Cowboy Gear: Saddles

No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.

WINSTON CHURCHILL

“The West was won and conquered by the men who sit in saddle leather.”

Saddle, a cowboy’s workbench and his throne.

In the West, known as cow saddles, range saddles, stock saddles.

In the East as Mexican saddles, Western saddles or cowboy saddles.

Vaquero saddle trees. (Pinterest)

Western cowboys were not impressed with the small, pad-saddles of the Eastern rider and referred to them as hog skins, kidney pads, pimples, or postage stamps. Made for riding, not for working stubborn Longhorns, most came without saddle horn and with narrow pieces of iron as stirrups.

Impressed by the skills of the Mexican vaquero, Texas cowhands adopted their saddle among other things, eventually modifying the Mexican-style mochila saddle, which appeared in the 1850s.  Known as the “Texas saddle”, it weighed only 12 to 13 pounds, the tree was covered with stitched rawhide and the stirrups were wide. The design evolved to be better suited to working all day or long rides in the saddle.

The most fuctional part of the saddle is the “horn”. This style of saddle allowed vaqueros to control cattle by use of a rope around the neck, horns or hooves of the animal, which can then be tied or dallied (wrapped without a knot) around the horn.

1870-1880 half seat (REF Pinterest)

By 1870s the “plains saddle” appeared, with a halt-seat and cantle covered by one piece of leather. The wooden saddle horn was lower and sturdier. Much of the credit for the necessary modifications creating the plains saddle goes to two brothers, John and Gilbert Collins. The brothers were based in Cheyenne, with shops in Omaha, Billings and Great Falls. They gave saddles to local ranchers in exchange for feedback on their designs. Buffalo Bill Cody was a customer.

Vintage Vaquero Saddle. (REF Pinterest)

Western saddles are used for Western riding and are the saddles used on working ranch horses on cattle ranches throughout the American West. They are best suited for long hours spent in a saddle. There are still ranches that rely on a mounted cowboy who can ride a cowey horse and is skilled with a rope. The work hasn’t changed much in the past century because cows have not changed their way of thinking. Ranches across the country rely on a man and his horse to get the job at hand done. There’s no other alternative.

The Goodnight Sidesaddle

Charles Goodnight, Texas Panhandle ranch owner, plainsman, former Texas Ranger, is credited for developing a sidesaddle for his wife. It was a double rigged design. There was a need to produce a woman’s saddle for daily riding and work on the range. The saddle also had to fit a variety of ranch horses on a day-to-day basis. it required two cinches. The cinches have a connecting strap, called a cinch hobble, to keep the rear girth from slipping back, which would cause the horse to buck. The girthing system still produced a shimmy in the rear, even though the rear cinch was brought up snugly against the horse. The double girthing system was not as secure as the balance strap seen on many modern sidesaddle

In 1870, Goodnight commissioned for his new bride, Molly Dyer Goodnight, this new type of sidesaddle, built to his specifications, and constructed in Pueblo, Colorado where the couple lived on the Rock Cañon Ranch. The architecturally significant rough-cut stone barn remains on the site of the original ranch headquarters located west of Pueblo, and has been restored.

Saddle Variations

Today there are many different varieties of saddles for a multitude of purposes. Here is just a partial list:

The most common variations include the following:

• Roping saddle: Heavy, sturdy saddle that usually has a thicker horn for securing a rope, low cantle, and slick fork that allows rider to dismount quickly when needed.
• Rodeo bronc riding saddle: Hornless, deep seated saddle with wide swells, having small fenders with oxbow style stirrups, originally designed and made by rodeo innovator Earl Bascom in 1922.
• Cutting saddle: Has a deep seat and wide swells allows the rider to sit deep and securely through sharp stops and turns.
• Reining saddle: Has a deep seat to allow the rider to sit deeply and more freely swinging fenders for more leg movement on the rider’s part.
• Working cowhorse saddle: Highly versatile and designed to work for both reining and cutting for reined cowhorse events.
• Barrel racing saddle: Lightweight saddle with wide swells and high cantle which allows rider to sit securely but also allows the horse to perform fast sprints and sharp turns.
• Endurance saddle: Lighter weight than most western saddles, often without a horn, has a tree that spreads the rider’s weight out over a large area of the horse’s back, thus reducing pounds per square inch. Often has stirrups hung slightly farther forward, to allow rider to get off the horse’s back when traveling at faster speeds. Designed for long rides at faster speeds than a trail saddle.
• Trail saddle: Designed for maximum comfort of rider as well as a good fit for the horse, features deep, padded seat, designed for long rides at slower speeds.
• Show saddle: May be based on roping, cutting, or other trees, but is characterized by additional leather tooling and silver decoration. Usually features a deep, padded seat that allows the rider to sit quietly and give the appearance of a smooth ride.
• “Equitation” saddle: Show saddle with an especially deep seat to help hold a rider in place.

“Cowboys just don’t care for the ground.”

Photos Courtesy of Natalie Bright or WikkiCommons Public Domain

REF: COWBOY CULTURE: A Saga of Five Centuries by David Dary. Western Words by Ramon Adams.

Natalie Cline Bright is an author, blogger, speaker, and cattle ranch owner.