Online Saddle School

[jtweatherford]

Wow. That is all great info friends. Thank you so much. It has given me lots to consider.

[Squilchuck]

In addition to an online school, some sort of mentoring program might be of interest for some new makers. I have made a couple saddles self taught w books and videos, but also have mentoring from a local journeyman saddle maker to advise me when I run into problems or have questions. This forum is great for some problem solving, but interaction time is slow (days) and limited.  A person could setup an appointment via an online video app like Skype to discuss issues, show what they have done, etc.  Not sure how you'd work out payment, but maybe people could subscribe for a set amount of sessions or total time.  That could prove a valuable service for new makers without local mentoring options. --John

[bikermutt07]

So I have been thinking about this some more and here is what I think.

While I still believe it should be taught in person, I have an alternative idea for weeding out the yahoos from the program.

Start with requiring them to take two preliminary courses.

1st course is "How to properly measure a person for the saddle".

2nd course is "How to properly measure a horse for the saddle".

These I imagine would need to cover several lessons to ensure proper and safe fitting.

Make them expensive. Do this, and you may find some people who are really wanting to invest their time and money into learning.

If they aren't willing to take and pass the preliminary courses, then they don't really want to learn.

Just a thought.

[OldNews]

    bikermutt, I too have been thinking about that. While I completely agree with your theory, I have been trying to figure out how practical it is. It has been my experience that different disciplines have different requirements. Let me give you an example, a draft horse (I still don't know why people ride them) is going to require an very different fit than a Quarter horse, or an Arabian, or a Morgan, etc. That seems to be what makes saddle makers find a niche and stick to it. I would dare say that very few saddle makers in WY have much experience making English saddles for dressage horses. You see my point. So while I love your theory, and I've been thinking along the same lines, I wonder how practical that really is. I for one wouldn't pay one red cent to learn to make a saddle for a draft horse, because I'm never going to do it. I would just be thinking about that college professor who was convinced I needed Humanities, or the English teacher who thought I should know how to diagram a sentence. They were both wrong, and they wasted many hours of my life. 

     I keep coming back to different disciplines. A working cowboy in this day and age has 5-9 horses in his string, and ONE saddle. It works because he rides like horses. Thats what he needs to learn to start with. If he decides he wants to expand into something else, then he needs to learn again. I think that is something jtweatherford needs to consider when putting this together. What kind of saddle do you want to teach someone to build? If it's a ranch style roping saddle, then just be up front about the advertising and promotion of the video. 

     My other concern has been the help aspect of this. If someone doesn't understand something, there has to be a way for them to follow up and ask a question. I like the idea of Skype. These days all you need is a smartphone to video chat with someone, but is that something you charge for? If people keep asking the same question over and over, then it probably wasn't explained well enough in the video. I'd sure like to hear other thoughts on that.

[bikermutt07]

1 hour ago, OldNews said:

    bikermutt, I too have been thinking about that. While I completely agree with your theory, I have been trying to figure out how practical it is. It has been my experience that different disciplines have different requirements. Let me give you an example, a draft horse (I still don't know why people ride them) is going to require an very different fit than a Quarter horse, or an Arabian, or a Morgan, etc. That seems to be what makes saddle makers find a niche and stick to it. I would dare say that very few saddle makers in WY have much experience making English saddles for dressage horses. You see my point. So while I love your theory, and I've been thinking along the same lines, I wonder how practical that really is. I for one wouldn't pay one red cent to learn to make a saddle for a draft horse, because I'm never going to do it. I would just be thinking about that college professor who was convinced I needed Humanities, or the English teacher who thought I should know how to diagram a sentence. They were both wrong, and they wasted many hours of my life. 

     I keep coming back to different disciplines. A working cowboy in this day and age has 5-9 horses in his string, and ONE saddle. It works because he rides like horses. Thats what he needs to learn to start with. If he decides he wants to expand into something else, then he needs to learn again. I think that is something jtweatherford needs to consider when putting this together. What kind of saddle do you want to teach someone to build? If it's a ranch style roping saddle, then just be up front about the advertising and promotion of the video. 

     My other concern has been the help aspect of this. If someone doesn't understand something, there has to be a way for them to follow up and ask a question. I like the idea of Skype. These days all you need is a smartphone to video chat with someone, but is that something you charge for? If people keep asking the same question over and over, then it probably wasn't explained well enough in the video. I'd sure like to hear other thoughts on that.

I agree with all of this except the part about sentence diagramming. Ask a 10 year old what an adverb is. Diagramming should be taught.

[Thor]

On 28.1.2017 at 4:53 PM, bikermutt07 said:

I was quickly chastised (and rightly so) that that method could be dangerous to not only the rider, but the horse as well.

 

Glad to read that you didn't take that comment as an offense and you actually learned something from it.

[bikermutt07]

59 minutes ago, Thor said:

Glad to read that you didn't take that comment as an offense and you actually learned something from it.

Absolutely, that's why I am on this site. Every day I'm on planet earth is a chance to learn something new. I learn something from everyone, even what not to do.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

11 hours ago, OldNews said:

Let me give you an example, a draft horse (I still don't know why people ride them)

 My thoughts EXACTLY!  This fad is sweeping the nation, and I can't understand why. They really aren't all that much fun to ride. Sorry, this has nothing to do with the original question. Just made me smile that someone else finally agrees with me!

[SmithCreek]

I know I am resurrecting an ancient thread here But here goes.

Ken, I just retired my regular job and in a week or two  I am going to be riding everything from BLM mustangs to thoroughbreds and there is absolutely no way I can afford more than one good saddle, what would you recommend for a tree in this case? I have an old Bona Allen ranch roper that I have owned for probably 30 years that has worked really well for me on horses with a quarter horse build and has never hurt a horse yet and I don't intend to retire it I just have a craving for a more cowboy looking rig. 

The Bona was bought as a novelty but after the first time I rode it it became my main saddle. The stirrup leather where exposed and the fenders had been replaced but didn't match so I took them off and it made a dang fine saddle for the ones that wanted to pitch a bit.

Many Thanks,

Creek.

[Klara]

Obviously I'm not Ken, but I have a lot of experience riding horses not my own and generally they have a saddle. If I find it uncomfortable that's just too bad...