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I have owned three saddle/pack mules in the last nine years and have a few saddles. One ruff out custom saddle on mule bars fits new mule but not me. My favorite saddle is a mountain saddle from Wyoming outdoors on horse bars fits meet like a glove but not my new mule. Kinda like sitting on a 2x4. I lion hunt most of the time muleback in terrain that is pretty close to that of the moon, steep, rocky, dry, sheep country. My mountain saddle is heavy around 35 pounds plus saddle bags and hunting gear with a 5 inch cantle, 15 1/2 seat. I'm looking at getting my first custom saddle that will fit me and my new mule. I have some questions if anybody can help out I would be appreciated.

Questions:

Do you need a high swell and I dont care for bucking rolls?

Will a Cheyenne roll work in steep stuff or stay with a high cantle?

Center fired rigging or girth and billet strap, is it just preference or is one better then the other?

What type/size of saddle horn is most useful?

Type of stirrups for this type of riding?

Last-Can you get a true custom fit saddle for both you and your animal without taking both to the guy doing the work?

Thanks

Bruce

In advance even if it comes from horse guys

Bdog,

I would rather ride a Mule no matter wether I am Trail riding, working Cattle, or in the Arena (trying to recapture my youth) roping Steers.

Also OK to get Married ridding one! Doing this caused a knot to be tied that ain’t come loose like the 1st big Church doins did!




Here are my answers to your questions:

Do you need a high swell and I dont care for bucking rolls?
My preference is a 14 or so inch swell either a modified Association or a Low Moose front end.

Will a Cheyenne roll work in steep stuff or stay with a high cantle?
To my way of thinking a high Cantle is a must if you are spending lots of time in the Mountains or hills. Heck unless you are Calf roping or have another reason for needing to exit your saddle in a hurry, a high Cantle is darn nice back support every day.

Center fired rigging or girth and billet strap, is it just preference or is one better then the other?
With most Mules a rigging set further back will aid in the prevention of sore-ing the mule up behind the front legs. I have a ¾ Seatrigged girth in my current Saddle.
This keeps lots of leg contact and allows lots of leg movement. This rigging also seems to keep the Saddle more seated on my mules back. Be darn sure to use a Breast Strap and Crupper or Britchen to Isolate the saddle on the mules back.

What type/size of saddle horn is most useful?
Your preference. I like a smaller type.

Type of stirrups for this type of riding?
I like an oversize to allow for wider type riding/walking type boots. They are not that much bigger and sure help when it is cold and Snow packs are needed. You can hood them if concerned about a foot pass through!

Last-Can you get a true custom fit saddle for both you and your animal without taking both to the guy doing the work?
Being able to sit in the Saddle when the maker is putting in the ground seat will darn sure make it fit your butt better than anyone else’s! As to the Mule, a good maker should be able to look a series of photos of the mules back and be able to order a Mule Bar tree to fit.

Big Mike, and some of the Utah Hunters can give good advise….I bet that there is a good Maker within 100 miles of you…like any thing the more time you invest in the preparations and research…the better the end results will be.

A nice semi- Custom Mule Saddle can be had from “ www.Teskeys.com ” in Weatherford, Texas. They will ship for you try.

Hope this is some help!

CJC

Like CJC I think the only use for a horse is to make mules. JK horse dudes hahahahahhahaha

Swells are personal preference. I like to have some but others dont

I ride a 5 in cantle and prefer it for mountain saddle. Much more comfortable to me, never liked a cheyenne roll (I fall out of the saddle to easy as is LOL)

I ride a 3/4 rigging and about any mule saddle should come with a 3/4 rigging. Never rode a centerfire but they say it works well and you dont need a breechin. I think it depends alot on the shape of the mule. So if you ride deferent mules I think 3/4 rigging would be best.

Saddle horn size. I guess it depends if you can rope or not? I cant so i just use it as an O'SH!T handle on occasion.

I would recommend some kind of oversized stirrup so you can wear hunting boots. I ride the cheap pastic ones to feet my size 13 paws. Bad thing about those is they a slippery when wet. If you ride in mesquite or cactus country taps are really nice.

