New Saddle for an Old Ride

[James Hunt]

This project actually began nearly two years ago. I enjoy cowboy mounted shooting and have a certain attitude about looking "correct" when every one else is running around in wranglers and chinks. So, not without a little pride I posted a picture of my horse and myself. My good friend Bill Proctor pointed out that yes it was a nice picture but what about that tack? Indeed my saddle is built on an association tree. It was designed about 1915 or so qne was know as the "committee" saddle and the only one accetpted for bucking, effectively ruling out freak forks popular at the time. Anyway, as Bill so rightfully pointed out, I was not period! Shamefull thing for a dues paying NCOWS member.

I got no small help from Bill - including a great price on a tree - and began looking thru alot of books. I have no skills whatsoever with regard to leather, and so was going to contract this out to a local saddler. I would be the general contractor so to speak. So here it is.



It copies no specific saddle but has elements of both Texas and Mexican work and is intended to represent a saddle built in the early 1870's. It has Sam Stagg single 7/8 rigging with no lining on the skirt. The plate over the horn is nickle silver due to cost and has been copied from several saddles from the period. The concho's on the saddle are original 2 Reale coins the latest dating 1863. These are .99% silver and were hammered into conchos by my saddler. The stirrupts are bent wood similar to the period.
Bill sent me a picture of the saddle Tommy Lee Jones rode in The Missing, and although I looked at alot of saddles I kept coming back to it. This is a near copy. I did not use hammered brass cinch rings as that one did, because I simply could not find a period saddle that used them, I have come to believe that they were mostly early 20th century.

There is one mistake. The skirts should have been cut square, but I forgot to be explicit about that and they were rounded. Like any good reenactor I searched and searched until I finally found what might be the only Texas saddle dated to the mid 70's  with round skirts.

So how does a flat seated saddle with no lining on the skirts ride? Quite unexpectedly great. Without the lining the saddle weights just a little over twenty pounds. I do use a saddle pad, and for period correct moments through a fake navaho blanket over that (although saddle pads were used in the 1880's). There is no slipping whatsoever. I had Doug Kidd of Border States build me a correct cinch. My poney likes it, I like it, and I'm going to use it this summer to shoot with.

The saddle was built by Angelo Pecora of Cowboy Creek Saddlery.

Hats off to Bill for the inspiration.

[James Hunt]

Oh I should show you the bridle I had built to go with the saddle.

The headstall is basic to what would have been used in the 1870's, it was built by Doug Kidd of Border States Leather. The reins were made by David Corrico of Kansas, and the bit I got on ebay with a mathcing pair of spurs. The bit is for show only, I have no intention of using it. Although it has a fairly low port with small crickett, it does copy some Calif, Mex. styling with the long cheek bars, slobber bar, and lipping chains. I do not have the skill to use that type of bit on a horse. Anyway it all matches well with the saddle. And with a different bit looks pretty spiffy on my morgan/arab mare.

[Trap]

   Great tack James!!

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[Dr. Bob]

James,

A beautiful set up!!  You can be really proud when you enter the ring with that.

[Irish Dave]

Damn, James. Doncha think it looks kinda "high tone" for a broken down ol' cowpuncher like you?
***
Seriously, congrats. Pieces to be proud of.

[Black River Smith]

Speechless!!!!  Wow.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Jim, ...
Now thats what I'm talking about!! Nice rig!!

Bill

[James Hunt]

Fella's - Thanks for the kind comments, I enjoy the tack, and thanks to Bill for the kick in the butt a couple of years ago, otherwise a buffalo hunter of the 1870's would still be sitting an association tree.

Which brings up the obvious question: How did a buffalo hunter who had never been but several miles south of the Canadian River ever aquire a saddle such as this? Working that into my persona I place myself east of the stalked plains hunting buffalo in the year 1872. My partner, an unrepentent rebel few good union men would allow in their camp, and I were searching for the huge beasts and bumped into a small heard only to watch as men mounted on fine horses used lances to take them primarily for the meat! What a waist of good hides. Later we rode into their camp and discovered the group to have traveled up from old Mexico in pursuit of the southern herd. They were horse rich and gun poor. They marveled at our guns while  feeding us good. Although their was a language barrier, I managed to trade an old needle gun with some shells for a saddle and riding horse.

Early the next morning my partner and I awoke in our camp to the sound of gunfire. Other hunters were in the area and were shooting into the Mexican camp attempting to drive them off. We watched the battle throughout the day, occasionaly I would hear the sound of my old gun. Shortly after mid-day the Mexican's rode off to the south and we never saw them again.

It was a good trade, replacing my old worn St. Louis saddle, I used it for another decade. My partner, a true Texan who felt Lee betrayed the cause and despised interlopers into his Texas - you know, Commanches and Mexicans - said the saddle looked to good for Catholics, and they must have got it off of a dead Texan. I don't know, being a Canadien they didn't seem like bad fella's to me. Of course being a Methodist I understood the comment about Catholics.

The event, or at least some of it, was taken from "Getting a Stand" by Miles Gilbert.

[River City John]

"That's what I love about Wyatt. He can talk himself into anything."

[litl rooster]

JH

  Who made the bit and chains...........I like it as much as the saddle.......
One question mebbe Bill can answer, when did conway buckles come into being?  Mr. Conway never had to adjust one on a wet frozen britchen..........If that saddle is too squeaky I'd ride it for you awhile

lr

[Frenchie]

James, looking at the pics and reading the words, I don't know half of what I'm looking at and less of what I'm reading, but the work on that saddle and bridle looks darned good to me. Ride it in good health!

[James Hunt]

Frenchie: Thank you, but the credit for construction goes to professionals. Doug Kidd and Dave Corrico are very well regarded by CW reenactors, both have great web sites. Angelo, the fella who made the saddle, has made about 30 saddles in the last five years, he manages a horse/recreational RV park in MI and makes saddles and holsters in his spare time. He has put together quite a selection of leather tools, many from the late 19th century. The border on that saddle skirt was made by a very old tool that may very well date to the period of the sadddle.

Litl Rooster: The bit is unmarked. I got it on ebay with a matching set of spurs. Both spurs and bit have silver inlay, probably coin silver, and they probably came out of Mexico. I have never seen the bit before but the spurs I have seen at least one other time on ebay, I know Trap owns a pair, and I think Dr. Bob might also. the spurs are not rare. While not of the highest quality, the spurs look as if they were made by a reasonable crafstman in a small shop. The bit is good quality and shows signs of use. I have no idea of the date of manufacture, they could be 19th century but I suspect a much later date since I have seen so many other similar pairs. However, that is the only bit I have seen. Ebay is a good source for bits, and unlike spurs they seem to be a little more reasonably priced.

[litl rooster]

  The bit says Californio the port is medium and mild, from the picture looks like it has some relieve to it.  I haven't seen too many old ones with out a solid "cricket" 1pc. not that there wasn't sectional ones.  I really like that one with the longer shanks and the rein chains. It would probably put a nice "whoa" on a horse.   If you got matching spurs you done good.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I'm another who only knows SOME of what you're referring to, but congrats on a really fine rig!

Be sure to post some pics of you , the horse, bit and saddle!  It'd be a good "Olan Mills" type period photo!