David May, of the UK is a Qualified Master Saddler and member of the Master Saddlers Society; he has worked in the trade for 27 years. David has extensive knowledge of the craft, especially in the areas of repair and flocking of saddles. He has a wonderful sense of humor and excellent communication skills when imparting his knowledge to students.

In our 5 day class David will impart enough basic knowledge and skills to enable you to work at home on your own saddles, or begin your own flocking business. David will be putting every effort into the week to ensure that you learn as much as possible in the time available.

Course Highlights

The importance of the tree in saddle construction and fitting.
Learn to grade various leather
Saddle panels, faults in construction and how this may affect the horse and riders position.
Flock - various sorts and qualities.
Re-flocking - taking all old flock out and filling with 100% 1st quality wool. Students will flock 2-3 saddles during the course of the class.
Learning how to create a smooth, supportive panel that will fit the horse in question and put the rider in the correct position.
On site visit to fit a newly re-flocked saddle.

The experience will be useful, rewarding and fun, as well as profitable!

Program cost $1200. Sign up Now! admin@animaldynamics.com

Why Should Saddles be Reflocked?

An uneven or lumpy saddle panel can prevent your horse from giving of its best. After two or three years of regular use the flock, or stuffing, inside the panel can become hard and uncomfortable. Lumps can form without you noticing; however, your horse will notice! Uneven saddle panels are one of the main causes of back trouble in horses.

Reflocking a saddle involves total replacement of the contents of the panels with new white flock. (This is a great improvement on brown flock found in 99% of saddles.) The results may show immediately in your animal's movement and general behavior.

Things you need to know about Flock

The flocking used in saddles may be white, brown or gray in color. White flock is preferable because it is more likely to be natural wool than the other colors. It is more expensive but because it is a natural product, sweat will allow it to bed into the shape of the horse's back.

Real wool flock is a first-use product of the woolen industry. It is made up of fleece from different breeds of sheep and blended together. A scouring process cleans and removes the grease.

The wool is then carded through rollers containing small needles which tease out and comb it to produce a material that is soft yet resilient. The wool is then ready for use a flocking in the saddlery trade or alternatively it may go through more processes such as spinning for yarn.

Real 100% white flock contains long fibers. It has a superior springiness and resilience, which enables it to recover quickly from compression over many months. While in the panel it will soak up oils and moisture from the horse. This enables it to bed in, over a few months' use, to form a well-fitting panel which is firm, yet conforms to the horse's back.

Brown, gray or colored flock is formed from carpet factory waste and contains a high percentage of acrylic fibers. This means that while it is in the panel it will not soak up moisture and may turn hard and lumpy. After two or three years in a new or re-flocked saddle this flock will emerge as it went in: in small, dry, individual pieces.

Continual use of a numnah (pad) can have a negative effect on what happens to the flocking. Most riders use a numnah at all times in order to keep the bottom of the saddle clean. This is a good intention, but it has a negative consequence...The rising sweat from the horse never gets a chance to do its work on the flock in the panel. The well-known saddlers recommend that a new or newly re-flocked saddle should be used without a pad for at least the first 21 hours.

Many professionals in the saddle industry feel that the best fitting English saddle is a saddle that is filled with real wool.

Wool, a natural fiber, breathes and disburses pressure. Wool flocked panels conform to the horse's back and help eliminate pressure points.

Saddles with foam panels are very hard to maintain and usually when the foam in the panel breaks down, that is the end of the life of the saddle.

Saddles with wool flocked panels can receive periodic maintenance which will extend the life of the saddle years beyond that of a saddle with foam panels.

There is a need in the U.S. for individuals that understand the principles of saddle fit and who also have the ability to strip down and properly re-flock an English saddle.

Animal Dynamics English Saddle Re-Flocking Program Highlights

1. Tool Talk - Learn about the tools required for working on an English saddle.

2. Live Demonstration.."Surgery" on an English saddle. ---WARNING---This can be scary if the "Patient" is your personal beloved saddle!!! ---

The laces are cut,
The seat is separated from the panels
All of the old flock is removed and replaced with new flock
The seat is reunited with the upgraded panel
And finally the saddle is sewn back together! (Whew!)

3. Learn how to test for a twisted or broken tree

4. Hands-On WORK!! Under instructor supervison, students fully strip down, re-flock and sew up English saddles

Students are required to bring to class 2 wool flocked saddles on which to practice.

Students will be provided with tools to use during the class.

If you seriously wish to pursue a career in English Saddle re-flocking, then you should be prepared to invest in the tools of the trade. A full kit of re-flocking irons and leather working tools will cost approximately $400. Animal Dynamics sells these kits onsite and will also provide you with a list of leather work supply companies.

A Comfortable Irishman

The telephone rang - it was Mrs. Stirrup. Could I re-flock her saddle. Murphy (the Irish x Thoroughbred) was beginning to fidget and was losing some hair from under the cantle. "Its that time of year again" I thought as I put the phone down.

I arrive five minutes early and find Mrs. Stirrup staggering under the weight of two large saddles, girths, leathers and irons. I check Murphy's back with my flexi-curve looking at his conformation. His ears go back and the muscles spasm as I touch a sensitive spot. I notice a few dips, bumps and the white hairs just behind the withers. "That was the saddle that came with him - got rid of it" she grimaced.

I try the wider of the two saddles on Murphy. He's a big lad but has a good, long back, a decent wither and looks even along the backbone. It's a good saddle and not a bad fit though the panels are horribly hard and lumpy. The lumps correspond to the tender areas on his back. I show Mrs. Stirrup the saddle and get her to run three fingers along the panels, pressing hard. A new experience for her.

"I'll need it back before Saturday" she says. "OK, I'll do my best" I say half an hour later, leaving.

I'm back in two days with the panels filled with 100% Wool flock. The saddle sits a little high at first but after checking the fit I get Mrs. Stirrup up on top using a mounting block and after fifteen minutes good hack around the field it's settling down nicely. Murphy can't believe his luck and even Mrs. S. says she feels more comfortable.

"Sure to God that feels better at last" Murphy whispers as I slap his neck.

David May - Cumbria School of Saddlery