Slick Fork Saddle Shop

406-266-4170

Handmade Quality

Handmade@slickforksaddleshop.com

 Both of these trees are in saddles that are on the saddle pictures page. They were built quite a while back. It should be noted that the measurements the tree is built to and the fit of the bar pattern are what determine the fit of the tree, not the particular styles of the trees. One guys trees might have really well shaped bars that makes for a good seat with close contact with the horse. Another guys might be big thick club bars that it is hard to make a good seat with. Each of them could be called the same tree, like a wade for example, but they would sit and fit  differently. If you have a saddle that sits really well it isn't because it is one tree or another, but rather that the tree was built so that the saddle could sit that way, and the saddle maker didn't mess it up with a bad groundseat. Same thing for the horse also, if you had one saddle that fit horses well and ordered the same tree from another guy Just because they are called the same thing dosen't mean they will fit the same. If the same guy made the trees in both then they could be pretty close to the same if the measurements were the same. If they came from two different tree makers then there is a good chance there will be some differences in them. They could both be good trees and fit well however.

Slick Fork Saddle Shop Custom Saddle Trees

My bars are a northwest Style bar. This style has a stirrup leather slot. Built with appropriate rocker and twist. Built to put as much surface on the horse's back as possible. Bars flair slightly from the front end of where the fork ends to the front end of the bar. This helps with horses that are kind of muscled in the shoulder area. The bars are notched for a tight and proper joint where fork and cantle are fastened to the bars. The top of the bars are dished out, allowing the rider a closer contact with the horse. The bars are built a specific length for each seat length, this allows correct bar length behind the cantle to distribute weight. My trees are built using strong laminated construction and have a 5 year guarantee.

The Ground Seat

Much of the ground seat is built into the tree. This allows much less leather in the ground seat which enables you to have closer contact with your horse. This also saves weight which is important. My seats are built so that they are flattened in the back where you will sit and dished and narrower up where your legs hang.

The Horn

My trees will sit down close to your horse. I make most of my post horns 3" high which keeps them down close to your horse. This helps with leverage that works against your horse if you are high up off his back. On my trees with metal horns I use bronze horn either 3" or #3 1/2" tall. I set these fairly straight up which is nice for roping. Most of  my post horns are either 3"x3" or 3 1/2"cap x 3"tall. They are hour glass shaped and dished in the back so that there is a place for you rope to sit. They have a little belly at the top in the front and cone down from there. On the metal horns I set the cap back a little to give some curve to the back of the horn so there is a place for your rope also. The metal horns are mang. bronze with a hardwood cap.. The post horns are all wood with many layers of lamination in them and a integrate part of the fork which is laminated throughout.

The Bar Angles and measurements.

  I build most of my trees with 90 degee bars. I use the back gullet width for the measurements to make the tree wider or narrower. The back is the one that has to be changed to make the tree wider or narrower. It has already set the bar spread before the front opening measurement is even filed in to fork.. The bar angle and the back gullet width along with the gullet height are the three major measurements to change for different horses.. My bars flair in the front to help with some  of the horses that are muscled in the shoulders area.

The Cantles

I have cantle patterns for both shovel cantles and oval cantles. Since I build my own trees if I don't have a cantle you like I probably can build one like you want. I have patterns for 4",4 1/2",5" shovels in 11", 11 3/4" width. In the ovals I have 4" 4 1/2" in around 12 1/2" widths. I tip the cantles back on my trees so that they don't bite you in the back. This is really important on the taller cantles. The cantle fits into a notch on the bar so that it is a strong joint. Some trees just sit on the top of the bar and are fastened on with staples.

Slick Fork Saddle Shop

Copyright (c) 2000 Slick Fork Saddle Shop                    

28 Valley Drive
Townsend, MT  59644
406-266-4170
Handmade@slickforksaddleshop.com