Warm Threads

Erika Zundel handcrafts thick wool saddle blankets, mohair cinches and breast collars

By Dianna Troyer

A cowboy needing a thick saddle blanket turned to Erika Zundel for help.

“He had seen a pad I made and used on my horse all the time, so he wanted to try one for his horses,” says Erika, who works on the Flying H Ranch near Riddle. “He told me his horses needed extra padding over their kidneys, so I made one extra thick. After using it, he told me it worked great.”

About four years ago, Erika learned to make saddle pads during a class at a nearby bed and breakfast, where the owners offer craft sessions for guests and area residents.

The instructor, Jean Spratling from Starr Valley in northeastern Nevada, has been making the pulled wool saddle blankets for 40 years and teaching classes. The blankets are made with a latch-hook process by pulling the strands of wool through a canvas that has pre-made holes in it.

“They last more than 20 years and help prevent dry sweats and saddle sores,” Jean says in a YouTube video. It was posted last year when she and her daughter, Millie, taught a two-day workshop at the Western Folklife Center in Elko.

Saddle pads are not the only horse tack Erika makes. About three years ago, at the center’s annual cowboy poetry gathering where various workshops are also offered, Erika learned to make mohair cinches from Jennifer Whiteley. Wanting to also make mohair breast collars, she took advice via Messenger conversations from Tia Watson.

Whatever she makes, Erika says, is all about making the horse comfortable during a long day of riding.

Wool and mohair are durable yet also breathe easily, preventing abrasions.

When Erika’s boyfriend saw how well her saddle pad worked, he asked her to make one for him. They rely on their saddle pads to keep horses comfortable at the ranch.

“Pretty soon our friends wanted pads, too,” Erika says. “It’s all been word-of mouth and Facebook. Now I can’t keep up with orders.”

She ships her customized pads, cinches, and breast collars of all sizes—from ponies to horses—nationwide, particularly Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho and California. She has also shipped orders to Canada.

Her products have rave reviews on her E – Z Wool Saddle Pads Facebook page.

“These are amazing,” one satisfied customer writes. “Holy smokes, there isn’t anything comparable that breathes as well and still has decent support.”

Erika also fulfills custom orders.

“Some people want brands or initials,” she says. “Others tell me to just do a design I like.”

One of her pads resembled the American flag. Another was nicknamed the “fruit loop” because it had the colors of the breakfast cereal.

“Some people try one out of curiosity and end up buying several more,” Erika says.

Depending on the complexity of the design, a pad can take seven to 10 hours to complete. To make pads, Erika uses top Merino wool that is soft yet durable and ready to spin. She divides the strands into thirds.

Next, she cuts a custom-sized piece of sturdy latch-hook canvas with 3.3 holes per square inch. The canvas is made in England for rugs and other products.

Using a steel hook, she pushes the yarn up through the holes and back down.

“You do every other hole and every other row,” Erika says. “After a while, you fine-tune how to do it. To make it extra thick, I put my thumb in the loop underneath and on top to hold it out more. How far you pull the wool through determines the thickness.”

Generally, the final product is about 2 inches thick.

Erika orders wool—30 pounds at a time—from Chargeurs Wool USA in South Carolina.

“They have every color you can imagine,” she says.

The pads can be hand-washed with cool water.

“I just rinse mine off in the bathtub,” she says. “It will last a long time.”

To see more of Erika’s designs or to place an order, visit the E – Z Wool Saddle Pads Facebook page at https://bit.ly/3Vp8xA2.