SouthernIN.com - Ben Veach hand-made saddles

Once in a while we learn of people who have unique talents that they are willing to share with others. Ben Veach and his son Ben Jr. have been making saddles by hand together for nearly twelve years. Today they practice their craft at Brackney’s Western Store in Greencastle, and welcome visitors to watch as they create these beautiful works.

This saddle is Ben Veach Sr.’s most recent creation.

Ben Veach, Sr. grew up in a saddle shop and watched as his father before him made saddles by hand. But he didn’t learn the craft himself until he left home and moved to New Mexico. When his son, Ben Jr. came along, it seemed only natural that he would want to learn saddle making for himself.

Ben Jr., though one might say he “has it in his blood”, didn’t get started until ten or twelve years ago. He started off at a saddle-making job in Texas, then joined his father in Illinois where they worked together.

Most saddles that you see are made in factories. Ben estimates there are only about 800 one or two-man operations in the country that make saddles by hand. When Brackney’s, a full-service western outfitter, heard about this father and son team, they asked them to come and set up shop in their Greencastle store.

Today people are welcome to watch the Veaches create their beautiful one-of-a-kind saddles in this Putnam County setting. Ben Sr., now 71 years old, still works nearly every day. The father and son each have some projects of their own, but make most of the saddles as a team.

The Veaches start with bare saddle trees like this one.

Ben Jr. explained the process of making saddles, which they do from beginning to end. They start with a saddle tree, or a wooden form that is covered with either rawhide or fiberglass. They use leather that has been tanned but not oiled, so they can wet it, cut it and form it into different patterns depending on its purpose. They hand-tool designs on each piece of leather before it is attached to the saddle. They create most of their own leather designs, which range from simple woven borders to elaborate floral patterns.

Ben and his dad create and hand-tool their own designs in leather.

Every detail is done by hand by the Veaches. They stitch, nail and bind each piece together, then add stirrups and finally decorative touches like silver or leather tassels.

Ben works to make sure each piece is held securely together.

One feature a rider might notice is the easy-to-adjust stirrup buckles. Ben Veach, Sr. invented the “Fast Buckle” himself. It is a stainless steel, quick-change buckle that he designed, markets and sells to others.

The Veaches custom make only thirty-five to forty saddles per year. It takes time and patience, as each stage requires the leather to be wet to work with, then has to dry before going on to the next stage.

Each finished saddle is a masterpiece. I had to wonder if his clients ever have trouble actually using them for the first time.

“We did make one flower-tooled saddle for a man in Terre Haute. It took him a year to use it. Every time he’d come in here he’d say it was still in his living room. He’s out trail riding with it now. Says he’s the best dressed trail rider out there.”

To see Ben Veach, Jr. and Sr. in person visit Brackney’s Western Store at 1260 North Jackson Street, Greencastle, Indiana, 46135 or call 765-653-9464 or 800-659-9464.