CERTIFIFICATION CRITERIA FOR WESTERN SADDLE MAKER

CERTIFICATION PROCEDURE

CERTIFICATION CRITERIA FOR

WESTERN SADDLE MAKER

The certified western saddle maker is required to be able to make these saddle features:

1. Horn

Leather covered, finished edge

Leather covered, leather bound edge

Leather covered rawhide bound edge

Rawhide braided

Wood post style

Standard metal styles

2. Fork

Slick fork

Swelled welted fork

Smooth pulled down leather cover, with no welts or lacing

3. Seat

Full seat, smooth, no padding

Overlaid padded seat, full and partial

Inlaid padded seat

Men’s seat and ladies’ seat

Looped seat

Half seat

4. Skirts

Square

Square with round corners

Round

California round (butterfly)

5. Rigging

In skirt

Flat plate

Standard D-ring

Dropped

6. Cantle binding

Standard bound, leather and rawhide

Cheyenne roll, leather and rawhide

Rope laced effect

7. Fenders/stirrup leathers

One piece

Two piece

8. Stirrups

Stitched

Laced

9. Flank cinch

Roper style with tunnel loops

Bellybands without tunnel loops

Billet attachment with loops making it removable

10. Decorative treatments

Carved, both full and partial

Geometric stamped, both full and partial

Use of silver on the corner plates, horn caps, conchos, etc

11. Repairs

Miscellaneous re-stitching anywhere on saddle

Replace latigos

Replace flank cinches

Re-rig saddle, either standard rigging or flat plate

Re-cover horn with either new horn covering or cap & wrap style

Re-cover fork

Re-line skirts with sheepskin

Re-string a saddle

Cut down fenders, install Blevins, or twist fenders to new shape

Repair pack saddles

Repair tack

12. Knowledge base

Understand differences in design between roping, cutting, barrel, trail, reining, cowboy, show, and endurance saddles

Know how to fit saddle tree and saddles to various type of horse’s backs

Understand different riding styles for competition

Know basic horse anatomy and locomotion

Have a basic knowledge of most horse breeds, how they differ and how they are similar

Understand leather, leather care, and leather terms

Understand usages for leather and various cuts of leather

Know about hardware for western saddles and tack and be conversant with all metals terms

Know about silver and silver working techniques for silver trimmed saddlery and show equipment