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What is Estes Saddlery?
Estes Saddlery is a custom Western saddle maker based in Ball Ground, Georgia, run by saddle maker Ted Estes. Its focus is handmade, made-to-order Western saddles rather than off-the-shelf production saddles. The site also lists saddles for sale, saddle photos, and background on Ted.
The defining idea is fit: the saddle is built around a quality saddle tree chosen to suit the horse's build and the rider, with the tree treated as the foundation of the whole saddle. Because a horse's conformation shifts over time and as it moves, the stated goal is fitting a "type" of build rather than a single static measurement.
Materials and component choices are presented as deliberately limited:
- Trees: sourced from respected makers such as Warren Wright and Rick Reed.
- Skirting leather: Hermann Oak or Wickett and Craig.
- Rigging: Dale Harwood or HorseShoe Brand (Jeremiah Watt).
The site frames these as no-compromise selections, and communication between saddle maker and tree maker as essential to getting the fit right.
For a concrete reader: if you ride a horse that's hard to fit, or you want a saddle built to your own seat and leg position, this is the kind of maker you'd contact directly. If you need a saddle this week or want to compare many models side by side, a custom build is the wrong route — expect a long wait, and the site's own customer notes describe a lengthy process. One rider in Mozambique wrote that the finished saddle was "absolutely stunning," and a customer in Georgia called it a "dream saddle" to keep for a lifetime; those are buyers' impressions, not independent testing, so treat them as signals of satisfaction rather than proof of fit for your horse.
Your next step: call or email with your horse's build, your riding discipline, and your timeline, and ask what tree and leather choices they'd recommend. You can start at Estes Saddlery.
How do I order a custom Western saddle from Estes Saddlery?
Ordering from Estes Saddlery is a direct, maker-to-rider process rather than an online checkout. The site presents custom Western saddles made by Ted Estes, with a "Custom Saddles" page and a "Contact" page as the practical starting points. You reach out, discuss what you need, and the saddle is built to order.
The likely steps
- Start with the contact page or phone. The site lists a phone number and email for the Ball Ground, GA shop, plus a Facebook page. Expect a conversation, not a form-driven order.
- Define the horse and the rider. Estes Saddlery's stated approach is fitting both, using a quality saddle tree as the foundation. The site notes that a horse's conformation changes over time and as it moves, so the goal is fitting a "type" of build rather than a single static measurement.
- Settle the tree and materials. The page names tree makers Warren Wright and Rick Reed, skirting leather from Hermann Oak and Wickett and Craig, and rigging from Dale Harwood and HorseShoe Brand (Jeremiah Watt). These are the choices the maker works with, so the discussion is about which fits your horse and use, not about sourcing from elsewhere.
- Expect a wait. One customer review on the page describes "a very long and painful process" before the saddle arrived in Mozambique, and mentions a second Wade saddle still to come. That is a customer's observation, not a stated lead time — but it is a reasonable signal to plan around a long build.
- Confirm details in writing. Because everything is custom, ask for the agreed tree, leather, rigging, seat and finish in writing before work begins.
What to have ready before you call
- Your horse's build, age and any back issues, plus photos from several angles
- Your riding discipline and typical terrain (roping, ranch work, trail, arena)
- Seat size, stirrup length preference and any fit problems with your current saddle
- Whether you want a Wade or another style, and any reference photos
- Your realistic timeline, given that custom work takes months
Alternatives worth comparing
If the wait or the custom-only route does not suit you, established makers with broader retail operations include Bowden Saddlery and larger western retailers such as Teskey's. A custom maker is the better fit when standard trees do not suit your horse; an off-the-shelf saddle is the better fit when you need something this season.
Your next step: call the number on the Estes Saddlery contact page, describe your horse and your riding, and ask directly about current wait times, deposit terms and what measurements they want from you.
What saddle tree makers does Ted Estes use for his custom saddles?
Ted Estes names two tree makers on his site: Warren Wright and Rick Reed. He describes them as among the most respected tree makers in the trade and says he works with them because proper communication between saddle maker and tree maker is essential to getting the fit right.
The reasoning behind that choice matters more than the names. Estes treats the tree as the foundation of the whole saddle and fits it to a type of build rather than a static measurement, since a horse's conformation shifts over time and as it moves. A tree maker who can translate those nuances into a consistent product is therefore central to how he works.
