BigGameHoundsmen.com

Awhile back I posted about a couple different tree's I was trying to choose between for a new saddle for myself.
I decided on a wade and worked on the tree a little at a time between working on saddles that paid the bills.

I got the tree done and then started cutting leather when I had a little extra here and there.
Long story short- my neibour spotted the tree sitting in the shop and talked me outta it. I finished it for him about a month ago and he's been breaking it in turning his cows out on the mountain. He had me finish it pretty close to what I had in mind for myself except I wouln't have stamped it. I like my saddles plain with a small pipe border. I gotta start another tree but heres what it ended up looking like.
[img]htt[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v347/roughcountry/tonyssaddle004.jpg[/img]p://img.photobucket.com/albums/v347/roughcountry/tonyssaddle010.jpg[/IMG]

I wanted to see the saddle so I thought I would give you a hand.
great job on the saddle, I really like it.

Thanks Spencer. I had to go to the old dialup confuser to try to lode pictures. New fancy sat. system gets booted off every time I try to log in here. Now photobucket upgraded their system and the old computer won't post the pics.
Guess I'm gonna be a lurker here pretty soon when the dialup system expires. I'll be readin, just can't say nothin. Boy would my wife like to figger out this mute button for me

This is a great post, I've enjoyed seeing all of the rigs.
This first saddle is the outfit I'm usually on, it was built for me by Ray Wilson. I asked him to butterfly the skirts for me, and cut out extra weight everywhere.....I'm pretty well super glued in to this one!
The second saddle we had built for my wife. Dave Hulbert built it for her. I've spent a lot of hours in it as well, real comfy ride! Super light weight, inlaid padded seat, in-skirt rigging (mother hubbard style).

This is my newest saddle that Dave Hulbert built for me a few years back. I sure do like it, just haven't ridden it too much yet.

This is a pic from last hunting season. It's the best shot of my Ben Swanke saddle he made for me in '93 I think. It's had a lot of miles and doesn't seem to be any worse for wear. As RSevere said, I don't like a lot of tooling either. It just is a pain to get the blood and mud out of all the little cracks

This saddle is built on a 15 1/2" wade and has matching bags and breast collar. The scabbard is a custom job I built a few hours before leaving on the trip when I figured out that since I restocked my rifle with a vertical grip H&S Precision stock it wouldn't fit into my old scabbard. If you look close, you can see my Marlin on the off side. I don't like to go unprepared and it takes a month of Sundays to get my 7MM out of the new scabbard, I figured I better throw another gun on that was a bit easier to get down for close shots.

The horse is a gelding of my wife's that she let me use to cover some ground with. He certainly can cover it, just not with much class.

This is the second custom saddle I've had built. The first one was built on a tree that the maker had handy because I didn't want to wait for the one I really wanted. I sold it as soon as I could afford to get the one I really wanted. I'm a firm believer now that waiting is better than doing it over.

Scott

Heres one my dad built for my wife...

Here is a saddle made by Robin Severe. It is a modified Ellensburg. It has the bars of an Olin Young Roper, and he lowered the base of the horn about 1/2"

Dan,

That's an awesome rig! And there is nothing left to say about the quality and workmanship the Severes put in anything they stamp their name on. I am sure it is no secret that our friend Robin along with being one of the top Master Saddlemakers in the world is also a great lion hunter, houndsmen and gentelmen.

The Ellensburg tree is one of my favorites and the modification that have been built into this saddle with the longer Olin Young bars will make it even handier. I line the rear rigging and the cut down to remove excess weight. The lower flat plate in the front will help eliminate bulk under the legs and keep a more forward seat balalnce. My old Ellnsburg built in 1964 has gone thru a lot of changes over the years but when I had Monte Beckman pull out all the old rigging(it was orginally full with dees) and put in a 3/4 flat plate I loved the old rig so much more.


Almost too pretty to ride there Dan. Notice: I said almost.LOL!



Merry Christmas!

Too late Mike! I've already been riding it. It sat in my house for a week while it rained and snowed outside. There is no better air freshener than a new saddle! But it is a sin not to ride it. Spent the last two days breaking it in, I've got to help my friend cut some bulls next week, and I cant wait to rope out of it.

You got to love Russell Yates i used to live out there and show horses used to go to his place and hang out on the weekends and help on spurs and bridles. He makes some of the best west texas stuff u will see in my oponion.

This is my new saddle it is built on a Will James tree and is mad by Pauls custom saddlery it lookes real pretty now but give ita yar of hunting an breaking colts and we will see how pretty it is.