Horse Breeds

[AZThunderPony]

I was reading many of the posts on here last night and came to realize that the saddle making industry (Western) is not hitting its optimum market. Yes the industry is very busy keeping up with the swamp of QH and Arabian popularists. But I was thinking of all the breeds being introduced into the US many of which are ridden western. It occured to me that most of these breeds are NOT going to be fitted properly for a western saddle just based on their conformation alone. So I went surching for backs from various fairly popular breeds newly introduced into the US. I included a back of a very specifically built strain of Spanish Mustang.

If we add up all these breeds there is very healthy market for saddle makers starting with tree makers. But it would mean that tree makers, and saddlers alike would want to address specifric fitting problems from a NEW EYE so to speak. The market grows from having produced the product thaty most ideal for each breed

Jut some food for thought.

S

[bruce johnson]

Susan,

Thanks for the topic. This almost exactly what I had in mind when I started this whole saddle fitting thing on this and another list before. I think we can and mostly do fit the average QH decently enough, although some would disagree. I wanted to know "how do we fit the oddball". Some responses have been that we would then be fitting one horse and the saddle would be obsolete when that horse was gone. True enough, unless we are fitting a body style. Nobody really had any good consistant ways to communicate with the tree maker on how to fit that horse.

We have had quite a lot of water under this bridge since then, and I think and hope we have all learned and exchanged some great information. I foresee Dennis Lane's system being a real plus for this area. Obviously we are going to be fitting some breeds not covered by Dennis' previous records, but that is the intent as I see it.

Bruce Johnson

[AZThunderPony]

I just received this email from a woman who passed by this message board and is longing to find an appropriate fit for her Andalusians. I asked her permission to repost her email here. Just another note on where a market may lie. Anyone want to help her out?

I shared with Sandy, my personal direction in having a saddle made, but thought some of you may help her to find the solution she is seeking. She may end up going with David Genadek, or she may not. But she is just one more person struggling with saddle fit for non QH/Arab/ TB /Draft/ Mule bred horses.

S

"Leatherworker.net" wrote:

AZThunderPony,

andalusians2 has sent you this email from http://www.leatherworker.net/forum/index.php.

Hi AZthunderPony. Please let me know when you find a saddle that fits your Spanish Breed. I have two Andalusians and am torturing them with poor Western saddle fit. That is how I have come across this web site. I'm seeking answers. Hope you don't mind that I e-mailed you. Right now I'm riding a wide Tree tucker saddle that is "digging" into the shoulders.

I am considering having David Genadek make my tree and saddle. Any suggestions? I'm tired of throwing money away that I don't have much of right now, so I must choose carefully!

Thank You

Sandy, Tx