Anybody ever flown with a western saddle?

[FrancaV]

Apologies if I've asked this here before ... but has anyone here ever flown on an airplane with a saddle? I've decided to go to a Peter Campbell clinic in Colorado. My mare will meet me there. ;) I wondered if I could take my saddle as baggage, and if so, what would I put it in?

[Cinch]

I flew to the Tom Dorrance benfit with a saddle, snaffle, spurs, blanket & lass rope in a big bag. That's a lot to carry thru an airport. If I had it to do over again, I'd buy one of those bags just made for a saddle. I was really worried that I'd get there & my saddle wouldn't. I asked a saddle bronc rider about that & he'd only lost his saddle once in about 10 years.

[AWSpinks]

Does anyone else remember the United Airlines TV commercial that showed the saddle bronc rider picking his saddle up off of the baggage claim belt?

The thing you might think about is being overweight on baggage. However that isn't anything a few $'s won't fix!

[FrancaV]

I'm having trouble finding a proper saddle bag. I know somebody makes them but can't find them online. I'd like something that would protect the saddle a bit and maybe even have wheels, but that's probably too much to ask, LOL.

[FrancaV]

Yeah, overweight's no big deal. My saddle is just under 40 lbs so I might not even tip the scales, depending on the weight of the box or bag.

[kennewman]

f, you might just bang up this outfit.
http://www.horse.com/products/gift-0__sku-WLW12.html simply a suggestion, they seem to have some choices and maybe some ideas for you. sometimes, have flown saddle as baggage un-protected, fenders over seat and top one tied down with saddle string. merely thoughts, as you may need to have protection for your good tackle. luck on your search kid, canoe

[FrancaV]

Thanks, canoe. ;) I'll take some measurements with the fenders tied over so I know what I'm dealing with and compare to the measurements of that bag. Maybe I've even got some sort of suitcase or duffel in the back of a closet here that will do. My friend, of course, is telling me not to bother bringing my saddle - that I can just use one of hers - and indeed that would be so much simpler!

[reata]

Franca, I was thinking one of those soft sided bags on wheels. They have them here.. Once you tuck the fenders under and roll the saddle up a bit is surprising how small you can get them ..I would put a blanket round the horn and seat though.. have you ever seen the way they load and unload aircraft??? Yikes!!! Maybe it would be better in something more sturdy!! :eek:

[Excess]

This is what I use: http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PGGUID=30e07395-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

It's fantastic. It's very cushioned about 2" of cushoining....plush. Soft inside, hard outside. Comes in all sorts of colors for color freaks like me. =) The fenders don't even touch each other. It really keeps a saddle safe.

[FrancaV]

Thanks, Exy. That looks pretty nice. I'll consider it for the future but it says it takes 20 days to ship (!) so I guess it's not going to work for this trip!

[Excess]

Thanks, Exy. That looks pretty nice. I'll consider it for the future but it says it takes 20 days to ship (!) so I guess it's not going to work for this trip!

It usually doesn't take 20 days...Definitely not. Maybe 10. If you get one that isn't personalized it probably would take a lot less time. I forgot how long mine took to come in. But it wasn't 20 days. I got it teal (Speedy's color) with my name in yellow on one side and black piping.