Horseadvice.com

Site Menu:

Horseadvice.com

Join Us!

Horse Care

Equine Diseases

Training and Behavior

Reproduction

Medications

Reference Material

This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Horse Care » Routine Horse Care » Particular Situations & Procedure topics not covered by above »
  Discussion on Homemade saddle cleaning rack?
Author Message
Member:
heidim

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 21, 2009 - 5:27 pm:

My daughter wants to make a saddle rack specifically for cleaning saddles. Does anyone out there have one, purchased or homemade, that works well? We're thinking it might be nice to have built-in box at the bottom for holding saddle soap, etc., and maybe wheels to make it easier to move the rack around. Your ideas and any photos are welcome. This will be a 4-H woodworking project.
Member:
gramsey1

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 28, 2009 - 9:19 pm:

I will send you a photo of one my father-in-law made for our daughter.
It is very stable and was well received in the barn.
Member:
digger89

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 28, 2009 - 9:32 pm:

Guy - please post the photo online so that we all can admire it! Sarah
Member:
famous

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 28, 2009 - 9:37 pm:

I was just having this conversation last night - one of my buddies made a saw horse type stand with a hole in the top so he could turn the saddle upside down and get the underside opened and cleaned.
Member:
dustee

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 29, 2009 - 3:47 pm:

Lora - That sounds like a GREAT idea!! Any pictures of that one?
Guy - Love to see a picture of yours too!!
Dustee
Member:
famous

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 29, 2009 - 10:16 pm:

No - it was part of a discussion. Wish I did have a picture - I want my husband to build me one too!
Member:
sodmonst

Posted on Thursday, Jul 30, 2009 - 3:11 pm:

We used to deep clean about 75 Western saddles every fall, and we had an effective saddle holder. Starting from the bottom: heavy metal base with metal pipe welded onto it (think outdoor umbrella stand, or the stands that hold the velvet rope at the theater). On this, a split and polished log with a hole that fits the pipe, bored half-way through from the flat side.

Mount the log on the metal stand. If the hole is the correct size, you can turn the saddle back and forth, but the hole isn't big enough to make it wobbly.

Now this is the key part. The log, now round-side-up and mounted on the stand, must have withers. Make a wedge out of another peice of wood, mount it on the log solidly to make withers.

The saddle stand was sturdy, could be dismantled for storage, and held the saddle in place well. It looked neat too. The log and "withers" MUST be stripped and rubbed so that you don't get slivers in the saddle fleece.

I could easily draw it, but do not have a scanner. I see if I can get a drawing scanned.
I have great memories of soaping and oiling saddles in the fall while snacking from the big pot of tamales heating on the wood stove.
Member:
gramsey1

Posted on Friday, Jul 31, 2009 - 9:49 pm:

okay,
Here are the images. Just don't ask about any details. I don't have any more information than the camera reveals.
My father-in-law designed this. He looked at the saddle, thought about the horse and designed it. with saddle
Member:
gramsey1

Posted on Friday, Jul 31, 2009 - 9:50 pm:

over view
Member:
gramsey1

Posted on Friday, Jul 31, 2009 - 9:51 pm:

detail 1
Member:
gramsey1

Posted on Friday, Jul 31, 2009 - 9:55 pm:

detail 2
Member:
gramsey1

Posted on Friday, Jul 31, 2009 - 9:56 pm:

detail 3
Member:
gramsey1

Posted on Friday, Jul 31, 2009 - 9:57 pm:

base detail
Member:
dres

Posted on Friday, Jul 31, 2009 - 11:12 pm:

WOW.. I want one in my home entry..

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Member:
canter

Posted on Saturday, Aug 1, 2009 - 1:55 pm:

Wow, Guy...that's a beautiful piece. My compliments to your father in law!
Member:
dustee

Posted on Saturday, Aug 1, 2009 - 2:26 pm:

I think it's gorgeous!! Dustee
Member:
heidim

Posted on Saturday, Aug 1, 2009 - 10:13 pm:

Great pics and ideas. Thanks all. Hear that buzz in the background? That's my daughter warming up the jig saw...
Member:
heidim

Posted on Thursday, Aug 20, 2009 - 12:26 pm:

Just thought some of you out there might want to see the saddle rack my 15-year-old daughter Elise made for cleaning saddles. She and my husband borrowed some ideas from Guy and some from similar projects found elsewhere on the Internet. Note the built-in box on the bottom for holding cleaning supplies. Elise received a blue 4-H ribbon for her efforts.
Member:
dres

Posted on Thursday, Aug 20, 2009 - 12:33 pm:

fancy.. ! can i have that in my bathroom to hand towels on.. ?

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Member:
gramsey1

Posted on Thursday, Aug 20, 2009 - 3:25 pm:

Very nice. I like the box good idea.
Member:
jowidner

Posted on Thursday, Aug 20, 2009 - 8:08 pm:

Congratulations Elise on your accomplishment! I'm sure you will enjoy your beautiful saddle stand for many years to come. Good job!
Member:
lilo

Posted on Friday, Aug 21, 2009 - 5:30 am:

What a well deserved blue ribbon! Congratulations! Lilo
Member:
heidim

Posted on Saturday, Aug 22, 2009 - 7:16 am:

Thanks for the nice comments. I'll be sure and pass them along to Elise.
Member:
chrism

Posted on Saturday, Aug 22, 2009 - 11:03 am:

Gorgeous and well done.

Maybe add some casters so she can roll it around?
Member:
dustee

Posted on Saturday, Aug 22, 2009 - 12:05 pm:

I think Chris' suggestion about the casters is great. I hardly think this should be considered a rack just for "cleaning saddles". How about showing off saddles!! She did a great job.
Member:
36541

Posted on Saturday, Aug 22, 2009 - 5:49 pm:

I love it! I'd like casters and a price please! Quite serious if she's interested... Stacy
Member:
jowidner

Posted on Sunday, Aug 23, 2009 - 3:21 pm:

If you go with the casters idea you will need to get the locking kind or else add some kind of brake so that the stand doesn't roll away whenever she adds a bit of "elbow grease" to the saddle cleaning process!
Member:
kpaint

Posted on Monday, Aug 24, 2009 - 9:31 am:

I have very similar racks in my living room to store the better saddles. (avoid the humidity in the barn tack room) and there is a curved piece of wood attached to the front that holds the headstall which is pretty handy if a person was using the rack for storing as well as cleaning rack. I lay the breast collar behind the saddle.
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com
is The Horseman's Advisor
Helping Thousands of Equestrians, Farriers, and Veterinarians Every Day
All rights reserved, © 1997 -
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC