Marc
Oliver grew up crafting leather into usable items and clothing; He now
spends his time designing and hand-crafting intricate western saddles
and cowboy gear. Marc creates each original piece of working sculpture
from his shop located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. His
bachelor’s degree in fine art and extensive design and sculpture
background are exemplified in his love of the west.
Special requests are his focus, from custom saddles to automobile
dashboards, no project is out of the realm of possibility. Marc's 25
years of experience with the tools and materials, design and function
of saddlery make him uniquely qualified to handle almost any project.
Each saddle is built from the finest materials available and selected
for beauty and durability. The process starts by consulting with each
customer on their needs, then those ideas are incorporated into each
piece. Traditional tools and expertise are use to bring the leather,
metal and wood together to create beautiful and functional pieces of
working sculpture. Every aspect is an art form, from the hand-made
saddle trees to the ornate sterling silver conches and buckles. The
result of hours of intricate work is a balance between design and
function, an organic flow that works to blend the rider with his horse.
Marc makes saddles and western items for a broad range of clientèle
from professional horsemen and women, to true working cowboys, to
weekend trail riders and collectors. Every customer has a different
idea of what makes the perfect saddle, and the results are a variety of
different items that reflect the traditional American West.
Customers from around the country give glowing reviews of Marc’s work.
One client says of Marc; “He’s just an amazing artist. I would rate him is the top two or three saddle makers in the world that I know of” - Chris Clark, Horseman, Collector
Another
customer says “Marc is unique in the saddle industry in that he is
extremely talented in all phases of leather work and is willing to make
the
"Marc is dedicated to keeping the traditional western art form of saddle making alive through research of early makers work and the use of traditional tools and methods." - Jack Renshaw, Horseman
"I have not really had a chance to let you know how great the chaps
turned out! They fit Suzanne just as if you had taken the measurements
in your shop. We were both amazed and needless to say, she was
thrilled, really thrilled! Thank you again Marc for all of the joy that
you created!" - Jack Reich, Horseman
"Did
you get the email and photo from my cell phone today? Zookie and I LOVE
the saddle. It is so comfy and I feel like I can't possibly fall out of
it.....Zookie tried to buck me off today and I didn't budge! Thanks
Marc Oliver Saddlery!" - Eric Mailman, Horseman
Hey Marc, I know I already said it but I wanted to let you know
how much I love my saddle! I took it out again this weekend and it is so
amazing to sit in such a centered saddle. I know my riding position will get
better and better since the saddle supports a centered seat. AND it is so
comfortable! Plus the saddle did not roll like all the others I’ve
tried. Sangria has no withers and is very difficult to fit and I’m so
happy to know she’s comfortable and that the saddle stays in place. It
was so nice to not have the cinch super tight in order to keep if from rolling.
The outing went even better after I ran into an old friend on the trail and
when I got off my horse she gasped and exclaimed how gorgeous my saddle was.
She loved the intricate detail and thoughtful artistic quality that went into
it. So I’ve got it all! A saddle that fits my hard-to-fit horse, a comfortable
saddle that puts me in the right position, and last but not least – it is
so beautiful I am proud to go anywhere with it!-Candace Strope, Trail Rider
Here's a picture of my husband in his fabulous new chaps, riding the morning of his birthday. He absolutely loves them! And they fit him perfectly. He doesn't like to take them off. He puts them on just to feed the horses!I asked him if he was going to sleep in them, to which he replied..."maybe".Anyway, just wanted to say thanks again.-Rachel Prather

Marc, Marcy and Caden Oliver on their Colorado Ranch


Horsing Around With My Brothers In the Colorado Mountains