Why the horse?????

 Some things are unique to the American Cowboy. His hat. His weapon. His horse.

Most of these are self explanatory. The hat shielded his eyes from the blinding sun as well as protected his head from the heat and kept it from boiling his brains. A weapon was used for self-protection,  to restore order, and to keep cattle and family safe. But why the horse?

It is often said that a cowboy of foot is worth little. And probably so. Ranches, at the height of the cowboy era, might have encompassed several states and started with as little as 500 acres and grow to 800,000 acres. In order to work these large tracts of land, cowboys needed a good source of transportation. Thus, the horse has become one of the trademarks of the American West and the Cowboy.

On average, a ranch would hire up to a dozen good cowboys for each of these cowboys six horses would be at their beck and call for different ranch duties. A good ranch horse was used to move the cattle, round up the cattle and calves for a yearly count and for market. Some were used just for roping, some for cutting cattle, another might have a good easy gate that didn't shake a man's insides for long distances. Some animals were none as bomb proof meaning they weren't spooked or startled by things going on around them. It would be the right horse on a storm night that wouldn't lose his head if the cattle got startled.

Cowboys rode different breeds of horses. Of course, we've all heard of the Mustang. The American Quarter horse was developed for its maneuverability and stamina on a short distance run. Appaloosas were another distinct American breed as were the Missouri Fox Trotters, American Standard Bred, Morgan, and even Arabians. Back in the heyday of the cowboy a good horse might cost 150.00 to 200.00 dollars. Considering a cowboy often made only a dollar a day, it was a big investment.

A cowboy needed his horse to work with him, not against him. If he were to do the job given to him. They needed to earn their horses trust. Being thrown in the field might be life or death for the rider. So trust and understanding on both sides must come first. Some of this starts before a saddles is even introduced. Leading  your horse, talking to your horse gains that first level of trust. A cowboy might not have time to say a command. His horse must learn to know the signals of a heel against it's side, the lifting of the reins, the touch of a hand. A trait that ensures the cowboys ability to work.

 Often it is said, that a cowboy and his horse are one.  It is this iconic image that makes the American Cowboy heroic in anyone's eyes.

Saddles, the cowboys tool of his trade.

Today, we are going to be talking about the cowboy’s tools of the trade. We know they needed the hat and the horse, but to stay on the horse, the cowboy developed several styles of saddles. As ranch work shifted into specialties, cowpokes needed different saddles for different jobs.

 

 

Ranch saddle was a true working saddle. It was sometimes called a cowboy buckaroo, old timer, and an all around. It had a heavy weight to it. It was sturdy to allow the rider to work cattle and long hours in the saddle without tiring out his backsides. A ranch saddle would have a tall thick horn, a deep seat, and a high cantle. Strings would allow the rider to carry gear such as his rope, canteen, and a bed roll.

 

A Trail or Pleasure saddle found comfort as its main goal. No heavy work could be done, it was for riding along trails, trips to town, or maybe to see his girl. There was no need for a thick horn to hold on to. The seat is padded for extra comfort. There may be double cinches, a breast plate for show. Today the pleasure saddle is the most widely purchased saddle in the United States.

 I had the distinct pleasure of riding on a Circle Y saddle the years I showed as a western rider in Virginia Beach. They are very comfortable.

Roping Saddles were designed for heavy use. It gave the rider freedom of movement and could with stand the punishment of working with cattle. The construction was a bit different than most saddles. Riders preferred this saddle to be made with a wooden tree and constructed with bull hide. The horn in front would be thick so they could loop or dally the rope around. Cows stop and start quickly. To keep the saddle on the horse two cinches were used, one under the front legs and another near the rear. Wide deep stirrups were hung forward to allow the rider to position himself against the low cantle and brace against the cows movements. Notice the difference in this saddle and the others. There are no flaps of fenders hanging beneath the saddle. This keeps the rope from getting hung in the leather.

 

 A Cutting saddle is used to separate a cow, a steer, or a calf from the general herd. It is designed for balance. The front and back needs to be out of the way of the rider in case of sharp turns, stops and starts. The saddle is not as secure as the others mentioned above. It is up to the rider to use his or her balance to keep astride of the fast working animal. This has the fenders below the saddle but they are not as large as the trail or ranch saddle. No leathers either to tie equipment on. Even the stirrups are small and thin.

Next month we will look at reining, barrel racing, endurance, show, and parade saddles. Until next time, happy trails.

Nan