General Saddle Topics

October 20, 2007

  • Well Used Saddles

    I'm a big believer in taking good care of your saddles. Clean them regularly and fully condition them once to three times a year depending on use. (…)

October 11, 2007

  • Custom Tooling Patterns

    If you're looking to buy a custom saddle, one of the choices you'll get to make is the tooling design you'd like. (…)

September 25, 2007

  • 19th Century Miliatry Saddles

    Border State's Leather in Arkansas is a very special type of saddle shop. Owner Doug Kidd produces replicas of 19th century military saddles and also some Revolutionary War and WWI saddles. (…)

September 20, 2007

  • What's It Worth?

    "Western Horseman" magazine has a fascinating feature in every issue called "What's it Worth?" where experts weigh in on the value of subscribers' western relics, mainly saddles. (…)

August 30, 2007

  • Saddle Maker George Holt In The News

    A few weeks ago I wrote about Dillon, Montana saddle maker, George Holt winning the 2007 Saddlemaker of the Year Award from the Academy of Western Artists. (…)

August 3, 2007

June 9, 2007

  • Avoiding Girth Galls

    Girth galls are ugly, painful sores caused by the cinch (girth) being placed in the wrong position or by a worn, damaged, or twisted cinch.  Galls are a man-made problem and an injury that is definitely avoidable. (…)

June 6, 2007

  • Check Your Tack

    There's more to saddle care then just keeping it clean and tidy. You need to regularly check your saddle thoroughly for worn and damaged parts. (…)

June 3, 2007

May 27, 2007

May 18, 2007

  • Helmets and Western Riding

    I'm feeling spunky today so I thought I'd take on a controversial topic - riding helmets and western riding. (…)

April 12, 2007

  • What's a Rough-Out Saddle?

    Ever wondered what "rough-out" is? Is it the same as suede? Why are some western saddles made with it and why do some folks prefer it? Let's get the skinny on rough-out. (…)

March 15, 2007

  • Saddle Weight

    Weight is probably the most common gripe about western saddles. (…)

March 13, 2007

  • What's In Your Saddlebags?

    There's nothing I like better than riding out on long rides in beautiful country. I'm not much for arena riding. (…)

March 11, 2007

  • Saddle Maker's Blog

    I've discovered another blog by a working saddlemaker. Steve Mason of Alberta, Canada has just started a blog where he documents his work and the steps to making a saddle. (…)

March 6, 2007

  • Shedding, a Sure Sign of Spring

    Ahh… spring is on the horizon. I know because I'm covered in horse hair. I seem to be wearing a bit of Skip everywhere I go. (…)

March 4, 2007

  • Saddle Makers Corner

    We've just launched a new section in the Westen Saddle Guide called the Saddle Makers Corner. (…)

February 27, 2007

  • Jeremiah Watt: Saddle Maker and Blogger

    Jeremiah Watt is one of the top western saddle makers working today. His saddle and silver work is truly amazing. And it turns out that Jeremiah is a bit of a computer geek, too. (…)

February 14, 2007

  • Western Saddle History . . . Finally

    I've finally created a section on the Western Saddle Guide site about the History of the Western Saddle.  I'm a bit embarrassed that it's taken me this long to write about a topic that's so central to a site all about the western saddle. (…)

November 27, 2006

  • Choosing a Saddle Is About More Than Looks

    Choosing the right saddle takes some thought. Many of us (my hand raised) have a tendency to fall in love with the look of a saddle without really thinking about whether it would best fit our needs. (…)

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