This page will show you just a few of the saddles made by Ted Estes.
Please view a slide show gallery of saddles made by Ted.

Gorgeous Floral Carved Wade - Made By Ted Estes

This saddle is built on a custom Bill Bean saddle tree- 93 degree bar spread, 16" seat, 4" cantle. Number 1 select Hermann Oak skirting used throughout. The saddle has seen very little use and in like-new condition- no wrecks, no roping. The comfort for the horse and rider is as good as it gets. The ground seat is meticulously sculpted, as all my saddles are, and properly shaped to place the rider in the correct position. As you can see, it has all the "extras." The Oregon cross-over rope strap, stainless steel monels- lined and half-covered, flat-plate rigging- 7/8ths position, stainless steel floral hardware- HorseShoe Brand, mulehide wrapped guadalajara horn, are just some of the add-ons. The XX carving is very natural looking and free-flowing using a mixed floral design of my own creation. I don't use print-offs or copies for any of my patterns, and they are getting better with each saddle. Please email or call with any questions. Also, the saddle does have the carved back girth, (not pictured).

This 15" Wade saddle is built on a custom tree by Rick Reed using number 1 Hermann Oak skirting. Amy needed a certain type tree to fit her shorter-backed horse, and Rick delivered, as always. This saddle has a beautiful combination of tooling and stamping, along with a rough-out seat. I'll put the comfort of my saddles to the test with anybody else's out there. I spend lots of time on the ground seat. And, using seat tins, I can still get the rider as close to the horse as a maker who does not use them. Plus, using a seat tin, the customer NEVER has to worry about the seat caving in! Here's what Amy had to say in her own words:

"I simply cannot tell you how much I am enjoying the saddle!! It's such a gem. And it looks quite spectacular on Lynx. I have many, many comments on how handsome he looks with the saddle on, which I attribute to how well the saddle suits and fits! The thing is, I spend a lot of time admiring it on him, when I'm on the ground. BUT, when I swing up into it, I stop thinking about the saddle as it is sooooo comfortable and fits so perfectly, I'm only thinking about my riding. THAT, in my opinion, is the measure of a truly great saddle. ~ Amy, Washington

This saddle is built on a Bill Bean custom, handmade tree. The tree is a "Dean Oliver" roper swell fork, with a large, old-style Mexican horn.  I used number 1 grade Hermann Oak leather throughout. The tooling pattern is all my own, with a heavy Ray Holes (original) influence. No, it is NOT a typical sheridan -style, and was purposely intended not to be. Personally, I feel sheridan patterns are redundant, predictable, and boring. Nature is none of the above. Nature is very unpredictable, and anything but boring, so, I try to create a pattern with that in mind. It is a work-in-progress, without a plateau ever to reach. There's plenty of flow throughout the pattern, without knowing necessarily what's next. You be the judge. I used a 7/8ths flat plate rigging with Horseshoe Brand stainless steel hardware. As always, the thickest, bark-tanned woolskins are used for lining. Everything is tooled that can be, even the blevins covers. The rig has a 16 inch seat. My ground seats are my own creations, with ideas from Dale Harwood, Steve Mecum, and Bill Gomer. Yes, I use seat tins, and so do these other top makers. You can't "see" the difference in my ground seats, but a rider sure as heck can "feel" the difference. A very close contact is achieved, even with a plate rigging. This is one comfortable riding saddle, that's built to stand up to years and years of rugged service, just as all my rigs are. Most potential customers tend to think that the best buckaroo saddles are all made out west. As you can see, that's changing rapidly.

This BLACK BEAUTY is built on a Rick Reed bullhide covered tree. If you know saddle trees, then you know Rick’s are somewhat expensive ($550), but second to none. The seat is 16”, and has a 93 degree bar spread. The tree also has a Douglas 98 wade swell with a large duckbill horn.  Go rope whatever your heart desires on this one. I used Wickett & Craig number 1 skirting throughout. In addition, I put on some stainless steel half-covered monels by Trina Weber. The rig has a flat-plate rigging set in the 7/8ths position. I lowered the rigging “slightly” to give the rider even more contact with the horse than my usual. There’s beautiful floral carving on over ¼ of the rig to give the saddle some distinction. I use Jeremiah Watt (Horseshoe Brand) 5053 stainless steel “floral” hardware and conchos, which are as good as any out there. Of course, it’s lined with 1” think bark-tanned woolskin. Wickett and Craig leather, when drum-dyed like this, does have a slight “break-in” period. However, after a few hours of use it becomes very supple. All my saddles are made with Hamley twist-wraps around the fenders and stirrup leathers, which make all the difference on the rider’s knees and ankles. Other options include the Oregon cross-over rope strap, mule hide horn wrap, lined and stitched back billets and girth, pull collar dees on front, etc. Please look over my “non-paid” customer comments on my saddles, and purchase with confidence.  Finally, this rig only weighs about 35 lbs., not bad at all for a full buckaroo saddle!

