# Owyhee saddles



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I bought Owyhee saddles when I started packing several years ago. Now I'm hearing that they may not be the best choice for heavier packing. There's not much I can do about the aluminum one besides buy a pocket pad and possibly double pad with an extra blanket. Luckily it fits the goat I use it on pretty well.
I wondered though, if there was a way to reshape and bevel the wood ones. They need refinished this year any way. I have an electric hand held jig saw. Although, someone will say I need a new router, an air compressor, and a new workshop building I'm sure. Just was a thought, I have a really good team that just got to 4 and 5 years old. I don't want to ruin them. 
Are these saddles really that bad?


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## jross (Dec 20, 2008)

I guess it depends on how much weight and how often you pack with them. My 3 wethers, who will be 5 yrs old in March, have been carrying their Owyhee saddles since they were 2. I have taken numerous pack trips with them carrying 40 lb or so with no problems. They carry much lighter loads very frequently on day hikes. My goats range in size from 180 to 230 lb.

What is supposed to be the problem with these saddles?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I just had gootten somme rumblings that there had been problems with them. I don't personally know anyone who has had problems and I know alot of them have been sold. 
My boys are all big 200lbs and over and rarely carry more than 30lbs. We bought the fast and light style gear to keep everybody moving a little quicker and reduce heat stress. 
Perhaps the problems are with the carpet peice padding not the saddle itself. The poket pads would eliminate those. Or people are using them when they don't fit right? 
The other thing is that I still need one more set of panniers and a couple of replacement cinches. I don't know if anyone elses will fit. I suppose that since I'm taking them down to be refinished I could rig them with a different kind of strapping or have something made? Oh, I'll figure it out. I haven't had any trouble with them so far other than the finish coming off in our constantly wet weather.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

I don't think that the problem would be with the carpet padding. If there are problems, they occur, from what I hear, from the fact, that the sideboards are NOT levelled but straight and without giving the shoulder room to move.

Actually, I have two old Owyhee saddles that I bought from the founder of Owyhee just before he sold it and these two still have a bit of "shoulder free", which the newer ones don't have any more.

From my experience with our goats I don't use the two Owyhee for the grown, large goats but for my youngsters who still have to gain some more volume in the rib cage. I have found that the bevelled saddles fit better on the grown goats except for one grown wether which has a rather small, more triangular shaped rib cage. If you have goats with round rib cages I would look closely on how well the saddles fit them.


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## jross (Dec 20, 2008)

Re the plastic buckles...
My goats bash thru brush and tree branches and sometimes the plastic hardware on their saddles gets broken. So I keep some extra plastic buckles in the 1st aid kit. You can buy them at REI or any other backpacking type place. You just have to get the right size. I think they are 1".


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

sunnypaws said:


> ...someone will say I need a new router, an air compressor, and a new workshop building I'm sure.


What kind of people do you think we are? No one would say such a thing... seeing how you already recognize the need. ;-)


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## sweetgoatmama (Dec 10, 2008)

>>>>>"Are these saddles really that bad?"

Depends on the goat you are using them on. They fit a smaller dairy typed goat but the bars are too narrow for some or the larger goats. IMHO, as a saddle builder, the carpet is not enough padding for the sides and should be augmented with a pocket pad.


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## Sophie (May 31, 2009)

I know what itâ€™s like trying to pick the best equipment for your goat need as well as yours. I have had trouble with saddles from different places some didnâ€™t fit, some rubbed sores, then the soft saddles made it so my goats couldnâ€™t fully expand their lungs. After talking to many people I decided to try butthead pack goat saddles. I have been using them for the last 2 years. I love their saddles and the panniers. I will never buy from anyone else because my goats comfort is really important to me. Hope this helps you and I hope you have many years of packing ahead of you.


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