Description
- Pommel (Fork): has a forward-lean orientation with small swells and provides very good wither clearance. It sports a small 2 1/2″ // 6 cm horn. If wanted, also available hornless – see Carry Me Hornless.
- Cantle: 3” // 7.6 cm tall with moderately open “dish” that hugs rider without trapping. 1.5” // 3.8 cm. Padding rolls over the top of the cantle and is handsomely secured via scalloped hard leather on the cantle back, pegged with steel escutcheon nails. There is no Cheyenne roll.
- Seat: Choice of suede (for extra grip) or grippy soft textured leather, fully padded with build-up in front so seat pocket is nicely defined. Black only.
- Choice of padding material includes:
CASHEL: closed cell foam cushioning popular in saddle cushions for many years. Engineered to provide outstanding back protection and shock absorbency. Just firm enough and helpful for comfortable weight distribution for rider.
CUSHFOAM: The favorite cushioning density for those who enjoy softer pressure-relieving padding under their seat bones. Wonderfully spongy but supportive, encouraging natural alignment of the spine. Lightweight, impact-absorbing, resilient, cozy comfort. - Leather: Quality veg-tanned leather hides used exclusively. Choice of smooth or suede leather on seat, smooth leather on other leather parts. Select from our color range as indicated. Color variations (particularly noticeable in light to medium oiled saddles) are to be expected due to the differing porosity of individual hides. Some “grab” the oil more deeply and will appear darker than others. Ofttimes, leather hides may tone to more reddish or orange but become darker brownish over time with exposure to sun and loving care via cleaning and oiling. We have no way to predict exactly what shade of lightness or darkness your saddle may be in the beginning, but you can count on it looking more and more handsomely seasoned with age.
- Fabric parts: Saddle housing, skirts and fenders of sturdy, durable, wax-infused, well-bound heavy-duty moisture-repellant cotton fabric. Black color only.
- Skirts: Small, rounded single back skirts offer the horse contoured flexibility in the loin area.
- Tooling: Hand stamped border patterns or spot toolings selected from NHS tooling collection, on fork and seat jockey. Tooling on cantle for spot toolings only. Tooling available on horn cap and fenders if selected. Plus “Carry Me” feather logo on back of cantle. Individual leather surface textures (due to heredity, environment and tanning processes for each hide) result in unique properties effecting the appearance of individual saddles. Possible irregularities offer opportunities for our tooling artisans to be a bit creative in disguising texture differences of various areas. Adding some extra floral carving or slight alterations of a pattern are among ways to insure best mirroring of design from one side of the saddle to the other. Our toolers are excellent craftspeople. You can count on a beautiful result and celebrate your saddle’s individuality!
- Hardware: Brass or stainless steel.
- Conchos: Leather rosette or selection from NHS Concho Collection. Slotted conchos will be applied with tie strings, domed conchos will have drop D-rings where the tie strings attach.
- Main cinch rigging: Flat, in-skirt ring.
- Rear cinch rigging included: Billets and back cinch are single ply and hang from a ring that is angle-slung in the single back skirt. Apparatus includes a short cinch hobble for connecting to main cinch. Rear cinch should be buckled snugly for best stabilization of the back of the saddle, and short hobble enables pressure to be located in the horse’s sternum area and not impact the soft abdominal region. Standard back cinch length is 36″// 91.5 cm, which fits most breeds. If your horse is very small or very big, please let us know and we can arrange for a custom length.
- Fenders: Free-swinging for optimum rider leg flexibility and communication. Soft, comfortable on the rider’s leg, bonded fabric that is extremely durable. Stirrups are connected via a ‘Texas twist’, which sets them in perfect position to accept your foot with no strain on your knees. Cut to size for Rider inseam length. 4 basic leg length sizes available, with numbered adjustment strap holes at 1/2” // 12.7 mm increments. Leather segment with tooling attached to fabric if selected.
- Stirrups: Please see stirrup choices available for this model.
- Latigos on both sides: for main cinch rigging, no off-side billet. CHOOSE NYLON WEBBING or LEATHER. Note: if you choose nylon webbing, be aware that it does not have any “give” like leather does, so you must be careful not to over-tighten and cause discomfort for your horse.
- Tie strings: 6 handy sets, nice and long.
Small D’s on back of cantle: Great for tightly securing carry-along things via tie strings or other means. - Breast Collar D-rings: Set high for freedom of shoulder movement.
- Bucking Rolls: Can be added for extra security. Leather pillows will match seat color, leather frames will match saddle color. Detachable if you want to remove.
- Cinch keeper: Installed on right side off concho at base of cantle.
- Underside: Durable Felt.
- Seat sizes 15 – 17.5 available.
- Length of saddle: From front of saddle to back of curve at widest point: 23.5 – 24.5” / 60-62 cm
- Weight of saddle: Average weight is 22 lbs // 10 kg, depending on final choices.
- Care instructions: Leather care: Use castile soap with warm water and cotton cloth, rinse with warm water, let dry out of sun and rub with Tack Butter or Neetsfoot oil. Fabric care: Use suede brush or sponge, wash gently with warm water and baking soda. Rinse with warm water, let dry. Heat up Martinex wax war care with a blow dryer in the can and rub with circles onto the fabric parts with a cotton cloth.
Handcrafted in USA.
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SMARTFLX™ TECHNOLOGY
“Welcoming” the horse’s back in motion requires that you MANAGE THE INTERFACE – which is the space between your horse’s body and the underside of the saddle. After incorporating a good saddle, this is the next most important factor for successful saddle fit when you want to give your horse the opportunity to enjoy the journey with you. With SmartSaddlePads.com saddle pads and tapered foam shims you are best equipped to custom fit the interface of your horse to adapt to individual age, top line shape and state of training.
SMARTFLX´S EXCLUSIVE, UNIQUELY SHAPED TREES ARE THE SUBSTRUCTURE AND MAJOR KEY TO SUCCESS OF ANY OF OUR SADDLES.
The very special SMARTFLX™ shape provides room needed for the horse’s back to come up in performance of any athletic maneuvers, especially ones requiring significant engagement or “collection”. Also sculpted into the SMARTFLX™ shape are the ergonomic considerations built in for the rider which enable feeling close to the horse´s body and it´s movement while securely balanced and unstressed in hip, knee and ankle joints. The “bars” and “groundseat” of the SMARTFLX™ western tree are a one-piece molded shape based on years of research and development incorporating thousands of horses worldwide. This molded piece is formed utilizing a particular, extraordinary elastomer compound material that is solid enough to support the rider and protect the horse’s back yet flexible enough to allow the horse to move as nature intended and the human to feel connected in harmony. It is amazingly thin and keeps you close to your horse. Our wooden forks and cantles provide the base stability to hold the bars at the attitude and angle that our research proved was optimal. Our english saddles are constructed with the same principles regarding the spacious, welcoming shape we know is necessary for healthy, comfortable movement. English SMARTFLX™ trees are handcrafted by Master Saddlers in England utilizing digitally sculpted, laminated beechwood bars reinforced by steel head plate and thin diagonal steel bands that support appropriate diagonal flexibility. Because the SMARTFLX™ trees are sculpted to welcome the expanded “moving” horse body, there is room to accommodate an enormous variety of horse breeds and sizes.
VersaFit unique shimming concept provides a simple way to offer dynamic custom fit. The welcoming “hug” of our saddles’ undersides provides for a physically and mentally un-restricted equine athlete capable of enjoying full physical potential under saddle.
