Wow, stunning work! those are awesome!
Originally Posted by
jeirvine
I was previously unaware of this practice. Is it primarily a weight weenie thing? I would imagine that having less extra leather would reduce the longevity of a saddle, as rivets have less of it to hold on to, and there is less support on the sides to prevent sagging.
As I understand the curving of the cantle plate and cutting of the leather is to create a saddle that is comfortable immediately. It has been done for nearly as long as Brooks has been around. There were a couple of guys in the UK who made a living making such modifications in the 50's.