Speedy's Modified 3B
My customer Johanna wanted a "dream" saddle - a 3B for her wonder horse Speedy (registered Paint name "Excess") with windmills on it (think Moulin Rouge, Don Quixote, chasing dreams). This 3b is modified with a longer fork front-to-back to accommodate a larger horn (for her special custom-made horn cap concho).
These are pictures of the "Speedy" in process.
I always hate to cover the Nikkel's trees with leather because they are so pretty! |
Custom, handmade wood/rawhide tree from Rod Nikkel
Seat length 15-1/2"
5" Taylor cantle, 40 degrees and 1" dish
3/4 single inskirt rigging
All-leather ground seat
Bronze hardware from Herb Bork
Hermann Oak skirting, Big Horn latigo
Cantle binding, horn cap, and rigging rings handstitched with coad-waxed Irish linen
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Rod Nikkel always marks the important centerlines on the wood before rawhiding - this is SO useful to a saddlemaker! |
The strainer layer for the all-leather ground seat is formed and drying. |
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Initial skirt and rigging plate patterns are laid out. |
Skirts are "blocked" to envelope the tree bars. |
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Off-side skirt and rigging are tooled and assembled, waiting on more fitting and then woolskins, and the back jockeys have been fitted and tooled. |
The horn cap is hand-stitched with coad-waxed Irish linen, made large enough for the custom concho. |
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The cantle back has an inlaid Larimar stone (also called Dolphin stone) from the Dominican Republic. |
The gorgeous custom horncap concho, with an inlaid Larimar stone. Made by Shawn Didyoung, Cowboy Engraving. Why the windmill? Think Don Quixote and chasing dreams. |
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The seat is fitted in and drying. Everything is temporarily assembled until the end, when all the puzzle pieces are fitted and finished and oiled and permanently assembled. |
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Speedy, waiting for his new saddle
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