How Western Saddles Are Made

Types of uses of Western Trees:

Trees are the skeleton of the saddle and the saddle is built up from the tree. Trees can easily vary in price $100 or more at the manufacturers cost-dependent on the materials and labor used in construction. Trees are available in three types of construction:

1. Wood trees covered in bullhide, rawhide, or splithide.

   These are the oldest and most traditional trees. They are also reported to be the strongest. They are generally made from laminated yellow pine and covered in wet hide that is laced on by hand and allowed to dry to a hard finish - something like a dog chew toy. Without the hide on the tree it ill dry out, warp, and crack. This is the most expensive way to make a tree.
   
   
    

2. Wood trees covered in fiberglass.

   This is essentially the same method used above, however the fiberglass is easier to apply and a less costly material. They are reported to be as strong as bullhide covered trees and are guaranteed by the manufacturer. However, most riders in a sport that is hard on a saddle, such as roping, still prefer the hide covered trees.
   
   
    

3. Ralide trees

   Ralide is a brand name of the Ralide Company. This is a polyethylene tree that has been used in western saddles for over 30 years. In actual fact, most western saddles sold in the USA are built on Ralide trees. They are durable for almost all types of use, are available in a wide variety of styles and sizes and are much less expensive that other types of trees.
   
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Leather

Determining leather quality takes time and experience to learn, but is well worth the effort. It is the single most costly item in a saddle therefore the largest determining factor in the price of the finished product. There are several different types of leather and several factors that determine leather quality.
 

1. Types of Leather.

   A. Skirting- This type gets its name from being used on the "skirts" of the saddle. In fact, almost all of the visible parts of the saddle are made from skirting. It is prepared by a vegetable tanning process that is lengthy and fairly expensive. It can vary in weight based on the use. Generally, 8 to 10 ounce is used in bridles and heavier 12-14 ounce is used in saddles. It can be used with the finished side up on flipped over (rough out).
   B. Harness- Although rarely used in saddles, it is commonly used in bridles. It is prepared by a vegetable tanning process, then has oils and waxes forced into during the finishing process, making it feel slightly more greasy. It repels sweat better than skirting but has a more rugged appearance. It usually costs more than the equivalent weight of skirting.
   C. Latigo- This is a leather that has been chemically tanned, which is a much less costly process than vegetable tanning. It is finished by stuffing it with waxes and oils and dyed a traditional red color. Latigo is very strong but does stretch. It is often used to reinforce skirting or for lacing and tie straps.
   D. Rawhide- This is the "dog bone" leather. It is chemically tanned, usually bleached, then allowed to dry. It is usually worked with wet. When it dries it becomes very hard and strong.
   E. Split leather- Commonly known as suede, this is made by splitting the underside of the leather away from the grain side. It is soft, takes color well, and is often used in the seats of the leather.
   
   
    

2. Leather weight.

   Lighter weights of leather cost less than do heavier weights. It is sometimes difficult for manufacturers to get enough heavy leather to make saddles because cattle are often slaughtered very young and the hides are smaller and thinner. Also the weight at the neck is lighter than the weight at the butt, so the buyer must be sure of from which end the seller is determining the price.
   
   
    

3. Grades of leather.

   The grade of a side of leather is determined by the amount of defects, scratches, brands, worm scars, etc. However, there is no standard in the leather industry. To claim a saddle is made from #1 grade leather really says nothing- it could be worse than another tanner's #2 grade.
   
   
    

4. Origin of leather.

   This is a very difficult area to pin down leather quality. Is it Mexican hides tanned in the USA? Is it USA hides tanned Mexico and re-imported? Has the leather been tanned by one company and finished by another? Are the hides from Argentina? Brazil? As South American has lower labor costs and less government regulations, these factors all figure into the price of the leather.

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Design Work on Saddles

Originally, the design work done on a western saddle was done to cover scars and defects in the leather. Today it is done to enhance the look of the saddle and carry on the western tradition.

