How to pack western saddle for shipping

Store your saddle in a commercial or handmade form that has to be stored in a dry place. You can use the climate control room as well for the best care of your saddle. By using fleece wrap you can prevent pressure points and from the metal bars of the saddle stand by your saddle. Also always ensure that your saddle is sitting straight and keep covering your saddle as much as you can to keep it free from the dust. When you do pack western saddle for shipping ss we know dust particles are sharp and very harmful as well for leather. Keep in mind your saddles never stack, so this saddle will not have unwanted dents. While travelling try to keep laying down your saddle in a pad carrier or you can use a clean blanket over it. 

Steps to pack western saddle for shipping :

Western saddle shipping

Prepare your saddle for transportation before ship your western saddle:

Cleaning the saddle

Ensure before shipping that your saddle is cleaned perfectly. During transit dust and dirt can damage it. Clean it using mild soap and a soft cloth. Leather can be damaged by the harsh chemical soaps so avoid using it always. 

Deconstruct the saddle

Deconstruct your saddle in different parts as remove the stirrups, cinch and many other parts which can be detached. By using this trick you can make your saddle lighter and easy to transport also. 

Protecting the saddle

Wrap up the saddle with a thin foam or a bubble wrap to protect your saddle from the scratches and the damages during transport.                      

Packing the saddle

Use the little big box when pack western saddle for shipping as compared to the saddle and make sure that you have used packing materials like air pillows to shift your saddle easily during transit.          

Wrapping a saddle for shipping is an art of its own. There are many different ways depending on the size, weight, condition and brand type that you have to consider before packing it in your suitcase. Fortunately packing a saddle with ease isn’t that complicated but there are still some little things every rider should know about how to pack a saddle properly for travelling. Wrapping the saddle in bubble wrap, foam sheets, or newspaper properly for safety of the saddle.

A packing saddle by any device designed for the safety of a horse, mule, or other animals working so it can lug heavy loads such as luggage, wood, small howitzer, or other things which are very heavy to be carried by humans.

The packing saddle rests on a saddle pad to spread the weight of the saddle and its burden on the pack animal’s back. The underside of the pack saddle is designed to go along with the shape of the pack animal’s back. It is typically divided into two aligned parts separated by a gap at the top to set the seal so that the weight being carried does not rest on the draft animal’s backbone and to provide good oxygenating to stimulate the evaporation of sweat.

The packing saddle consists of wooden blocks that sit on the horse’s back, the half breed which is the canvas saddle cover, the infarct and often a crupper which prevents the loaded saddle from sliding too far away and the breast collar which holds the loaded saddle from sliding too far back on the horse or mule. The flexible support on this packing saddle adjusts on the back of the horse and there are many options for hanging panniers as wrapping packs in canvas, or more loads.

There are several types of pack western saddle for shipping :

• Crossbuck / Sawbuck packing saddle with crossed wooden bars to attach ropes.
• Otago packed saddle, known in the British military as universal packed saddle, is a rideable packing saddle with two large cushion pads to prevent injury to the animal.
• Having two rings for tying the ropes in the decker pack saddle.

The modern pack saddle is conventionally not done on purpose to support a human rider. The saddle packing is held by a rack to load by the uppermost side, rest on and tie ropes, straps, or other devices.

There are many interesting ways to pack a saddle when they are shipping far away. Most of the time the saddle is packed into very large boxes with so much extra stuff in the box. Most importantly we have to select a box which has an actual size as our saddle. Box should be sized  accurately for moving around and there has to be no space as the saddle is not to be so tight that the flaps bent and flocking damage. Use double walled boxes to be more secure with your packings.

From the protection of rubbings wrap it by a thin foam sheet or bubble wrapping sheet and place it under the saddle tack cover. Important parts have to be covered more securely, delicate leathers like pommel, the seat, any area which has more flimsy leather like patent. Wrapping calf skin, check out adding multiple layers of a foam covering. 

By covering the pommel and seat with the foam and then covering the saddle. Then place it into the box. Do not place weight on the blocks and then tape up the box.   

Place the company label on the boxes. Use the packing tape all around the box and the label so it will be more waterproof for the less probability to be ripped off. Can also use the zipper lock bags and append your label inside. Also include the copy of the label inside the box for contact info inside the box.   

Label the packing with the recipient’s address, return address, and any special handling instructions properly. Choosing the best shipping carrier, such as UPS or USPS, to set the seal on the saddle arrives on time with the good condition.

 Shipping a western saddle needs careful packing and choosing the best shipping carrier. By following steps you can ensure your saddle arrives safely and securely. And remember, you can save money on shipping costs by using a shipping platform like ground shipping.