If i were getting a custom saddle made I would want to talk to the saddle maker in person. If they get a look at you they can help you decide what might fits you best and your mule the best. But I would also avoid getting a saddle tailered fit to one animal(unless you want a saddle per mule). All mule backs are a little different just like horses so i get one the middle of the rode. Unfortunately havnt had the funds to get a custom saddle for me yet so I don't have anyone that I can speak for personnally. I ride a Colorado Saddlery mule saddle Cody mountain and I like it alot. I would check the mule websites and go with someone who makes alot of mule saddles


Nice mule CJC pretty flashy

Big Mike,

The Sorrel Mare Mule's mother was the last living daughter of Skipper W. Her 1 year older sister was the 9 time undefeated Halter Mule @ Shelbyville and 5 time undefeated @ Bishop. My mule was just a little cow hocked in back...this sure made her a better athlete, but caused her to place behind big Sis in the Halter classes.

Both she and the Black stockinglegged mule would let you win a little at a Jackpot Head and Heellin. If you called for your stock properly the Mules would due their part if I would throw by the 3rd jump out of the box....if I hesitated we got outrun...oh well!

Pegleg and Travan are talking about those nice Blue Valentine Horses. My wife has a big Hancock red roan gelding....I just but his 3/4 sister (Blue with Black Pts) to raise a Saddle Mule out of. Will be AIing her to a Blue roan Andalusian Jack from Texas by way of Spain.

Bdog, did not mean to Highjack your post....Sorry!

CJC

this post brought up the thought that robin severe hasn't posted in a long time. hope he is doing well. I am sure he could enlighten us all on the subject. I have made a few saddles and the one thing it has taught me is that its as complicated as can be to make the perfect saddle for one animal. your best bet is to find one you like that will fit the common style of mule in your area. yes they do vary just like horses. use saddle pads to help perfect the fit from mule to mule. I don't recommend the center fire rigging for a using horse/mule and the body type it actually has any use on is rare. I believe it was designed on a similar principle as a pack saddle . it depends on the build and attachments to stay put. a 3/4 stays put better with less tension, and watch your mount breath and note where the expansion occurs the most. do you really want your cinch there?


CJ seems to always be living the high life!! Yes those using horses sure make the right type for poor hands in the rocks.

I live just up the road from you in southern Utah. I ride mules and have two saddles made by D.R. Schrader. He is out of Darby Montana. I really like the 3-way in skirt flat plate rigging that he put in my mule saddles. I can ride all day even when both myself and mule are out of shape and not
sore either one of us. If you are ever up this way give me a few hours notice that you are coming and I will let you see and even ride the saddle if
you would like. There is a saddle maker in Parowan, Utah who makes his own trees so he should be able to fit you and your mules.His work is a work
of art. Schrader uses Bowden brand saddle trees.

The saddle maker in Parowan is Bob Ray. Bob and his wife Carolyn worked several years for Charlie Leeder before Bob started building saddles.

Very good posts above. I'll add a few things learned through my mistakes in the saddle building process. I had a custom saddle built a while back thinking it would be my last. I had the maker use a pretty cheap ($300 so I didn't think that cheap) tree as he didn't think there was much difference in product between the best tree and the cheaper ones. He was new to building but very good in leather. Long story short, put a cheap tree in it and it has so much rocker front to back that it is all over the place going down hill.
Fits my older horse good due to a little sway in his back but younger horses the fit is bad. If I had gone with a better tree maker
I don't think I would be in this predicament. I am now about to receive my 2nd custom saddle. Don't buy a horse with a bad foot and never buy a saddle with a poor tree as they are the foundation and if they are wrong or bad nothing will work.

Good makers seem to usually be pretty firm in what they like in a tree. The bars are the most important in fit for the animal. Gullet height shouldn't matter much with most mules but width will. Cantle height is sort of personal but like mentioned I prefer a high one within reason. A cheyenne roll can be put on any cantle height just as a straight
up binding can be put on any height but usually higher cantles are straight up and lowers have the roll. In the middle it is a mix. A cheyenne roll will add more height to the finished cantle height than a straight up cantle binding.

You hear a lot on what fits and what doesn't. All the talk of Wade's fitting good, or associations being the best on a horse, etc. etc.. are not truly accurate. What matters in fit is the bars; the shape of the bar and how much wood is left in it, the width of the bar spread (gullet width), and the angle of the bars (90, 93, etc..) Two different wade saddles can have totally different tree and bar dimensions, while as a wade and a low moose can be built on the same bar and should fit a horse identically. I would stay away from trees made in factories and look for ones made by individuals.

Thanks for all of the input and suggestions.

Bruce