How Much Does a Custom Saddle Cost?

April 6, 2007 by Saddle Sense
Filed under Saddle Buying

A few days ago I posted about what I thought were the minimum prices you needed to pay for quality new and used western saddles. After that post I received a few questions about what I thought you should pay for a custom saddle. So, I thought I’d address that issue.

You’ll find most custom handmade saddles will run between $2500 and $4500, with those with more elaborate decoration or from the very top saddle makers going for significantly more. Most custom saddle makers will have a base price for a plain saddle and then charge extra for the additional features and decoration you add.

There’s a reason why you’ll see very similar pricing among most custom saddle makers. Most will be using the best materials (rawhide covered wood tree, Hermann leather, the best hardware) and will have similar costs for these materials. They’ll take approximately the same amount of time to build the saddle and will charge about the same labor cost.

The better the reputation the saddle maker has, the more he’ll be able to charge for his labor. Skill level and reputation usually account for the differences in pricing. The photo to the right is a custom Wade saddle by Steve Mecum, one of the top saddle makers working today.

When you run across saddle makers selling custom handmade saddles for significantly less than market price, it should be a red flag. How are they doing it? Well, they’re either using cheaper materials or their skill level doesn’t allow them to charge the going rate for their labor. Sometimes, you can find an up and coming young saddle maker who is still trying to establish himself and his saddles can be a great buy at these prices. But you have to be a savvy tack person to make that distinction, because, more commonly, the maker with low prices is a hobbyist who’s learning his craft on your saddle.

Buying a custom saddle is a major investment. Make sure it’s a good investment. Don’t get suckered into ordering a "bargain."

For more information check out Buying a Custom Saddle and My Saddle Buying Experience.