tanners, Leather Manufacturers 1924. Additional info shows he was a saddle & harness manufacturer living at 1200 Greenfield Avenue, Nashville.  He was 63 years old and married when he died of high blood pressure and myocarditis on April 24, 1937 at Nashville's Protestant Hospital. Both he and his son (KIA WWII I believe) are burried at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville. The remainder of his family lives in Knoxville (descendants of his 8 brothers and sisters).

I too have an exceptional example of an English saddle made by him. It's at least 83 years old, probably more. I purchased it from an estate sale in Nashville. It retains both stirrups and all six lashings hanging down. When I press into the cushion, there is a slight crinkling sound (horse hair vice wool perhaps). I can look into the sides and see the same type of stitching as your photos show. I'll take some photos and upload soon. Thanks for your post!

Matt

[NormaMoore]

Thank you Matt. 

You were able to find out a lot more about the maker then I was I appreciate it and I would love to see photos of the saddle you have too

Norma

[EdOdgers]

Great photos!  I'm a western saddle guy but appreciate seeing the process and craftsmanship that goes into the other half.  Thanks.

[Sheilajeanne]

Horse hair was commonly used to stuff things during that era - sofas as well as saddles! The had lots of it, so why not use it?