NonPareil Ranch
Saddle Making – 3 Weeks
Saddle Making – 3 Weeks
Spend three full weeks inside the saddle shop at NonPareil Ranch, just outside Bakersfield, California, working one-on-one with master saddle maker Jack Smith.
This is a private, hands-on saddle making course built around real shop experience—not a demonstration, not a group class. You’ll be at the bench each day, working through the full process of building a custom Western saddle from the ground up.
With over 30 years of experience, Jack teaches the same methods he uses in his own shop—steady, practical, and built for a saddle that will last.
Saddle Making Course Details
Your Time in the Shop
Your Time in the Shop
- Length: 3 weeks
- Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Location: NonPareil Ranch, 15 minutes outside Bakersfield, CA
What’s Included
What’s Included
- Three weeks of private, one-on-one instruction
- Daily hands-on work in the saddle shop
- Use of shop tools and equipment
- Guidance on materials and saddle planning prior to your start date
- All materials to build one saddle
What You’ll Do
What You’ll Do
Over the course of three weeks, you’ll move through every stage of the saddle build:
- Understanding saddle design, fit, and function
- Selecting and preparing leather
- Cutting patterns and layout
- Tooling and carving (as desired for your design)
- Building the saddle tree up with leather
- Ground seat construction
- Rigging installation
- Skirting, jockeys, and fenders
- Assembly and final fitting
This is not pre-cut or pre-assembled work—you’ll be involved in each step so you understand how the saddle comes together and why it’s done that way.
What You’ll Leave With
What You’ll Leave With
At the end of the program, you’ll take home:
- A fully functional, custom Western saddle you built yourself
- A clear understanding of saddle construction from start to finish
- The foundation skills to continue leatherwork or saddle projects on your own
Who This Is For
Who This Is For
Non-Pareil Ranch offers a different kind of learning experience. There’s no rush through steps here and no shortcuts.
You’ll spend your days in the shop, asking questions as they come up, working through challenges, and learning the kind of details that don’t show up in books or videos.
By the time you leave, you won’t just have a saddle—you’ll understand what went into building it.
This program is a good fit if you:
- Want to learn traditional saddle making in a real working shop
- Prefer one-on-one instruction over group classes
- Are willing to spend full days focused on the craft
- Have little to no experience, or some background and want to go deeper
No prior saddle making experience is required.
Location
Location
All instruction takes place at NonPareil Ranch in Kern County, California, just outside Bakersfield.
Accommodations
Accommodations
Hotels are just 15 minutes away in Bakersfield, or you can bring your own camp trailer and stay right on the ranch. Dry camping only—water available, generator allowed.
Ready to get started or have a few questions? Give Jack a call at 661-619-4545 and he’ll walk through your saddle ideas with you.
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