How to Break Down a Saddle

[@islandvoyager7061]

Perfect timing. I just inherited two old saddles that are badly in need of cleaning, repair and oiling. Thank you for the great video. This is my first foray into saddles. I make holsters, sheaths, handbags and a bunch of other leather projects. Thanks again from Dan at "THREE HORSE LEATHER".

[@cayooshleather]

Can't wait for the next videos! There's too little saddle related content on youtube, it's always such a delight and well of information for me! DG serie was great, I can't wait for yours, the rigging fix and re-lining are gonna be a wonderful thing to learn, don't spare any details on us ^^ I'm curious, how would you patch up a hole in the swell? Nailing it? Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience Sir. Take care

[@illumeconnect]

From Matt - "Swell patching is nailed on with escutcheon pins in my shop! If the hole is to big i usually re cover swell. If i patch, i scallop with a 3/8 inch half round and put a pin through each scallop"

[@hunglejewel]

Very informative thank you

[@l.d.b.r5141]

Good day sir, great video great work. So I recently got an old saddle. I don't know how old it is it was listed as vintage. It was at a good price so I bought it. so it can be like a project of mine fixing it up. The day after I received it I tear it apart remove the skirting and the fenders. So I can get a better look at it and clean an oil it. The tree looks great. I think it could still be used but I'm stuck. I don't know where to get its new skirt lining maybe new fenders and latigos it's was missing latigos. Think you help me out?

[@joseulloa4191]

Great information thank you !

[@illumeconnect]

Glad it was helpful!

[@utsinhtv3481]

Hello

[@josecavazos9130]

Awesome video. What can I charge for a full break down clean? No repairs.

[@illumeconnect]

From Matt - "A full break down and clean on average I’m a minimum of $125. But the best way to figure your personal price is to add up your average time and shop rate and charge accordingly… and some saddles are worse than others.

[@edgeofbrickproductions2910]

Do you have a link to the repair and oiling video of this saddle? I can't seem to find it.

[@illumeconnect]

It is pat of a longer series on our online learning platform at www.illumatelier.com/courses/saddle-repair-and-maintenance

[@andrewchurch6303]

Its getting expensive to keep the lights on. I had to raise my prices. I'm getting more saddles in for tear down, clean, and oil than I can handle, and I'm charging $200. Nobody says "no," so I imagine I could probably charge more if I was interested. Re-shears are $250, but I don't use a sewing machine for much of anything if I'm doing repairs. How do feel about repairs on old fiberglass trees? I'm not sure how much I trust them, and I don't want to repair something that might hurt someone, or worse, the horse.

[@illumeconnect]

We reached out to Matt and he sent us this, "I feel your pain, if I see something that I feel like is a danger or going to cause a problem I'm just brutally honest with the customer and won’t work on it. If you feel a need to I would probably have them sign some sort of waiver or maybe ask your insurance agent if you're covered."

[@gilbertojimenez4224]

That saddle was so dirty that in a first thothgt that it was only the saddle tree😂