  This saddle is on a modified association 16” tree by master tree maker Rick Reed, who now resides in Montana. The number 1 heavy leather is Hermann Oak throughout. The more I use this leather, the more I personally prefer it to others. This saddle, as stated, is brand new, but already feels broken in. The FULL copper rose tooling is my own pattern/design- nothing taken from a magazine, with a beautiful dark brown antique finish. The saddle tree has 94 degree bars, with a slightly scooped out gullet, and will fit the majority of horses out there very well. Please don’t be taken in by this one-tree for one-horse mentality. You may notice that the woolskin is the “white” variety, as opposed to the golden skins I typically use to line my saddles. This was used just to break up the pace so-to-speak. It’s still a top quality bark-tanned woolskin. Solid brass hardware, including the lined Weber/Nettles monel stirrups.

This is yet another black Douglas 38 Wade saddle, built on a Rick Reed tree. I'm finding lots of customers who want something a little different, and these black wades are catching on! A true, buckaroo rig in every sense of the word. The rigging is by Herb Bork. With each saddle, I find myself doing a little something different than the last one to get a tighter, smoother finish. Anita had some legitimate concerns about fitting her broad-backed horse. After a good consultation, we went with a 93 degree bar- it worked great! This rig,  like all my saddles, was built from start to finish by me in my shop. I used heavy number 1 black skirting by Wickett and Craig. This leather is drum dyed, so Anita's saddle will still be black 20 years from now. Another FULLY satisfied customer!

WOW!!  I received my saddle and it is the most beautiful piece of art I have ever seen, not to mention the workmanship.  This is the most comfortable saddle I have ever ridden in, rides just like a glove!  My 3 year old quarter horse has very little withers.  He has no complaints, is relaxed and dropping his head every time I ride him.  I recommend Ted's saddles to everyone!  He is truly creative and his attention to detail is amazing. I truly love my saddle."  ~ Anita,  Hampshire, IL

Here's a swellfork (Modified Associated) saddle completed just recently.  It's built on a Rick Reed tree with 94 degree quarter horse bars.  In addition, the saddle is completely made with #1 select Hermann Oak leather, carefully antiqued mahogany.  With the Hamley twist wraps, it already has that broken-in feeling.  The running "w", or serpentine, border combined with all the floral carving gives the saddle a very distinct appearance.  The rigging utilizes a #100 ring rigging by Herb Bork of Pendleton, Oregon.  This ring is a combination of a Dee and an O ring.  It's extremely strong, yet allows closer contact that a flat plate rigging.  Top it off with a set of Weber/nettles laminated stainless steel, leather lined, half covered 5" Monel stirrups and it's as durable and eye-catching of a rig as you will find on the market today!! 

"I received the saddle today.  Included are two photos.  My wife on her Arab/Quarter horse and me on my TB/Quarter horse.  As both horses have high withers, we can not use a wade tree.  Therefore I was concerned about the height of the gullet.  I'm glad to say we have good clearance on both horses.  I am very impressed with the 
association tree and rigging.  I'm extremely impressed with your workmanship and the leather.  This is one top notch saddle, one big horn and I love it." ~ Richard Maulding
 

This saddle, made for Bruce Slusher, combines a meandering border with just enough floral carving to create a nice balance. Notice the the Herb Bork number 100 rigging. This same rigging ring is on an old George Lawrence saddle I have. It's an extremely strong rigging without the weight and bulk of a flat plate rigging. As all of my saddles, the seat is flat at the pelvic bone area, and gradually rises toward the front. I keep my seats pretty narrow at the front, unless told to do otherwise by a customer. All of my customers have had very similar reactions to the comfort of the saddles as Bruce- they love it, and that's my top priority- to satisfy the customer!

"...the workmanship, balance and overall quality is excellent. Ted uses the best of everything when he makes a saddle, and this one is no exception. His workmanship and attention to detail are amazing. This saddle not only looks great, but rides and fits the horses even better than it looks. Very comfortable from day-one and just keeps getting better. The beauty and balance are second to none." Bruce says it's the most comfortable saddle he's ever ridden!
Bruce Slusher Horsemanship

This 16 inch Wade is built on a Rick Reed tree using number 1 Wicket and Craig skirting. As you can see, it's very similar to the saddle built for horse trainer Bruce Slusher, only black. This number 100 ring rigging by Herb Bork of Pendleton, Oregon is exceptional. It has all the strength needed to rope whatever, but offers much closer contact than a flat plate rigging, (which is anything but "flat," by the way). This rigging also helps cut down on the weight, too, as that seems to be becoming more of a factor with many customers. It's a great solution for rigging if you want the strength, but not the weight. I'm getting lots of positive feedback on these black wades, as they really get you noticed on your palominos, buckskins, or whatever!

