Click here to see the pictures of The Jack Brainard Custom Saddles!!!


Why?
Jack has spent a lifetime ridding in saddles. His 75 plus years of experience, in both good and bad saddles, has led him to design this saddle. It has all of the features that are important to riders, and most importantly, this saddle has all of the features that Jack feels are of utmost importance to the well-being and comfort of our horses.

The basics.
All of Jack’s saddles are custom made in Texas. Jack’s saddles are made on an Olin Young tree with a reining horn. They are made of Herman Oak leather – the finest leather in the world! You will find that this saddle will fit a majority of all horses that you ride. Because of Jack’s design, you will usually not need to tighten the girth as much as you might need to with your current saddle. We have had people demonstrate mounting a Jack Brainard saddle, during our clinics, with out using the cinch at all! We, of course, do not recommend riding this way! If a saddle fits a horse, it should not have to be cinched down too tight. Jack says that it would be the same thing if someone told you that you would enjoy the dinner banquet more if you tightened up your belt 2 holes!

Who is Olin Young?
Olin Young was a 7 time world champion roper in the 1960’s and 70’s. Olin felt that the bars on most of the saddletrees of that time were too up right. So he modified his tree by spreading and flattening the bars of the tree - as the bars go down the horses back. This modification resulted in a saddle that will fit well and lay down flat on a horses back.

What makes a Jack Brainard saddle different?
1) Extra leather on the front of the saddle skirts.
Jack’s main belief in saddle design is that he wants as much contact area on the horses back as he can get for weight distribution. The saddle skirts provide this very important function. There is extra leather extended forward on the skirts, in front of the swells of the pommel, to provide additional weight distribution. This leather will help keep the saddle “down” on the horses back and discourage the saddle from “lifting” off of the horses back at the loin, something we see so often. When saddles “lift” in the back they can dig the rigid front edge of the bars of the tree into the horses shoulders. Although the extra skirt leather will rest on top of the horses shoulder blades, since the leather is somewhat pliable, there is no interference with the scapula, and the horse has total freedom of movement of his shoulders, while still distributing weight. The front edge of the tree is located in the traditional place on this saddle, which is directly “below” the swells of the saddle.

2) Skiving the ground seat
Jack has the saddle maker skive out a place in the seat for your butt and also skive both sides of the saddle where your thighs rest on the seat. These “pockets” provide very close contact and a narrow fit, for the comfort of the rider, while maintaining a wide comfortable fit for your horse.

3) In skirt rigging
The “in skirt” rigging on Jack’s saddles is placed in the full double position – forward. The location of the rigging will help keep the saddle in the proper position on the horses back while allowing plenty of freedom of movement for the riders’ legs. This design will not have any unnecessary bulk under the riders’ legs that the stirrup fender could get caught on.

4) Nylon latigo
The saddles come with a nylon latigo and off billet. The nylon is easier to keep clean, stronger and only half of the thickness of traditional leather latigo – which means less bulk underneath your leg and more freedom of movement for you.

How long does it take and how much?
Jack Brainard custom saddles usually take about 10 to 14 weeks to complete. All are priced under $2000.00. After we design the saddle of your dreams, I will get back to you with a price. I can accept credit cards, but I must charge an extra 5% convenience fee.

How much is the deposit?

We require a $500.00 non-refundable deposit to turn in the order on your saddle.

Options:
These are the questions that we will go over when we take the order for your saddle.

1) What size seat?
Most saddles are ordered with a 15 ½” tree. We sell a few 15” trees and a few 16” trees. The standard horn is the short 2” reining horn. Reiners like a short horn that will be out of the way of the riders hands . Roping horns are available but will take a bit longer.

2) What type of seat?
The seat of the saddle will be either a hard slick seat or lightly padded. If the seat is padded, your choices will be smooth leather or rough out. The colors of the padded smooth leather or rough out seats are Black, Medium Grey, Dark, Medium and Light Brown, and Rust.

3) Tooling
If desired, Jack can design a “custom brand” made with your initials that can be tooled on your saddle. Usually it is placed on the stirrup fenders. Most standard tooling patterns are available. Click here to see the available tooling patterns.

4) Amount of oil - Color of Saddle
You can have your saddle oiled in light, medium or dark oil. All saddles will eventually darken with age.

5) Stirrups
We have several stirrups that are available. Click here to see the available stirrup photos.
1. Rawhide
2. Wood
3. Leather covered

6) Conchos
We have several conchos that are available.
1. two tone, brass and silver, horse head conchos
2. two tone, brass and silver star conchos
3. silver engraved round puffy conchos
4. silver engraved round flat conchos
5. leather conchos *note* you must have saddle strings with leather conchos.
The conchos are VERY easy to replace if you find some that you like better later. They simply screw in place and can be secured with a product from your local hardware store called Lock Tight. Click here to see the available Conchos.

7) Saddle strings.
Saddle strings are available under any of the 3 side conchos. Sometimes we order saddles with strings in the rear only.

8) Hoof pick holder
A hoof pick holder on the back skirt ior back cinch is available as an option.

9) Breast collar or back cinch.
Jack’s saddles do not come with a breast collar or a back cinch but they are available. Either could be ordered at a later date if desired.

10) Weight of the saddle.
If the weight of the saddle is of concern, there are a few things that we can do to “lighten” the saddle. The standard saddle comes with a 2” Cheyenne roll. We can put a 1” Cheyenne roll to reduce the weight a bit. The saddle also comes with a standard stirrup fender width of about 8”. We can narrow the width of the fenders to about 7 ½ or even 7”. Most Jack Brainard custom saddles weigh from 32-34 pounds - without the back cinch, girth and breast collar.

Return Policy
We are very proud of the workmanship and quality of these saddles. However, they are not “perfect." The saddles are hand made and custom to your specifications and are generally not returnable . If there is an error in your order, we will do everything possible to make it correct.