Do these saddles fit Honor? More PICS page 2.

[Blue]

I LOVE this saddle. I found it down at the lower barn covered in dust and cobwebs, it's been down there atleast a few years. I asked around and no one claimed it, so if it fits I'm going to use it until I can buy a nicer one. I think it says America or American on the flap thingy. Is that a brand?

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/horses30677/wsaddle1.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/horses30677/wsaddle2.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/horses30677/wsaddle3.jpg

Then there's my Abetta. It's way to big for me, but I just wanted to see if it fits him. The lady at the tack store sold it to me when I was 14, she said I needed a 17" western. -.- I was way smaller then and it's still huge, but I'll never get rid of it because it was my first saddle and my grandma bought it for me.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/horses30677/wsaddle4.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/horses30677/wsaddle5.jpg

[WashingtonBay]

That leather saddle is a nice fit, and looks like a terrific find! Since it's abandoned and unknown, make sure to try to twist and bend it, check it for a broken tree that would be a deal breaker, but otherwise, looks nice! Don't use too much pad, but try it with a good 1" felt or something.

The abetta is just slightly wide, but looked good with the thick pad you had under it in the pictures from the other day.

[dustys_girlly]

i like the way the first one sits on him better. your saddle looks to be too wide on him and sit too low in the front, right on his withers or atleast from the side shot. but i have never been good at fitting saddles.

[zoel_222]

That leather saddle is a nice fit, and looks like a terrific find! Since it's abandoned and unknown, make sure to try to twist and bend it, check it for a broken tree that would be a deal breaker, but otherwise, looks nice! Don't use too much pad, but try it with a good 1" felt or something.

The abetta is just slightly wide, but looked good with the thick pad you had under it in the pictures from the other day.

I agree.

[madelequestrian]

I agree I like the first saddle better. If you look at the angle of the saddle tree it seems to match the angle of his shoulders well. Of course you need to cinch it up and make sure it still applies pressure evenly all the way down the tree. Make sure it doesn't turn up in the back or anything. Also make sure that once your weight is in the saddle that the pommel doesn't sit on his withers (it looks a bit close but a pad should fix that).
The second saddle is too wide and puts too much pressure on his shoulders.

[Fork]

I love the first saddle and it definitely fits him better. :)

[Blue]

YAY! That's what I wanted to hear!!! :) Hehe.

[JackieB]

The first one looked good to me, too. A couple hours in front of the TV cleaning it up and it's going to be gorgeous!

[mare]

There's just a whole bunch to like about that first saddle. Good find!

[Steelhorserider]

Nice find...it looks like a good and should clean up nicely.

[Blue]

I didn't get a chance to ride in it today because it's been raining all day...but...tomorrow!! :)

[Remali]

Me too.... I think the leather saddle fits a lot better.

[IrisGreen]

I agree, the leather one fits nice.

Order some Harness Honey, Fiebings saddle soap (the trigger spray soap, Fiebings doesn't leave a greasy residue), a set of small paint brushes (1/2 and 1 inch wide) and a finger nail brush.

Scrub the saddle with the Fiebings and the finger nail brush (or a tooth brush but that's a lot of work). Wipe clean, wait for it to dry. Lift up the jockey and finders and clean under them, undo the stirrups and scrub the underside of the fenders and where the stirrups rest.

Then use the Harness Honey, pour some in a small bowl, use the paint brushes and paint on a thick layer of Harness Honey on EVERY peice of leather and nook and cranny. Just don't use it on suade seats. Start at the top and work your way down the saddle in sections. Give it an hour and it will be dry and not greasy when you come back. The leather will absorb it all, apply another coat if it absorbed it quickly, that means it needs more if the leather sucked it up with in 20 mins. Use it on your latigo cinch, fenders, strings, off billets... everything leather on that saddle. Make sure to hold up the jockey and oil the D-Ring straps that go under to the saddle tree but do it after you oil the jockey so it's supple and will flex nice so you can get to them. Oil the stirrup leathers good at the point where the fender turns in and the stirrup rests. This will help the fenders relax and turn your stirrups in.

If you take the time to clean and oil it, I bet that saddle will turn out really nice. Just keep using the Harness Honey to get it supple again and prevent it from cracking or the rigging from braking.

I love working on old saddles that someone forgot about. The Harness Honey does miracle work I tell ya :)

[Blue]

I agree, the leather one fits nice.

Order some Harness Honey, Fiebings saddle soap (the trigger spray soap, Fiebings doesn't leave a greasy residue), a set of small paint brushes (1/2 and 1 inch wide) and a finger nail brush.

Scrub the saddle with the Fiebings and the finger nail brush (or a tooth brush but that's a lot of work). Wipe clean, wait for it to dry. Lift up the jockey and finders and clean under them, undo the stirrups and scrub the underside of the fenders and where the stirrups rest.

Then use the Harness Honey, pour some in a small bowl, use the paint brushes and paint on a thick layer of Harness Honey on EVERY peice of leather and nook and cranny. Just don't use it on suade seats. Start at the top and work your way down the saddle in sections. Give it an hour and it will be dry and not greasy when you come back. The leather will absorb it all, apply another coat if it absorbed it quickly, that means it needs more if the leather sucked it up with in 20 mins. Use it on your latigo cinch, fenders, strings, off billets... everything leather on that saddle. Make sure to hold up the jockey and oil the D-Ring straps that go under to the saddle tree but do it after you oil the jockey so it's supple and will flex nice so you can get to them. Oil the stirrup leathers good at the point where the fender turns in and the stirrup rests. This will help the fenders relax and turn your stirrups in.

If you take the time to clean and oil it, I bet that saddle will turn out really nice. Just keep using the Harness Honey to get it supple again and prevent it from cracking or the rigging from braking.

I love working on old saddles that someone forgot about. The Harness Honey does miracle work I tell ya :)

WOW! Thanks a TON!

Do you know the best place to order both of those leather products? I can get a nail brush from walmart and I have paint brushes. :)

[IrisGreen]

Fiebings saddle soap is sold at most tack shops, Tractor supply Stores too.

http://images.drillspot.com/pimages/1447/144750_300.jpg

Harness Honey you can order from the maker. A little goes a long way, a Pint would probably do every piece of tack you own. I have a gallon jug from 3 years ago that is still 1/4 full and I've done a LOT of tack with it, plus given a bunch away to friends over the years. I do all my boots with it once a year too. It's great stuff :)

http://www.carouselfarm.com/harness.html

[3equines]

That leather saddle is a nice fit, and looks like a terrific find! Since it's abandoned and unknown, make sure to try to twist and bend it, check it for a broken tree that would be a deal breaker, but otherwise, looks nice! Don't use too much pad, but try it with a good 1" felt or something.

The abetta is just slightly wide, but looked good with the thick pad you had under it in the pictures from the other day.


I agree 100%. The first saddle is a beautiful fit. Both look like they could stand a good pad under them. I really like the SMX Air Ride pads, they have excellent spine clearance and have now passed my official Backcounty Test: abused to all heck and still standing up to the job. In your case I would use the regular barrel style, not the ortho sport.

I like cleaning old tack with saddles soap, then using a tooth brush to work in a liquid leather conditioner. I have fallen in love with Huberd's boot oil, after trying a menagerie of products it really soaks in. After that I rub on a top coat of Kiwi brand mink oil shoe polish, comes in a 3" can. This puts on a protective top coat and adds a glossy finish.

Amazon.com: HUBERD SHOE GREASE 8 Oz Shoe Oil: Everything Else

[Blue]

Here are some pictures from today. I rode him in the leather western saddle. He did MAGNIFICENT. So much better than with the Abetta, which leads me to think it fits much better. :)

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/horses30677/honorsaddle003.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/horses30677/honorsaddle007.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q92/horses30677/honorsaddle013.jpg

[WashingtonBay]

Looks good on him. :) Should work nicely! And would look even better, and not be as hot, with a smaller rounded pad that better fit the shape of the saddle.

[Dakota Sunrise]

That's a really nice saddle! Looks good on him.:)

I'll second 3equine's suggestion of maybe getting a SMX Air ride barrel pad. I have the orthosport style for Dakota and I love it!

[Fork]

WOW that saddle cleaned up nicely. :) Good job. Looks magnificent on him.

[Blue]

I'm so glad it fits him. I'm definitely going to try to find a rounded pad for him. :) I'll have to save up a while for one of the SMx's. Haha :) That's a month's board!