Equiplay Saddlery Report post Posted April 2, 2018 I just wanted to put this out there for a little feedback. I've never shipped a saddle before but in a couple of weeks I'll be shipping one from Florida to North Carolina. If anyone has any input/experience good or bad with boxing/packaging and shipping companies good or bad I'd appreciate the advice. UPS and FedEx are both here where I live so either is an option. I'm not partial to either I just want it done correctly. Thanks in advance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LatigoAmigo Report post Posted April 2, 2018 (edited) I was acquainted with a saddle maker many years ago, and she must have had the same question at one time. You can find her contact information on her website: http://skyhorse.com/lisa-and-loren/. Edited April 2, 2018 by LatigoAmigo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cowboycolonel Report post Posted April 2, 2018 All sorts of things pertain. Big western saddle or little English saddle? Can you ship it in pieces, or do you have to have it assembled in the box? I have tried to have boxes made to have on hand for shipping my saddles, but the minimum order is 500, and I will never make that many saddles in my life - or what remains of it. I have resorted to my friends down at UPS to package and ship. It is expensive, but not so much so when you take into consideration all the time and effort to find a box big enough and stout enough to do the job. I make and ship western style saddles, as you can tell. English are smaller and lighter, and you can find all sorts of boxes to do the job there. OR ... if you are lucky enough to have another big production saddle-maker there who might have a supply of boxes on hand, maybe you can get one from him. Good luck BTW. Please make a sleeve for the horn (fleece turned inside out and loosely stitched will work), as no matter what you do, the horn will take a beating in transit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oltoot Report post Posted April 2, 2018 Go to your local moving and storage company and purchase a small or medium wardrobe box without the bar. Also get a roll of duct tape and use the whole roll. UPS is available to me so that's who I use Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Equiplay Saddlery Report post Posted April 2, 2018 4 hours ago, cowboycolonel said: All sorts of things pertain. Big western saddle or little English saddle? Can you ship it in pieces, or do you have to have it assembled in the box? I have tried to have boxes made to have on hand for shipping my saddles, but the minimum order is 500, and I will never make that many saddles in my life - or what remains of it. I have resorted to my friends down at UPS to package and ship. It is expensive, but not so much so when you take into consideration all the time and effort to find a box big enough and stout enough to do the job. I make and ship western style saddles, as you can tell. English are smaller and lighter, and you can find all sorts of boxes to do the job there. OR ... if you are lucky enough to have another big production saddle-maker there who might have a supply of boxes on hand, maybe you can get one from him. Good luck BTW. Please make a sleeve for the horn (fleece turned inside out and loosely stitched will work), as no matter what you do, the horn will take a beating in transit. It is a western saddle and you have a few good points. Especially about the horn. I hadn’t thought of making a sleeve. Thanks. 2 hours ago, oltoot said: Go to your local moving and storage company and purchase a small or medium wardrobe box without the bar. Also get a roll of duct tape and use the whole roll. UPS is available to me so that's who I use Thanks oltoot. I have been wondering were I could find a box that large. The wardrobe box sounds great. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Coach Saddlery Report post Posted April 3, 2018 We ship saddles all the time. But they are English. I would recommend UPS over FedEx. UPS is easier to deal with if the shipment is damaged, lost or delayed. I would agree to pack the horn well. use a heavy box and strapping tape not duck tape or regular packing tape. Strapping tape has the white lines running through it. Pack it with bubble wrap. Quote Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Old Coach Saddlery Report post Posted April 3, 2018 Forgot, put the saddle in a plastic bag incase the box gets wet. or is left in the rain by the shipper during loading. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Nelson Report post Posted April 3, 2018 I ship all of the saddles I build or nearly all of them. I get my boxes from ULINE and they are expensive but good.. A 28L X 20W X 20 high fits the saddles I build. You can buy 1 or a 1000 from them. I make a horn cover for every saddle I ship and throw the left over sheepskin in the bottom of the box for a little cushion and haven't had one damaged in years. I ship FedeX, insure them and customer signs for them on the delivery end. HTH Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Equiplay Saddlery Report post Posted April 4, 2018 Thanks for the feedback guys. you've brought out a lot of good points. I appreciate it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
