You've been asking about the new saddle and to put in the photos, so here they are. I ordered a new lightweight saddle from Tom some years back and he has such a long waiting list that it was just finished a few weeks ago. I had given up getting it, under the circumstances, and it was a big surprise when Joe brought it home. It is quite a beauty, and Tom creates a real work of art in anything he makes. It is signed, dated and numbered..... No. 128 made on 2/08. (See the circle below the brand.) Still to come is a matching breast collar. Thank you so much, Tom.
The center photo shows our Rafter M brand on the back of the cantle. And the third photo is a closeup of the basketweave tooling. I had told him not to put much tooling on it, but Joe had him put a little to keep the leather from curling. The blanket is hand loomed wool from one of my trips to the Navajo reservation years ago. The rope is mine, although I've never roped anything with it. It is braided rawhide and was made at the Federal Penitentary at Rawlins WY. Wish I remembered the man's name who made it, but I don't. It would be an antique by now. The inmates made a lot of leather and horsehair crafts and horse equipment while they were in the pen. I traded it for some artwork to one of our wranglers who worked for us at the Lodge.
Maybe I can take a ride on the saddle this summer.
