# How to get my saddle on the Airplane?



## KodasSlvrWings (Feb 5, 2014)

Next month I will be flying back home to TN for a few weeks, while I'm there I will be going to a few horse shows and trail rides with my sisters who don't have enough saddles so I have to take my own. My saddle is a large western saddle and is definitly not fitting in the over head bins but I'm scared to check it. I'll pack it in a box and bubble wrap the horn along with some packing paper and wrap it in my saddle pad. Do you think that will be enough to protect it? Thanks in advance!
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## SouthernTrails (Dec 19, 2008)

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I would think it would be fine, I had a lady pick up a western saddle in Atlanta and take it back to New Zealand with her, she had to check it and it arrived fine.......


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I take mine everywhere.

Sometimes I secure the cinches to the inside, wrap the leathers, and tie the stirrups where the come towards each other with baling twine. I wrap and secure the saddle strings to themselves. 

Other times I've pulled the front and rear cinches and latigos. Whatever moves me that day.

Never had a problem and it can be a great conversation starter if you want to talk to people.


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## Monkey (Dec 26, 2013)

I think checking it would be fine. Like shipping a saddle, pack it in the smallest box that will fit your saddle, be sure to wrap and pad the horn well and fill in the extra space with padding - you could use your clothes/towels that you're planning to bring, and that way you wouldn't have to check a second bag! Although, if you do that, you may need to iron out the wrinkles when you arrive, lol. If you're going that route, I wouldn't pack any liquids in with the saddle.

Be sure to find a heavy duty box that won't be likely to break/fall apart during transport (try a home improvement store or moving company for boxes). You could pack one box inside another if you're worried about durability of the box you're using. Also, keep in mind that you may need a second box for the trip home, if it gets too beat up on the trip over. 

To throw another option out there: if you can spend a few days apart from your saddle, you may want to look in to shipping it. Based on my experience, shipping a western saddle is in the range of 50 dollars, depending on where you're sending it to, weight, size, etc. Your airline probably has additional fees to check luggage and there may be additional fees for oversized/overweight luggage. Just something to think about.

A third option would be to buy an extra seat for your saddle and carry it on to the plane in a padded saddle bag. That's probably extreme, but I think it would be the "safest" option, since the saddle would be with you the whole way and you could carry it yourself and make sure it doesn't get knocked around. I know some people do that for expensive instruments. Just depends on how much money you have invested in your saddle and your personal threshold for risk of damage vs transport costs.


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## KodasSlvrWings (Feb 5, 2014)

For those of you that have checked your saddles on average how much did it cost? I have 1 free bag that I can check but I'm sure there are some kind of weight restrictions on it. When I bought the saddle and had it shipped the package was 46lbs, including all of the extra tack that came with it.


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## thetempest89 (Aug 18, 2013)

I flew a major airline (Air Canada) Anything over 50 lbs got a fee, I think it was 50 or 75. It was just a flat fee.


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## KodasSlvrWings (Feb 5, 2014)

I just looked into it. Anything over 62 inches (length+height+width) and exceeding over 50 pounds will cost me $50-$100. I measured the box it will go in and everything added up to 60 inches and with the package weighing 46 pounds I will be cutting it close!


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I have shipped mine UPS and Fed Ex to a destination when I was going to several places on the way.

It cost $35 or $40 and I packed it in a box.


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## 6gun Kid (Feb 26, 2013)

Tough-1 Western Saddle Carrier - Statelinetack.com
I have one of these checked on planes all over the country.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I have shipped numerous saddles. Close fitting box. Remove stirrups and cross the fenders underneath the skirts. Bubble wrap the horn. Place the stirrups wherever they will fit in. Tuck the skirts downward as that is the natural direction of the leather. Place pad wherever there's room. That's it. They arrive in good condition. An important note. Be sure to label the saddle and all loose pieces with your particulars. Should the box be damaged, every effort will be made to see that all the parts arrive. If this saddle has a Ralide tree it will probably weigh in under 30 lbs.


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## MiniMom24 (Mar 13, 2013)

Be sure to tell the airline that's a sensitive item. I believe they have a separate section on the plane for things like this. I travelled with my sons car seat and they put it in a bag with a "Caution" sticker on it. It also came out of a separate baggage section when we landed. It came out with items such as a guitar and more breakable items. When I flew back from Mexico in Jan I brought back 2 of those big Mexican hats. They told me I had to check it in and couldn't take them on the plane . I was worried they were going to get wrecked. Anyway, they put them in a plastic bag for me and again marked them with a big sticker. They came out of a separate belt again when we landed and were in perfect shape.


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## Tack Collector (Nov 10, 2009)

If the skirts aren't longer than 28" try a UHaul Dish Barrel, available at almost any sizable UHaul store. Put saddle in a padded case, a good one like an Abetta or Big D or whatever sstack.com sells.

The Dish Barrel dimensions are given on the UHaul site. You should be able to estimate a packed wt of the saddle, then take those box dimensions, and get a price from the airline. Or look at FedEx or UPS Ground vs. that, because ground shipping might be cheaper.

The UHaul box is double walled. I highly recommend double walled,. If you can't get your saddle in the UHaul box, then order an appropriate box or two online from Uline. Lowes & Home Depot boxes will be single wall and kinda flimsy and no larger than 18x18x24, which won't be big enough. A small wardrobe box may work, but may be too oversized.


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