The Velvet

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The Velvet was built for customer Maura, who lives off the grid and raises horses in Italy. Velvet is both the name of the horse for which this saddle was built, and the name of her favorite childhood fictional character, Velvet Brown from National Velvet.

In the story, Velvet bows three times to the full moon and asks to be the best rider in England. This image stuck with Maura and she's always loved the romance of the moon and moonstones.

This is a classic 3B saddle.

Finished weight just 28 lbs.

	Custom, handmade wood/rawhide tree from Rod Nikkel 3-1/2" fork 5" Taylor cantle, 40 degrees and 1" dish 3-1/2" tall horn 5/8 single ring "spider" rigging All-leather ground seat Bronze hardware from Herb Bork Hermann Oak skirting, Big Horn latigo Cantle binding and horn cap stitched with coad-waxed Irish linen Rawhide-laced stainless steel hobble ring Nettles walnut stirrups Weight fully loaded 28 lbs


	The Rod Nikkel tree in this saddle - custom built for both horse and rider
The cantle back and horn cap have inlaid rainbow moonstones that flouresce colorfully in sunlight.
	This is the Velvet at home - with the hills and mountains of Italy in the background and a set of soft, comfortable elk chinks on the fencepost. "Usually when I put a saddle on Stella she lays her ears back a bit and gets a disgusted look in her eye...momentarily. This time, the first time...not. She stood calmly and relaxed. I cinched it--the first center fire rigging ever--and she seemed alert and curious and like...'hmmmmm, hmmmmmm, this is nice'. No irritation at all in her demeanor--seemed happy."