Finished my first saddle!

[TargetRockLeather]

I know nothing about saddles but I can appreciate craftsmanship when I see it. I can't imagine a project more complicated than building a saddle, but you nailed it! Very impressive work. You should be very proud of this accomplishment.

[chuck123wapati]

Beautiful work!!!! I don't see a thing wrong with it.

 

[Ferg]

RYAN,

I know mom and dad and your siblings are all very proud of you. First out of the bag, you are a fine Artist. My wife and youngest daughter fit that expression also.

I can see very few problems. Having never taken on a Saddle project I don't know a lot about it. You done a fine job in my old eyes.

Ferg

[blue62]

Looks great other than some of the things others pointed out,. 

On the small saddles I've done getting the rear jockeys down tight took some time, 

To me personally I like a hidden stich on the back of the cantle binding, and beveling the saddle strings, it also looks like the bleed knots are sticking up, I use a hammer to tap them down and flatten them a bit.

The tooling turned out very nice, looking forward to seeing another one. 

[Rolandranch]

On 11/4/2019 at 12:35 PM, Goldshot Ron said:

Ryan,

I think your saddle looks top notch.  Your tooling design looks balanced, and the impressions look good.  At your age, you'll be a master in 20 or so years.  And, still young enough to use your tack. 

I have to second what Randy mentioned.  Dyed edges should be on all the edges, even the skirts.  The edge of the wool (fleece) needs to be trimmed more; this is important if you enter any contests (Prescott Leather Show is coming up ya know).  It's a real "no...no" if the rear of the bars show, so take Randy's critique seriously.  The handhole is a little small, like Randy mentioned; it may not matter too much on a kid's saddle, but real important (to me) on a working saddle.  And finally, your cantle binding appears to be low in the seat.  It could rub a sore on the rear of the rider.  Try to keep the binding recessed above the cantle (or actually in line with the seat contour).  In one of the issues of LCand SJ, Bob Klenda has an article about rawhide cantle bindings that I feel can be pertinent when installing a leather binding on a straight-up seat.

You've come a long way in the past years.  Keep up the good work.  Hey, the saddle stand looks trick also.

Ron

 

On 11/4/2019 at 12:47 PM, Goldshot Ron said:

Ryan,

We posted at the same time, and I just read your reply.  On the rear skirts here is what I do: make a large shot bag about 12 to 14 inches long by 4 inches wide.  Dampen your skirts when blocking and put the saddle on your stand with the shot bag under the skirts behind the bars.  Use you draw down strap to pull down the bars into the skirts.   This simulates the butt of the horse and how the saddle would fit the horse.  This trick can be used in final assembly also. (The draw down strap would be behind the cantle) It rises the skirts and draws down the rear jockeys at the same time.  (The shot bag comes in handy when laying out patterns and weighting drying glued pieces.)

Ron

Thanks Ron for your comments!

I would really like to enter a saddle in the Prescott saddlemaking contest. Right now I'm seriously debating if I should let my little siblings use this saddle now and make another saddle and enter #2 in the contest or if I should enter the first one. I don't think this kid saddle would place but I'd still really like to get critique from some of the best saddlemakers. The handhole isn't quite as small as it seems in the pics. I have a somewhat large hand and I can fit it easily in it. I bought a ranch saddle and the handhole was cut too small and it's quite annoying so I made sure to make this one larger. You are right about the cantle binding. I will pay closer attention to that when I build #2. 

You seem to have a good method for blocking the skirts. I'll definitely make some shot bags. 

Thanks for all the information!

Ryan

[Rolandranch]

On 11/5/2019 at 6:32 PM, blue62 said:

Looks great other than some of the things others pointed out,. 

On the small saddles I've done getting the rear jockeys down tight took some time, 

To me personally I like a hidden stich on the back of the cantle binding, and beveling the saddle strings, it also looks like the bleed knots are sticking up, I use a hammer to tap them down and flatten them a bit.

The tooling turned out very nice, looking forward to seeing another one. 

Thanks!

I did hammer the bleed knots down a bit but I think I used too heavy material for strings. Or maybe I just needed to bevel more like you were saying. 

Ryan

[Rolandranch]

I went to Greenville, SC to visit my brothers at Bob Jones University. I entered my saddle in the art/craft festival there and won 1st and best of show which was pretty exciting. 

My little brother approves of the saddle so that's a good sign! He'll grow into it eventually. 

[Professor]

A beautiful saddle. Love the design and carving is fantastic. Makes me want to buy a horse just so I'd have an excuse to order a saddle from you.

 

I have a nephew who is a highly trained and highly skilled farrier. Maybe I'll PM you his addy one day. He specialized in difficult projects for vets, custom shoes to compensate for various problems caused by injuries or diseases of valuable horses.

Not sure if he still operates that part of his business, he is a very wealthy young man now with his own stables and millions in the bank.

[Rolandranch]

On 11/16/2019 at 2:36 AM, Professor said:

A beautiful saddle. Love the design and carving is fantastic. Makes me want to buy a horse just so I'd have an excuse to order a saddle from you.

 

I have a nephew who is a highly trained and highly skilled farrier. Maybe I'll PM you his addy one day. He specialized in difficult projects for vets, custom shoes to compensate for various problems caused by injuries or diseases of valuable horses.

Not sure if he still operates that part of his business, he is a very wealthy young man now with his own stables and millions in the bank.

Thank you!

I also shoe horses! I work for a farrier here in Tucson who shoes a lot of special needs horses so I have the privilege of learning the trade myself. It's hard work but I sure enjoy it. 

Ryan