September 25, 2020

Riding high in the saddle

Topic: Education

by Justin Barthlolomay

I’ve always had a knack for using my hands to be creative. From drawing and painting to woodworking and even baking, I enjoyed using my imagination to come up with a masterpiece…or so I thought. About four years back, I came across a new endeavor to focus on.

It all started when I was working out in western North Dakota on a cattle ranch when my boss received a new saddle for Christmas. I ran my fingers across the stamped and carved leather feeling the precision of the pattern. My brain was hooked. I’ve always had an eye for detail and seeing the artwork of a handmade saddle in front of me left me yearning to learn more about the craftsmanship that went into it.

I contacted the saddlemaker to see if he would have any interest in showing me the tricks of the trade and help me build a saddle of my own. I was surprised when he agreed to my request willingly, mentioning that he has already helped teach a handful of people who portrayed similar interests in joining the saddle making world.

Read the rest of Justin's post on My NDFB Life.