The Western Saddle and Its Characteristics
The western saddle and its particular characteristics have been a part of American lore and history ever since the first "cowboys" took to the western plains of the country.
In general, it's a working saddle, meaning that it goes onto horses and is used by men and women who work on cattle ranches all over the country, though this particular version is more often found out west.
Many people know this saddle as the classic cowboy saddle, by the way, and it's known to legions of fans of western movies and rodeo shows.
It's also the most common saddle sitting on the backs of horses at many a guest ranch.
As a means of helping to improve comfort for a person riding on a horse, this particular saddle works extremely well at imparting a enough of it to make long days on the trail tolerable enough to most people.
It was the saddles of the Spanish vaqueros, who worked as cattle hands and horse trainers in Mexico and the American Southwest of the 19th century that are the progenitors of classic American western saddles.
These vaqueros needed a saddle that could give at least a bit of comfort while they were out working vast swaths of land for days at a time.
The resulting saddle was one that came from two different types used for horseback riding back in Spain.
Vaqueros were generally happy with this new style of saddle, which took the best attributes of a saddle that allowed a horse relative free movement and another one that gave the rider a great deal of security and control over the horse itself, however they needed something that they could use to fasten their rope to in order to keep control of a steer or calf or other kind of cow.
And this is how the saddle horn developed.
Nowadays, outside of rodeo competitions, almost no rider of a horse upon which this saddle sits uses the horn or has even roped a cow and "dallied" (wrapped) his or her rope around it.
Still, it's as much a part of a western-oriented saddle as is the presence of John Wayne in many of the greatest western movies of all time.
You can't have one without the other, in other words.
The particular version of these western-themed saddles -- which come from the vaquero saddles -- also can trace some of its past to another Spanish version, the tree saddle.
It's this model that's thought by some historians to have had a great impact on the design of the McClellan saddle, which was used by American military forces, especially in the Army horse cavalry of the day, for years.
A western saddle has developed in such a way that it's comfortable to ride upon for long stretches of time.
It was originally developed to be an effective tool for the vaqueros and American cowboys of the 19th century, who needed a comfortable yet stable platform upon which they could do their work.
They have a long and distinguished history of service to horse riders, and they're the preferred saddle of riders out in the American west.
In short, they're a very useful invention.
In general, it's a working saddle, meaning that it goes onto horses and is used by men and women who work on cattle ranches all over the country, though this particular version is more often found out west.
Many people know this saddle as the classic cowboy saddle, by the way, and it's known to legions of fans of western movies and rodeo shows.
It's also the most common saddle sitting on the backs of horses at many a guest ranch.
As a means of helping to improve comfort for a person riding on a horse, this particular saddle works extremely well at imparting a enough of it to make long days on the trail tolerable enough to most people.
It was the saddles of the Spanish vaqueros, who worked as cattle hands and horse trainers in Mexico and the American Southwest of the 19th century that are the progenitors of classic American western saddles.
These vaqueros needed a saddle that could give at least a bit of comfort while they were out working vast swaths of land for days at a time.
The resulting saddle was one that came from two different types used for horseback riding back in Spain.
Vaqueros were generally happy with this new style of saddle, which took the best attributes of a saddle that allowed a horse relative free movement and another one that gave the rider a great deal of security and control over the horse itself, however they needed something that they could use to fasten their rope to in order to keep control of a steer or calf or other kind of cow.
And this is how the saddle horn developed.
Nowadays, outside of rodeo competitions, almost no rider of a horse upon which this saddle sits uses the horn or has even roped a cow and "dallied" (wrapped) his or her rope around it.
Still, it's as much a part of a western-oriented saddle as is the presence of John Wayne in many of the greatest western movies of all time.
You can't have one without the other, in other words.
The particular version of these western-themed saddles -- which come from the vaquero saddles -- also can trace some of its past to another Spanish version, the tree saddle.
It's this model that's thought by some historians to have had a great impact on the design of the McClellan saddle, which was used by American military forces, especially in the Army horse cavalry of the day, for years.
A western saddle has developed in such a way that it's comfortable to ride upon for long stretches of time.
It was originally developed to be an effective tool for the vaqueros and American cowboys of the 19th century, who needed a comfortable yet stable platform upon which they could do their work.
They have a long and distinguished history of service to horse riders, and they're the preferred saddle of riders out in the American west.
In short, they're a very useful invention.
