Anatomy of Prototyping a New Saddle Pattern

All the little details... This is one of the tooling patterns. It's actually quite simple. For the next go though, I think I will use some antique finish to show off the pattern. I used faux stitching on the skirts and rear panels. I like the results, though I'm bummed that I can't get a thread in the holes which would make this look more like a real saddle. I still have an annoyance in the cantle of the saddle and that is the weird bump. I'll fix that in the next saddle. It's time now to consolidate the pieces and fix the assembly order for the book. This saddle did get a night of training and that does help significantly with getting the correct shape. I still have to qualify this saddle as PSQ because there is a major flaw in the leather on the left side under the stirrup, I'm still working out the glue application process (glue residue) and the lower panels are still short (I made five of the same size lower panels before I realized I need to change the size, so I want to use those up before making more the correct size).

This is the Western version, complete with horn and rear rigging. This time I solved the lump in the seat problem, though it did change the look of the tree and I'm not certain if I like that change. I'll give it more training time and see if that will help (this only had a few hours of training). This is the advanced tooling pattern, although, I found it quite simple to tool. It could use some antique finish to highlight the tooling, though it doesn't really need any. The horn is the correct size and angle now that the tree issues have been resolved. Though I do want the seam for the horn piece to be in the front and not the back, a simple adjustment. There's a close-up of the faux stitching for the rear panel. This is a series of pin-punctures and then a line embossed to emphasize the pattern.

There's a problem with where the flap and skirt hug around the tree. It doesn't lay flat. And I want to make the skirt tabs that go around the back of the tree a bit longer and wider so that the Dees fit better. I'd like to find a better way of making the piping detail that goes between the skirt tabs and the back of the tree. Though this solution works, there might be an easier way. And the other little issue is where the stirrups and overgirth meet. The easy solution would be to move the slit for the overgirth. But it is already so far back, I don't know how that is going to work out once cinched up. The other options are to change the shape of the fenders or the overgirth.

I again qualify this as a PSQ saddle due to the fit of the flaps around the tree and a few glue bobbles. But it is very close to LSQ.

I need to make one more of both Western and English versions with the little changes mentioned. And I will play around with my tooling stamps to see if I can come up with a very simple stamping pattern for the beginner.

Here are the bridle candidates. The black leather one was the first halter-bridle prototype. Picture number 2 (on the pinto Black Beauty) is another version of the halter-bridle made with smaller leather. I like the look of that bridle. But the halter-bridle on the Stone Arabian is easier to assemble. If there is room in the book, I'll address both construction types, but the Arabian one may win out.

The last bridle, on the Breyer MFT was called a Barco bridle on the website where I found a reference picture. Notice the jump ring where the brow band, cheek pieces and throat latch all come together. Also, the cheek pieces are one very long piece of leather from buckle, through the bit, through the jump ring and then back to the buckle. This ends up as three layers of leather for each of the cheek pieces. I like the style. It is easy to make and allows for lots of fitting adjustments. The bit and reins can be either Western or English. I will most likely include this bridle in the book.

I might also include a Western style breast collar for the Western style Aussie saddle, but haven't yet figured out exactly how that pattern will work. It might be a modified roper type breast collar.

As for girths: I like the web style (elastic) with leather ends for the English style. I'd like to include how to make a web string girth for the Western style. But I think that may make the book too big and expensive to ship (the biggest problem I have with the Silver Treatments book). I may have to go with a modified leather type like the one used in the Roper book. Same thing goes for the rear cinch and billets like those shown here.

Well, that is just about the end of the prototyping process. From here on out, the saddles will be for Live Show Quality using my very best materials and supplies as I try to finish the accessories.

Almost all of the saddles shown in this process have been sold on ebay, to cover the cost of the prototyping process. This also helps prove to myself that there is an interest in this pattern. I'll make maybe 8 more saddles for the book (I already have two of those almost completed) for photo reference and for step by step images as I assemble both the Western and English style. The final saddles will be shown in the next and final chapter.

04/02/06