replace rigging

[Geary]

New here, sure is a lot of info on, could spend months reading. Got a great looking saddle in good condition, but it has 5/8 or center fire regular rigging. Who much of a job is it to change it? 

I don't know of anyone that could use this saddle, or probably very few, so it is kind of useless, I got plenty of time.

Thanks for any help

Geary

[Josh Ashman]

Hello Geary, I've replaced worn rigging on a few saddles over the years and it's a job but doable. A lot of how difficult it will be depends on how the rigging is currently installed vs. how you want to install the new. From your post it's located at 5/8 I'm guessing it's a large ring with attachments going both forward toward the forks and back toward the cantle. Say you want to change it to 7/8, keep the large rings and add a back ring or D. you'll need to make the various leather pieces and skive them to a feather on the edges, take the back jockies off and get the seat leather up and out of your way then remove the old and install the new. The hardest part will be to get the installed square and balanced. anyway, if you wanted to install flat plate rigging it gets more complicated, but still probably doable. If it were me and I wanted to do the job and wasn't sure about how to go about it I'd get the Stohlman saddle making books, at least the first one. the 2nd would be helpful but probably not needed. It would give you a lot of good info to get going. Fair warning, a lot of the info is dated and I don't think anyone would accuse his methods as being done the "easy way", but it is thorough and will give you a starting place. 

Anyway, good luck with your project!

Josh

[Geary]

Thanks Josh, going to do some reading, and go for it. I can't really mess it up too bad, because the saddle is useless to me now.

Geary

[Josh Ashman]

It's a good way to learn for sure! Good luck!!

[Goldshot Ron]

Geary,

As Josh mentioned, the Stohlman Encyclopedia vol. 1 will be very helpful.  If you could post some photos of the saddle rigging, you'd receive more help.  There are so many techniques and styles, it is helpful to see the saddle.

Ron

[Geary]

Thanks Goldshot,

Been tied up for the last month, hopefully get started on this soon. I have read through the Stohlman Encyclopedia, very detailed.

I will post pics before and when I get started.

Geary