How Can I Braid a DIY Leather Cover for My Horse Saddle Horn?
Saddle horns sustain a great deal of wear and tear. A new saddle horn can be quite expensive, so many horseback riders opt to recover the horn instead of replacing it. A braided leather cover is a durable option and the leather will match the rest of the saddle. The ends of the leather cover will be secured with upholstery brads. When selecting the brads, opt for a style, metal type and color that matches the rest of the saddle hardware.
Things You'll Need
- Leather cord
- Scissors
- Upholstery brads
- Rubber mallet
- General-purpose contact cement
- Medium paintbrush
- Masking tape
Instructions
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1
Cut three strands of leather cord to a length that's four times the height of the saddle horn.
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2
Run a single brad through the ends of the three leather cord lengths.
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3
Pound the brad into the base of the saddle horn using a rubber mallet. The brad will secure the end of the braid, while concealing the ends of the leather cords.
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4
Brush a thin, even, layer of contact cement onto the surface of the saddle horn.
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5
Braid the leather cords using a standard three-strand braid.
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6
Wrap the braid around the saddle horn in a tight spiral and press it onto the contact cement.
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7
Snip off extra leather cord and run a brad through the three strands of leather at the very end of the braid. Pound the brad into the saddle horn with a rubber mallet.
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8
Wrap the saddle horn with masking tape to hold the braided cover in place while the contact cement dries.
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Tips & Warnings
If you do not have a rubber mallet available, cover the hammer head with a few layers of fabric and secure it in place with a rubber band, wrapped around the top of the hammer handle.
Opt for brads, with a smooth surface to avoid irritation to your hands.
Skip the contact cement if you wish to remove the saddle horn cover in the future.
Consider adding brads to the circumference of the saddle horn at the base and at the top.
- Photo Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images