This saddle was constructed using many techniques learned directly from TCAA saddlemaker STEVE MECUM. Nothing fancy, just a work-HOSS of a saddle that extremely comfortable for both the horse and rider.

• Douglas "38" 'wade tree built by famous Wyoming tree maker RICK REED. 94 degree bars- will work excellent on most quarter horse type builds

• 16" seat- roomy

• Number 1 grade EXTRA HEAVY Wickett & Craig skirting- russett.  Hamley twist and wrap numbered stirrup leathers;

• Weber stainless steel bound stirrups on "Nettles" laminated blanks; inside is lined;

• Oregon cross-over rope strap;

• Cheyenne roll cantle;
  Genuine think woolskin lining;
  Jeremiah Watt (Horseshoe Brand) 5053 stainless steel floral rigging rings with floral SS conchos, (I had to add something to spice-it-up some!)

Here is a tough, but VERY comfortable saddle. It was built on a custom made, bullhide laced tree over yellow poplar by Bill Bean, Eagle, Idaho- laminated for added strength. 16” seat, 4" “round” cantle, 9” swells, quarter horse, 93 degree bars. WOOD POST “GUADALAJARA-SPADE” horn with a 5 1/2" finished cap! THIS IS AN EXCELLENT "FITTING" TREE ON A VARIETY OF HORSES!!!

Bill Bean and Rick Reed trees are considered by many to be the BEST trees made today! I used Number 1 grade extra heavy domestic steer hide from Siegel of California leather. This leather tools and moulds as good as any out there, and it's got an excellent "feel" to it. Finished with an antique medium brown stain- beautiful! I hand tooled this saddle with a combination "mixed floral" design. It has a contoured, all leather groundseat w/ strainer (medium /high rise- narrow at front) for all-day comfort; trails, roping, ranch work, etc.

Here's a unique rig I recently completed for a repeat customer in Florida. It's built on a premium Bowden Cliff Wade tree (15 "seat) using number 1 grade Wickett and Craig leather. The stainless steel hardware is from Herb Bork of Pendleton, Oregon, and there is none better. I always line my saddles with genuine, 1" think bark tanned woolskins, and I never "piece" them, but use one full skin for each pair of saddle skirts. Personally, I've never seen a black "wade" saddle, but this is a real eye-catcher! Furthermore, I tried to keep this rig somewhat lighter in terms of weight, but still as tough as any. It turned out around 33lbs., not a bad weight at all! There are techniques that can lighten a saddle's weight, without sacrificing the quality and strength of the rig. In addition, you can see from the profile that I put some "rise" toward the front of my groundseats- without overdoing it. A few will argue for a flat seat, I expect those few don't ride all day, or care that much for comfort. My idea is to make that saddle first comfortable for the horse, and then comfortable for the rider. I expect that more black "wades" will be seen in the future, as this color will make any horse truly stand out anywhere. Whether your horse is a buckskin, black, bay, or palomino, this color goes with any of them. As you can see, I topped this one off with a fancy, full "waffle" style stamping. If you're interested in a rig similar to this one, or different for that matter, call me or drop me an email.

Here's a great, all round using saddle for sure- swellfork. This one has a beautiful "waffle" style stamping throughout, and a heavy duty "O" style rigging. It's built on a custom made Bowden Brand bullhide tree with an oversized duckbill horn. I have to admit to riding in this rig for a while before selling it. Comfortable? It's now being ridden by an individual who, beforehand, believed he HAD to have a padded seat!!! Well, he doesn't anymore! It has an attractive set of hand-laced bell stirrups to match it.  In addition, I used a three piece "tunnel" groundseat (with strainer) on this rig, and have been using this method ever since. My groundseats are typically best described as middle/high rise, and narrow at the front. But, I can easily modify at your request.

Here's a beauty of a rig, but don't let these looks fool you- it's built like a TANK! And, it's built on a custom made bullhide wrapped tree from BILL BEAN, (Idaho). Everything on this saddle is HEAVY DUTY, from the oversized "O" rings and hardware from Herb Bork from the extra heavy skirting leather from Wickett and Craig. It has a beautiful combination copper rose tooling with a geometric stamp and exposed stirrup leathers. Not shown are the 5" brass monel stirrups (inner lined) that come with it. Although not extremely heavy (around 40lbs), this saddle is built to withstand rugged use decade after decade, as are all my saddles.

This working ranch saddle is also built on a Cliff Wade tree, from Bowden.  I sold it on consignment locally, and it was gone very rapidly!

Here's a parade rig I did a few years ago- with all the accessories. It's also built on a Bowden tree using Hermann Oak leather- very nice and eye catching! All spots are meticulously hand-set. This one is being sported by a Mountain Pleasure gelding- Andy.

Here's a typical refurbish job on an old "Bona Allen" saddle. I do these occasionally, when time permits. This one looked ready for a trash can when brought in, but was very usable when completed.