Poly Tree Durability

[LeatherAddict]

Hello All,

I’m interested in having a Laporte or Chicago Stockyard saddle tree built.

My question is, how well do they hold up? I’m talking about for ranch work and heavy roping. I mention these trees to folks and they all say they won’t hold up to what I put a saddle through.

The thing is nobody knows anyone with one of these trees but they’ve all heard that Jim Bob’s cousin had a friend who had a friend who had a step brother with one and it didn’t hold up. So I’m asking the folks on here what their opinion is on them for hard ranch work.

Thank you,

Vince

[LeatherAddict]

45 views and nobody has worked with these trees or built a saddle on one for someone that makes his living a horseback?

[fredk]

Well now, you need to wait a bit more than 5 hours for a reply. Very few members of this forum are on 24/7. Many have leather things to create and a living to make. Some may only visit the site once a week or once a month. Perhaps someone who knows something might drop in sometime

 

[keplerts]

I purchased a Laporte tree from Shawn Howes back in 2016 to build a saddle for a customer who trains mustangs.   She went with the cable rigging.  I found the trees to be very tough.  Almost indestructible. You could also sand the bars or wherever if you needed to adjust the shape.  Screw hold very well in it.  My customer has been using it daily and LOVES the saddle and tree.  I would not hesitate to buy another.  Shawn did say the Laporte trees were  tougher than the Chicago Stock Yard trees,  which are made by Shawns brother, Heath.  Best thing to do is call Shawn and talk to him.  He and his father have built and sold hundreds of saddles with these trees.

Hope this helps,

Tom

[LeatherAddict]

2 hours ago, keplerts said:

I purchased a Laporte tree from Shawn Howes back in 2016 to build a saddle for a customer who trains mustangs.   She went with the cable rigging.  I found the trees to be very tough.  Almost indestructible. You could also sand the bars or wherever if you needed to adjust the shape.  Screw hold very well in it.  My customer has been using it daily and LOVES the saddle and tree.  I would not hesitate to buy another.  Shawn did say the Laporte trees were  tougher than the Chicago Stock Yard trees,  which are made by Shawns brother, Heath.  Best thing to do is call Shawn and talk to him.  He and his father have built and sold hundreds of saddles with these trees.

Hope this helps,

Tom

Thank you Tom.

It helps a bunch.

[LeatherAddict]

Got a saddle being made on a Chicago Stockyard tree.

 

[DrmCa]

What kind of polymer is this? Glass impregnated nylon?

[keplerts]

Awesome!   Are you building it or is someone else?

[LeatherAddict]

On 6/20/2019 at 10:43 AM, keplerts said:

Awesome!   Are you building it or is someone else?

Someone else.

Rocking S Saddle Shop in Montana.

[LeatherAddict]

Here’s the finished saddle.

 

 

[keplerts]

Looks like it came out really well.  Hope you like it!

[LeatherAddict]

Rode it today for the first time.

The saddle maker built up the ground seat and I have to say that in fifty years of riding it’s one of the most comfortable saddles I’ve ever ridden. This is my second Wade saddle. Of five handmade saddles this is easily one of the best if not the best.

I’ll keep my Will James roughout saddle, also handmade, for ranch broncs and starting colts that buck but I don’t plan to be riding it much. Of my three current saddles, the other one is a handmade cutting saddle, this one is by far the most comfortable one. 

Rocking S Saddle Shop did this one right.

Vince

[LeatherAddict]

Now that I’ve had this saddle a while I just wanted to come back and check in.

It sweats a horse’s back nice and even. No dry spots or rubbed areas. The ground seat was built up with leather and its still ultra comfortable. As for durability I doubt the horn is going to be breaking off when I rope something big and heavy. All I’ve roped so far, and drug in to the trailer, was some Corriente cows. The flat plate rigging seems to be in there pretty solid as well. It’s screwed in not nailed.

 I’m seriously considering getting another Chicago Stockyard Tree saddle but one without the post horn. I’d go with something like a #4 horn and swells for riding colts. Thinking about the cable rigging too and might go with that as well.

Anyway, I’m enjoying this saddle and it’s working out well.

[DrmCa]

Is that a base of a modified dentist's chair, or a dedicated saddlemaker's rig?

[LeatherAddict]

On 9/9/2019 at 10:36 AM, DrmCa said:

Is that a base of a modified dentist's chair, or a dedicated saddlemaker's rig?

I have no idea.

You’d have to call Chelsea at Rocking S Saddle Shop in Montana to find out.

[blue62]

Mine is made from a salon chair base.

[DrmCa]

That must be it.