Mike Branch Natural Ride Saddle

Tree: Natural  Ride Tree, made of Southern Yellow Pine covered in a single hand-laid  layer of 6 oz fiberglass cloth. Manufactured exclusively for us by  Steele Saddle Tree LLC. The ground work is hand shaped using skirting  leather over a 20 gauge saddle strainer (tin seat). We shape this  leather to sit you comfortably in the saddle eliminating the need for  all the fancy-named thick padding that many are using today to cover  poor ground work.
Seat Size: Available in 15", 16", and 17".
Bars: Full Quarter Horse Bars
Weight: Approximately 29 lbs.
Gullet Width: 7"
Gullet Height: 8"
Swell: A-Fork; Width 10".
Skirts: Length 26" (on 16" seat); Width 13 ½" at front and 9" at rear, lined with faux shearling, 90% wool.
Cantle: Height 4";  Width  13"; Dish 1 ½"; Style 1 ½" Natural Rawhide Covered Pencil Roll, Hand Sewn.
Horn: Height 2 ¾", Diameter 2 ½", Leather covered, Hand Sewn.
Stirrup Leathers: 2 ½" with Leather Covered Blevins Buckles, machine sewn and copper riveted at the Blevins Buckles and the top of the fenders.
Stirrups: Natural rawhide covered, hand laced bell stirrups with 3" treads.
Rigging: Horseshoe Brand Flat Plate in-skirt, 7/8’s position, 2 ½" beveled stainless steel dees in rear.
Flank Cincha: 3" tapering to 1 ¾"; burgundy latigo lined with stainless steel roller buckles.
Leather: 13-15 oz. Mahogany Skirting.
Trim:  All Hardware including the saddle screws and washers is  stainless steel.  Saddle strings cut from premium 5-7 oz. burgundy  latigo. We use the Union Lockstitch to sew and pull the 277 white nylon  thread tight at 5 ½ stitches to the inch.
Finish: Each Mike Branch Natural Ride Saddle first receives a  warm coat of 100% pure neatsfoot oil followed by a generous coat of  Aussie Leather Conditioner.  Edges are burnished by hand rubbing.
Tooling: Carlos Border.