Picking out the proper saddle bow hanger might seem such as a minor task, but it's actually one of the most important things you can do in order to protect your leather gear. If you've ever walked in to a tack area and tripped over the pile of expensive equipment, you already know the struggle. We spend thousands of dollars upon our saddles, therefore why on earth would we just toss them on a flat seat or, heaven prohibit, the floor?
A good saddle bow hanger does more compared to just get your own stuff off the particular ground. It's designed to mimic the form of a horse's back, that is crucial for keeping the shrub of your saddle in good form. Let's be true: if you leave a heavy Traditional western saddle sitting on its side or on a flat surface for months at a time, you're asking for structural issues. The particular weight must be distributed properly, and that's where the "bow" part of the particular hanger comes into play.
Why the form Actually Matters
I've seen plenty of individuals try to conserve a few dollars by using a basic utility hook from the hardware store, yet that's a recipe for a bended saddle tree. A proper saddle bow hanger is curved specifically to support the particular gullet and the particular panels. Whenever your saddle sits on a hanger that matches its natural curve, this prevents the leather through creasing as well as the inner flocking from getting squished out of all incorrect places.
Think about it such as a high-quality suit. You wouldn't toss a bespoke tuxedo over a slim wire hanger since it would ruin the particular shoulders. Your saddle is the exact same way. The bow provides a broad, supportive surface area. This is especially essential for English saddles, where the panels are softer and more prone to getting on the shape of whatever they're sleeping on. If you're using a thin hanger, you'll end up with pressure points that will eventually make your horse very unhappy.
Choosing Among Wall-Mounted and Portable Options
When you're looking in obtaining a saddle bow hanger, you've generally got two choices: those you screw to the wall plus the ones you can move around. Each have their perks, and honestly, many of us possibly require a mix of both.
The wall-mounted versions are the gold regular for your major tack room. They're sturdy, they don't wiggle, and they will can hold the weight of a heavy roping saddle with no getting drenched in sweat. If you're setting up a permanent barn, they are the method to go. You can line them up perfectly, which makes the entire place look the lot more organized.
However, portable hangers are a lifesaver at displays or when you're traveling. These normally have a hook on the top that lets a person hang them over a stall door or a wall rail. They may not have to get as rock-solid because the wall-mounted ones, however they beat leaving your gear within the dirt any day of the week. Just create sure the "bow" part is nevertheless wide enough to provide support. A few of the inexpensive portable ones are a bit too narrow, which beats the whole objective of protecting the particular saddle's shape.
Installation Tips That Will Save Your own Back
In the event that you're going the particular wall-mounted route, don't just grab the screwdriver and begin poking holes within the drywall. To start, hopefully, your tack room has wooden backing or studs. If not, you're going to have the bad time. A Western saddle may easily weigh 40 or 50 pounds, and once a person give a heavy girth and maybe some luggage, that's a great deal of weight tugging on a little area.
We always recommend locating a solid wooden stud and using long, heavy-duty screws. You want that hanger to be so secure that will you could almost do a pull-up on it (though I actually wouldn't actually try out that).
One more thing people often forget is the height. It's tempting to put the hangers high upward in order to save floor area, but your shoulder blades will hate you after a week. You desire your saddle bow hanger with a height where you can very easily lift the saddle off and on without pressuring. For most of us, that's somewhere around waist or even chest height. When you have multiple saddles, you can stack them vertically, but keep the types you use each day at the nearly all comfortable level.
Airflow and Leather Health
One particular thing we don't talk about plenty of is how a saddle bow hanger helps with air flow. After a long ride, your saddle pad is sweaty, and some of that moisture inevitably soaks into the natural leather and the flocking from the saddle. In case you just fixed that saddle lower on a strong wooden box, the moisture gets trapped. That's how you end up along with mold and that will "old basement" smell that's impossible to get rid associated with.
Because a hanger holds the saddle up and open, air can move underneath. This can help every thing dry out much faster. It's also a great way to store your own saddle pads. Several hangers actually have got another bar beneath the main bow specifically for dangling your pad or even your girth. It's a simple style, however it makes a huge difference in keeping your gear clean and preventing that will nasty "tack space funk. "
Aesthetics and Corporation
Let's be honest—there's something incredibly satisfying about the clean, organized add room. When each saddle has the own designated saddle bow hanger, the whole room seems more professional. It's not just regarding vanity, either. When everything has the place, you may spend much less time digging through piles of gear and more time actually riding.
You will discover hangers in all sorts of surface finishes these days. Some individuals love the classic black powder-coated appearance, while others prefer the rustic vibe associated with wood and brass. Regardless of the particular style, having them all perfectly height and evenly spaced makes your barn look like the million bucks. As well as, it makes it the lot easier to perform a quick stock check. You can see at a glance if a saddle is missing or if someone didn't put their equipment away properly.
Maintenance of the particular Hangers Themselves
Believe it or not, even your hangers need a little love every single now and after that. In case you live within a humid climate, metal hangers may start to develop rust over time. You don't desire rust rubbing away from onto your expensive leather. Every once in a while, give them the quick wipe. When you see any kind of chips in the paint or symptoms of corrosion, the quick hit which includes sandpaper and a little bit of spray paint will make them as great as new.
If you're making use of wooden hangers, check out for splinters. Wooden can dry out and crack, plus the final thing a person want is a jagged piece associated with wood scratching upward the underside of your saddle. A quick rub with a few fine-grit sandpaper usually solves the issue.
Final Thoughts upon Upgrading Your Set up
At the particular end of the particular day, a saddle bow hanger will be a small purchase that pays away from in the long run. It's one particular of those "set it and forget it" improvements that actually makes your existence easier each day. Whether you're a professional coach with twenty saddles or a casual trail rider with just one, taking care of your own equipment is component of the work.
If you're still using all those old-school straight bars or, worse, just stacking your saddles on the floor, it's probably period for an update. Your horse will thank you for keeping the particular saddle tree right, and your wallet will certainly thank you once you don't have in order to replace your gear prematurely. It's a simple fix with regard to a common problem, and once a person have a good system in location, you'll wonder exactly how you ever maintained without it.