1. Carving

   A saddle that is truly carved is done by hand from start to finish. Usually, the designs are floral or acorn/oak leaf designs, however, occasionally other designs are also carved. A looser or more open design costs less to do than a tighter, more intricate design with alot of detail. The tools are incredibly small and it takes approximately 10 hours to fully carve a saddle. Some saddles are "hand worked" or "hand cut". This means the design is pressed into the leather with a machine and a craftsman comes back and pressed into the leather with a machine and a craftsman comes back and touches it up by hand to give it depth. With a little practice, a hand carved saddle can be easily recognized by the depth and detail of the design work.
   
   
    

2. Stamping

   The common basket design seen on saddles is done by a stamp. The stamp is usually about 1/2" by 1/4" or less. It must be repeated over and over by placing it next to the previous stamp and smacking it with a hammer to achieve the overall effect. Other stamps are less commonly seen but include small flowers, shells, stars, waffle, leaves, and many more.
   
   
    

3. Pressed designs

   Many less expensive saddles have designs that resemble carving pressed into the leather with a machine. Although the machine plate is taken from a hand carved design, it is much less costly to press the leather pieces one after the other than it is to carve them. the result is a design that is not very deep into the leather and lacks definition.
   
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Hardware

Saddle hardware can be made from stainless steel, which is the strongest, or from nickel plated iron. It is also strong, but can eventually rust. Occasionally, hardware will be brass or bronze.

Silver is used to trim a saddle. Although it is called silver, it is not always the real thing. On inexpensive saddles, tin, aluminum, and jewelers metal are all used. On more expensive saddles, silver is usually silver plated, where the silver is put on to the base metal by electroplating, or silver overlay, where the silver is put on the base metal in a sheet. The thickness of the silver used in both methods determines the brightness, depth of carving, and eventual price. Silver can change the price of a finished saddle by hundreds, even thousands, of dollars.

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Linings

The lining is the material applied to the underside of the saddle. Most saddles are ridden with saddle pads or blankets, but the lining material does contribute to the comfort of the horse. Three types are commonly used.
 

1. Sheepskin

   The skin of the sheep, with wool still attached, is the best lining to use on a saddle. It has the best loft and cushion, but is very expensive. One drawback of the sheepskin is that mice will chew it.
   
   
    

2. Wool Linings

   At Bona Allen Saddle Company, we use 95% wool, 5% acrylic. This gives a lining that is thick and durable but not as costly as sheepskin.
   
   
    

3. Acrylic

   100% acrylic linings are available in a variety of weights. They are inexpensive and will not attract moths or mice. They offer very little cushioning to the horse.
    

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How the Saddle is Made

1. Tree

   The tree is inspected to make sure it is even and has no sharp edges. A "groundseat" is attached to the area where the rider sits. This offers suspension from the hard surface and gives a solid surface on which to build the seat itself.
   
   
    

2. Horn, Swells, and Seat

   The horn is covered by braided rawhide or leather. The swells are turned inside out and blind stitched from underneath, then flipped outward and stretched over the fork of the saddle and tacked down until dry.
   
   
    

3. Jockeys, Seat Finishing, and Cantle

   The jockeys are put on and the seat is marked where the two pieces join. The jockeys and seat are then removed and stitched together on top of the groundseat, foam is glued down, and then the seat and jockeys are fitted back onto the saddle. the cantle is first glued on, then stitched on by hand.
   
   
    

4. Skirts, Rear Housing, and Fenders

   While the rest of the saddle is being built, the skirts have had the linings glued and sewn on and have been laced together in the back. They are out on to the saddle and are held in place by conchas in the front. Then the rear housing, which has been laced together, is applied to the top and a concha is placed to hold it all together. The fenders with their attached stirrup leathers are laced through the saddle between the jockeys and the skirts and buckled together on the underside.
   
   
    

5. Finishing the Saddle

    

   At this point the saddle is almost done. The stirrups are attached to the fenders and the saddle is oiled to the color desired. When dry a light cost of resolene is applied to to give the saddle a light luster. Silver conchas are applied over the leather conchas and silver plates are put on some models.
   
   
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