Western Saddle: the Path From War Saddle to Stock Saddle
The western saddle has an interesting history and development. While it is now considered a uniquely American style, its origins can actually be traced back to the Moorish horsemen and warriors of the Dark Ages. When the Moors invaded Spain in the 700′s, they brought with them their unique style of riding and tack. Their saddles were designed for battle, with high cantles and forks for protection and security, and longer stirrups to accommodate riding with armor. This was the saddle of the knights and the crusades.
The Spaniards adapted this saddle into what became known as the Spanish War Saddle. This was the saddle they brought with them to the New World. As their goals in this new country transitioned from military conquest to colonial expansion, this military saddle evolved into a stock saddle, known as the Spanish Stock Saddle. The stock saddle was designed as a tool for the working cowboy and followed the expansion into the American West.
The evolution of the stock saddle was greatly influenced by geography and culture. Distinct styles developed reflecting differences in climate, terrain, culture, and stock working styles. The harsh climate and punishing brush and mesquite of the southwest resulted in saddles built to protect the rider – big, bulky, plain. The mild climate and lush land of California provided the vaqueros with much more leisure time which they used for saddle decoration. Their saddles were not only smaller than the Texans, but were embellished with rich carving, lacing, and silver work.
From the 1700′s through the 1950′s, the western stock saddle continued to evolve, with new features to support cattle work and improved construction methods to extend strength, durability, and comfort.
Today, the needs of the working cowboy are no longer the only focus of western saddle design. Saddles are now designed for a wide variety of uses and riders – trail/pleasure, endurance, rodeo contestant, team roper, barrel racer, reiner, cutter, and, of course, working cowboy. Western saddles are now manufactured, imported, and exported all over the world. But regardless of their style or origins, all of these saddles share ancestry and derive from the western stock saddle.
About the Author
Beth Stefani is the publisher of http://www.western-saddle-guide.com , a comprehensive online resource for understanding, choosing, and caring for the western saddle and accessories that are right for you. Visit the Western Saddle Guide for more tips and information about western saddles and accessories.
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World War I Army Ancestry Pb … |
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The First World War (Paperback) $22.16 From the author of Fields of Battle comes a monumental history of the Great War that chronicles the events of the conflict from early diplomatic efforts to avert war, through the nightmarish campaigns and battles, to the end of the war and the repercussions of World War I. Reprint. 150,000 first printing. |
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The First World War $13.92 By the time the First World War ended in 1918, eight million people had died in what had been perhaps the most apocalyptic episode the world had known. This Very Short Introduction provides a concise and insightful history of the Great War–from the state of Europe in 1914, to the role of the US, the collapse of Russia, and the eventual surrender of the Central Powers. Examining how and why the war was fought, as well as the historical controversies that still surround the war, Michael Howard also looks at how peace was ultimately made, and describes the potent legacy of resentment left to Germany. This edition was previously published in paperback as The First World War. |
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The Outbreak of the First World War $333.72 To Arms is Hew Strachans most complete and definitive study of the opening of the First World War. Now, key sections from this magisterial work are published as individual paperbacks, each complete in itself, and with a new introduction by the author. Ever since its outbreak in 1914, the causes of the First World War have been one of the major debates in world history. For some it was a war engineered by Germany, and a pointer towards Hitler. For others it was the product of miscalculation a verdict whose poignancy is heightened by the knowledge of what followed. The Outbreak of the First World War eschews either extreme. Instead, it approaches the issues from the perspectives of those who grappled with conflicting priorities and vital national interests and considers the responses of their peoples and the socalled ideas of 1914. Author: Strachan, Hew Series Title: First World War Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 312 Publication Date: 2004/12/01 Language: English Dimensions: 8.48 x 5.92 x 0.67 inches |
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