Maryland Saddlery's Guide to Choosing and Fitting Saddles Issue 1 | Page 24

Safety Checking a Saddle
BILLETS
When saddles are inspected for safety the number one area to check are the billets.
Most saddles have three billets on either side. These billets may be made from a
solid piece of leather, a laminated leather or some saddles have billets with nylon
lining the leather. The billets are sewn onto a webbing that goes across the seat of
the saddle. Signs that billets need replacing:
• Billets have torn holes
• Billets are stretched out
• Stitching is rotten up where it is sewn to the saddle.
• Missing billets
• Laminated billets have come apart.
TREE
When you check a saddle’s tree for stability you first look for signs that may
indicate a cracked or broken tree.
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Large wrinkles across the seat of an English saddle.
Damaged or chewed up cantle – signs that t H