The Story of Barnesville’s Saddle Maker

If you ride horses you know a great saddle makes a world of difference, but behind every great saddle is the passion of the artist.

For many, a saddle isn’t much to look at, but stop and look closely because that saddle could just be a work of art.

It is for one Barnesville man, who devotes his life to making saddles for people across the country, earning his nickname as the saddle maker.
 
Step into the Langerud’s basement and you’ll most likely find Cliff hard at work.
 
“If I’m home I’m down here at least six days a week,” says Cliff Langerud of Barnesville.
 
But to Cliff, it’s not work at all it’s a passion that he’s had since a little boy.
 
“My brother and I both rode and we had saddles, and I took care of the saddles.  I just loved them.  I was always amazed by how they were made,” says Langerud.
 
What started as a hobby, eventually became a full blown business.
 
“Minnesota, Idaho, Sioux Falls.”
 
Langerud has made close to 600 saddles to horse lovers across the country.
 
“I guarantee it if somebody doesn’t like my saddle send it back to me I’ll give you your money back. It takes all the pressure off of it,” says Langerud.
 
Just like his customers, his materials are sourced from all over.
 
“My trees come out of Anthony, Texas. I get two sides of leather out of Wicket and Craig out of Pennsylvania. That’s the start of it then I get a whole sheepskin in Ohio,” says Langerud.
 
A plain saddle takes about a week to make but the more intricate the design, the longer Cliff stays tucked away in the basement.
 
“You try to give it a three dimensional look and this has a good three dimensional look to it,” says Langerud.
 
Of all the saddles Cliff has made, there’s always a favorite.
 
“I just like the lines of that saddle,” says Langerud.
 
But even his most favorite, Cliff still says there’s room to improve.
 
“I’ve never built a saddle yet that I’ve been perfectly happy with. If I did it again, I would do something different. I’m not a perfectionist but I’m kind of a perfectionist,” says Langerud.
 
The process can be daunting.
 
“It takes a whole cow to build a saddle,” says Langerud.
 
But also amazing and it continues to amaze Cliff.
 
“I was just thrilled to do it, I still am. I still love doing it,” says Langerud.
 
And as Cliff starts from scratch once again…
 
“That’s the one I started on today 592,” says Langerud.
 
By the end of the week, he already knows how he’ll be feeling.
 
“It’s kind of hard for me to let them go, you get kind of attached to them, you put a lot of time into them,” says Langerud.
 
Cliff and his wife keep a record of every saddle he has ever made.

He says sometimes he even calls the customer to make sure the saddle is just right.

If you’re interested in a saddle of your own Cliff says his base price is $2600.