Why do saddlers do this?...

[grhands]

I mean obviously it's for flocking purposes however on this 'nearly new' saddle it seems such a shame to leave such huge slits in the leather panels. These ones annoyingly gape open and seep out flocking. Surely there must be a better way??? I'm sure someone will soon put me right!

http://photobucket.com/idealcuts

 

[cremedemonthe]

lol, you did this on purpose didn't you!
We have to have the slits in there to get our flocking irons in to flock up, they will naturally close themselves when the rider rides on the saddle a few times and expels the air out of the fibres, thus settling it down and the holes close.

 

[grhands]

It's a flock up alright

I suppose I'll let it go then lol. I don't like holes in my saddle!

 

[grhands]

Sooo nothing can be done, or needs to be done to tidy it then? They're just massive.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Perhaps his irons were big!

 

[CrazyMare]

They'll dissapear shortly.

Slightly painful when the saddler takes a blade to £1400 worth of saddle, but I can't even find them without looking carefully now.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Yes, they do go, OP trust me you saddle will look fine in a week or two!

 

[grhands]

Perhaps his irons were big!

I'm not one to ever complain about big irons, however I don't like big holes being left behind.

I have seriously considered taking a 4.0 ethilon to it, just to stop the flocking.

 

[cremedemonthe]

lol, no, leave it!

 

[soloequestrian]

You should get a Balance saddle instead - their system means that saddles virtually never need reflocked. I've had my oldest one for 14 years and it had never needed to be touched.