"I am second generation. My dad started in 1960 so there has been a Claypools store in Saskatchewan since 1960 so we have been in it for 49 years."
Claypool does a lot of his work at rodeos and fairs and says he never tires of them.
"My dad always said that no two rodeos are alike and one is always better than the next one so you don't want to miss that good one.
"You meet so many people from all over the province and the all over the world for that matter so that keeps it fresh. There is something new all the time.
Claypool says that it is just as important to get a saddle properly fitted as it is to buy a pair of shoes that fit you.
"You can not ride very long if your horse is sore - just like yourself if you are walking and there is a stone in your shoe you are not going to walk very far. The same with a horse if the saddle is not fitting you are not going to be riding very long or enjoy the ride.
It is not only the rider that will get sore if the saddle does not fit properly. The horse will too, and it could lead to a bumpy ride for you as Claypool explained.
"The horse will even buck if the saddle doesn't fit properly."
There a few things that Claypool looks for when fitting a saddle to the rider and the horse.
"You want a saddle that is wide enough. The major problem now days is the horses are overfed and under rode. Then you want a saddle that is comfortable for yourself as well that has got a really good seat that is large enough for yourself. A lot of people buy a saddle that are too small; and too big. And again if you are slopping around in the saddle you are impeding the horse, not helping them."
"I am second generation. My dad started in 1960 so there has been a Claypools store in Saskatchewan since 1960 so we have been in it for 49 years." - Dale Clypool
