Looking for Ottowa Creek Bill

[Myron Swaim]

Howdy Bill,
I have been reading your thread about the Hope saddle with great interest. I am interested in making the same type of half seat slick fork saddle that you have in your avatar. I was hoping you could point me in the right direction for a pattern of some type as I have nothing I could copy. Perhaps a website for a reputable tree maker ?  I have the Stohlman encyclopedia set and some leather work experience, what I have is more time than money. I am looking for an original type of saddle for my horse. Any help or advice you could send my way would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks!
Myron Swaim

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Never fear, Myron!  Bill will find ya!

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Myron,
Bowdens Saddle Tree company down in Texas is where you want to get your tree(8227 Doniphan Dr. Anthony Texas 79821). Their phone number is 915-877-3191, or, 800-451-3191.
I made my own patterns using the guidelines from the Stohlman books (do you have all three?, if not, get them all) and then changed them to fit the type of saddle I was going to make. Right now a rawhide covered, hand laced with rawhide Hope Tree runs about $250.00, they make them as they are ordered because it is considered a specialty tree. Don't buy a tree from some other maker that doesn't use rawhide lacing to sew the rawhide on, it will evetually tear out. Get it with semi-quarter horse bars, or arizona bars and it will fit a wide variety of horses except the arabians.
Get as many photos as you can of the saddle you want to make for references (I have some I can e-mail you if you want them), there are plenty on the internet if you search for Hope Saddles and quite a bit of history to boot.
If you are doing a particular impression/persona, remember a early Hope saddle can be used from pre-Civil war all the way to 1900. The only thing that changed on them was the outer design of the saddle leather. If I can help, send me a e-mail with your questions so we won't clog up the forum here.

bill@surf-ici.com

Bill

[Myron Swaim]

Thanks Ottowa Creek Bill,
I sent you an E-mail.
Myron