Western Saddle Making Course
Okanagan
Saddlery’s Saddle Making Course is for anyone with the
desire to learn the craft of Saddle Making. You will learn under the
guidance of an experienced Saddle Maker and be well on your way
to acquiring the skills that are necessary to begin a career in the trade
of creating fine hand crafted saddles. Classes are limited to one student
at a time to ensure you get the individual attention needed to build your
skill level. We will take you through each step in the process of making
a Western Saddle. You will build your saddle on a Bullhide covered tree
of your choice. The student will design, cut, shape, and fit each individual
piece, under my direction using premium grade skirting leather and sheepskin.
I will explain each step as we go, and at the same time explain what happens
if you use different methods and short-cuts in your saddle making. In the
course I put a lot of emphases on fitting the saddle to the type of horses you
ride so the horse will be as comfortable as possible. This makes a huge
difference to the way the horse will react to being ridden.
When you speak to other Companies, regarding the courses they give, you
will normally find that you will do your course, on a tree that they specify and
not on a tree of your choice, along with a pre-cut and pre-designed patterns
that they supply. I teach you how to make your own patterns so you can make
patterns for different types of saddles, after you leave my school. I put a lot of
emphases on you being able to design and make saddles of other types, after
you leave the course and are on your own. When you go to my students page, you
will see that all the saddles are of different patterns and styles that suite the
students that made them, not just a set pattern that is convenient for the instructor
to use for teaching purposes.
All the materials
needed to build your saddle, are included in the tuition fee. We
will provide the use of our shop tools. All you need to bring is a notebook and
the desire to learn the art of saddle making. I will photograph each stage of
your saddle’s progress and build a photo library on a CD for you to take home
as a visual record of you lesson. You will take the saddle you made, home with you
after the course is completed.
Although the student will do
95% of the work and leave with a top quality
saddle, it must be understood that this is an introduction to saddle making.
Only constant practice and dedication can make you a craftsman.
Learn to turn this into a
custom built saddle
like the one below.
Leather Braiding
Course
In this braiding course, I take you through the cutting of leather thongs
and there preparation prier to braiding, this is something that most people do
not understand, even a most of people that have done a lot of braiding. They
think that the thongs just have to be cut to width, a very big mistake. Good
braiding can not be done with thongs that have not been properly prepared.
We will be making a braided eight-strand headstall
using Kangaroo leather
along with horse-hair tassels. The knots will have a interweave of a contrasting
color that will highlight your work. You will take this headstall home with you
at the completion of your course
All the materials needed to braid
the headstall are included in the tuition fee. We
will provide the use of our shop tools. All you need to bring is a notebook and
the desire to learn the art of braiding. I will photograph each stage of your headstalls
progress and build a photo library on a CD for you to take home as a visual record
of you lesson. After all this has been mastered you will be well on your way to
becoming a braider, but (only constant practice and dedication will make you a craftsman)
The Headstall that you will make and
take home
with you is pictured in the photo below.
4 Week English Saddle Making
School
Okanagan
Saddlery’s English Saddle Making Course
is for anyone with the desire to
learn the craft of English Saddle Making. You will learn under the guidance of an
experienced Saddle Maker and be well on your way to acquiring the skills that are
necessary to begin a career in the trade of creating fine hand crafted saddles.
Classes are limited to one student at a time to ensure you
get the individual attention
needed to build your skill levels needed to go on to becoming a skilled leather artesian.
You will not be just one in a crowd assembling a pre-cut and pre-designed saddle, the
course will revolve around your particular needs. I will take you through each step in
the process of making a English saddle, on your choice of either a
( General Purpose or Dressage
tree)
You
will design, cut, shape and fit each individual piece under my direction using premium
English leather
and hardware. I will explain each step, as we go and at the same time,
explain what happens if you use different methods and short-cuts in your saddle making.
In
the course I put a lot of emphases on fitting the saddle to the type of horses you ride
so the horse will be as comfortable as possible. This
makes a huge difference to the way
the horse will react to being ridden. Whether you want to be a Professional Saddle Maker,
or are interested in making a saddle for your own use you will find this course very
informative, and you will come away with a new understanding of Horses and Saddles along
with a Saddle that you can be proud of in any company.
All the materials
needed to build your saddle are included in the tuition fee. We
will provide the use of our shop tools. All you need to bring is a notebook and
the desire to learn the art of saddle making. I will photograph each stage of
your saddle’s progress and build a photo library on a CD for you to take home
as a visual record of you lesson. After the completion of the course, you will take the
saddle you made, home with you.
Although the student will do
95% of the work and leave with a top quality
saddle, it must be understood that this is an introduction to saddle making.
Only constant practice and dedication can make you a craftsman.
To see some of the saddles, my past students,
have made during their courses
Click Here
1.
When should I get instruction? In the beginning it is important to avoid
learning bad habits, to avoid trial and error, and most importantly to achieve early
success.
Secondly; When you have been working for
some time and
You want to improve your skill level,
You want to improve the look of your work.
You are needing to expand your knowledge in a particular aria.
2.When is the best time to
take a course; Instruction dates are set when
most convenient for the student and Bob.
3. Accommodations;
There is a variety of motels within 20 minutes of the shop
4. How many hours per day?
Saddle Making Course, 7 hours per day, 5 days per week
for 3 weeks.
Braiding Course, 5 hours per day, 5 days per
week for 3 weeks.
Working longer hours braiding tends to be less productive as you lose concentration.
5. Where are we located?
We are in the central interior of B.C. Canada around
300 miles east of Vancouver. We are about 2 1/2 hours east of the US border at Oravile,
Washington
8. What criteria is needed
to attend; My Saddle Making or Braiding courses
are for anyone with the desire to learn the craft of Saddle Making or Braiding.
9. What materials or
tools should I bring; I supply all materials
and tools
for the courses. I will take digital photos as you work and copy them to a CD for you to
use as a
reference as you work in the future. You will need a note book.
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