DIY: How Can I Wrap My Saddle Horn With New Leather?

Saddle horns are often wrapped to protect the saddle horn from damages that can occur while roping livestock. Saddle horn wraps, often referred to as dally wraps, can be purchased in a variety of different materials, including leather, from your local horse supply store or from an online retailer. Leather wraps are usually made from a durable mule or elk hide, such as the kind of leather a blacksmith apron is made from.

Things You'll Need

  • 5-foot strip of mule or elk hide, 1 1/2 inches wide
  • Bucket
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut a 6-inch slit into one end of the leather strip. Start the slit about 2 inches from the end of the strip. Do not cut all the way to the end of the strip. The idea is to make a narrow loop in the strip.

    • 2

      Submerge the strip into a bucket of water. Allow the strip to sit in water about 30 minutes or until it's thoroughly soaked through. Do not let it stand in water too long or the leather will become slippery and too soft to work with.

    • 3

      Remove the strip from the bucket of water and allow it to dry only enough so that it is not dripping. With one hand grab an end of the strip, and run your other hand down the length of it to squeeze off any excess water. The strip needs to be just wet enough to make it flexible and pliable while wrapping. If it is too dry, the wrap will not tighten onto the saddle horn.

    • 4

      Push the saddle horn through the 6-inch loop and adjust the wrap so that the length of it is running back toward the seat of the saddle. Tuck the long end of the strip through the pommel into the gullet of the saddle. You should now position yourself on the side of the saddle facing the horn.

    • 5
      Horn wraps protect the saddle horn from damage.

      Pull the strip up the front of the saddle to the horn and begin wrapping in a clockwise direction. If you are a left-handed roper, wrap in a counterclockwise direction. Pull the strap snugly, but not so tight that it will be impossible to pass the wrap underneath. Overlap each wrap by 3/4 inch and work your way to the top of the saddle horn. Be sure to pull the strip snugly as you go to ensure a proper set when the leather dries.

    • 6

      Wrap the back quarter of your saddle horn one time and begin wrapping back downward to the pommel, pulling the strip tightly. When you reach the base of the horn, lift a section of the beginning loop that is around the pommel and slide the remaining strip underneath it, pulling as tightly as possible.

    • 7

      Cut off any excess strip, leaving about 2 inches sticking out. Allow it to dry before using it.