Saddle Trees are the most important aspect of the saddle. It is
what insures the proper fit of the horse, balance of the rider,
and overall strength of the saddle. Here we will show how we
accomplish these three concepts. Our trees are made from Yellow
Poplar and laminated Baltic Birch. This wood is very clean and
void of any knots. The grain is fibrous and intertwined so it
makes it easy to work with and makes it stronger so it will hold
the tree's shape. Kent uses a jig to cut his bars to insure a
proper angle. Both sides of the bars need to be shaped. Showing
is the top side of the bar where the rider will be sitting. Kent
is hand rasping it to guarantee the balance points are correct.
After using his pattern to shape the bottom of the bars, he
sands a smooth finish making sure there aren't any bumps. This
is the part that is in contact with the horse. The front of the
saddle is referred to as the style. Kent is shaping a Wade style
front. The horn is very important when it comes to shaping;
tapering it co