# Job as a custom saddle maker?



## Jillyann (Mar 31, 2009)

All I know, is you have to be **** good! =)


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## RedRoan (Mar 2, 2009)

> All I know, is you have to be **** good! =)


Haha yeah, lots of 'Pride in the work' sorta stuff :-D


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## Jillyann (Mar 31, 2009)

Oh yes! Have you made any saddles yet? Can you post some pictures of your work?


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## shesinthebarn (Aug 1, 2009)

Well, my husband is a silver/goldsmith, so that kind of think can be a career, and not a side job. He does buckles for show series, cuttings and rodeos, along with all kinds of horsey jewellery.
The biggest thing is to get educated in it. He went to school for 4 years, and still does continuing education, as well as teaching beginning engravers.
Maybe contact a local saddle maker, and ply him with questions? They may even let you apprentice!


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I have a friend who is a Saddle Maker and fitter. She was trained by Schleese himself. It takes years of apprentiship, you have to find a good name to work under and train under. Not just any Tom, ****, or Harry. 

She is very booked, booked for months in advance. She travels all over Canada doing jobs, and jobs that are well paid for.

I have another friend, she owns her own Tack Store and bought the Rembrandt Line. She now makes the Classic Rembrandts aka Classic Saddlery. She trained and schooled in Europe/England for a few years.

It's a good job, but you have to find the right person to teach you, for you to studdy under and apprentice under. Not only do you have to learn how to work with saddles, but you have to learn about saddles through and through. You also have to learn about the horses backs and how each indavidual animal works. There is alot, alot alot to learn - and it takes years of studdy to get to that point.


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## RedRoan (Mar 2, 2009)

Ah thanks for the info guys! Looks like my wish of becoming a full time saddle maker might come true :-D.

I am in Oregon and would like to stay here... do any of you know of any good saddlerys here that I might as for an apprenticeship under to get started? I tried looking for classes and the closes places are in Colorado and Nevada that I could find :-(.


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