If you are considering a custom saddle from him, ask which of the two tree makers would handle your project, what tree specifications they would use for your horse's build, and how fit is confirmed before the saddle is built. That conversation tells you more about the likely result than the brand name alone. You can reach the shop through Estes Saddlery.
Which leather options does Estes Saddlery offer for custom saddles?
Estes Saddlery names two skirting leather options for its custom Western saddles: Hermann Oak and Wickett & Craig. According to the site, these are the only two leathers Ted Estes uses, and he considers them the best available.
What the two options mean in practice
Both are vegetable-tanned domestic skirting leathers, and the choice is usually about feel and finish rather than quality:
- Hermann Oak is often chosen when a rider wants a firm, dense hand that holds tooling crisp and takes a long time to break in but wears slowly.
- Wickett & Craig tends to be favored for a slightly softer, more pliable feel out of the gate, with a rich, even color that many people like for carved or stamped work.
The site does not break down which leather suits which riding style, so treat that as general leather knowledge rather than a stated recommendation from Estes.
Next step
If you are ordering, ask Ted which leather he would pick for your intended use and climate, and whether he has photos of finished saddles in each. That tells you more than any spec sheet, because tooling pattern, finish and oiling change how each leather looks and feels in the finished saddle.
How does Ted Estes fit a saddle to both horse and rider?
Ted Estes fits horse and rider by treating the saddle tree as the foundation and matching it to the horse's build and movement rather than to a single static measurement. From Estes Saddlery, the process starts with the tree, uses respected tree makers such as Warren Wright and Rick Reed, and relies on close communication between saddle maker and tree maker. Because a horse's conformation changes over time and as it moves, the stated goal is to fit a "type" of build. For the rider, the same custom process is meant to balance comfort with the horse's needs, using top-tier skirting leather from Hermann Oak or Wickett & Craig and rigging from Dale Harwood or HorseShoe Brand.
If you are considering a custom saddle, start by documenting your horse's build and movement, your riding discipline, and your own seat and leg position. Ask how the tree maker is chosen for your horse's type and how rider measurements are incorporated. A buyer in Mozambique quoted on the site described the finished saddle as "absolutely stunning" with workmanship among the best he had seen, while a Georgia customer called it a "dream saddle" to keep for a lifetime. Those are customer observations, not independent test results; the practical takeaway is that this approach suits riders who want a long-term, made-to-order fit and are willing to communicate carefully about both horse and rider.
What do customers say about Estes Saddlery custom saddles?
Customers describe Estes Saddlery saddles as high-craft, long-term purchases. The testimonials on the site emphasize workmanship and emotional payoff: one buyer in Mozambique wrote that after a long wait the saddle arrived "absolutely stunning," with workmanship "some of best I have seen," and another in Georgia said, "Thanks for building my dream saddle! I'll keep this one for a lifetime!" Those are the site's own customer quotes, so read them as satisfied-buyer feedback rather than a balanced sample.
The product details behind that feedback matter more than the praise. The page says Estes builds around the saddle tree, using makers Warren Wright and Rick Reed; skirting leather comes from Hermann Oak or Wickett and Craig; rigging is exclusively Dale Harwood and HorseShoe Brand (Jeremiah Watt). Ted also describes fitting a horse's "type" of build rather than a static measurement, since conformation changes as the horse moves. In practice, that means a buyer should expect a conversation about the horse, the rider and intended use before construction starts.
H3 What this tells a prospective buyer
- Strengths buyers mention: finish and craftsmanship, fit and comfort, and a saddle worth keeping for decades.
- Trade-off to expect: a custom build takes time. One testimonial explicitly mentions "a very long and painful process," so patience is part of the purchase.
- Best fit: riders who want a Western saddle matched to a specific horse and rider, and who value materials and tree quality over off-the-shelf availability.
- Less ideal if: you need a saddle immediately, or you are not ready to discuss tree fit and leather choices in detail.
H3 A useful next step
Before contacting them, write down your horse's build, your riding discipline, and your timeline, then ask which tree maker and which leather they would recommend for your case and why. For general comparison while you research, see Estes Saddlery alongside other custom Western saddle makers, and treat each maker's customer quotes as a starting point for questions rather than proof of fit for your horse.
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