Buckaroo John's Blog

The Californio Vaqueros were proud of their horsemanship and horse tack. They took great care to hand braid their horse hair mecates and romel reins. The Vaqueros hand braiding techniques are still used today.  The rawhide bosals, riatas, quirts, headstalls, and hackamores are all part of the Vaquero "tool box" that were used to train their horses.  The Vaqueros trained their horses for 7-10 years, starting at 4 years old, to react with very little pressure from the rider. At the end of training, the horse and rider would be one.  The three stages of the Vaquero horse training were as follows: The...

Ever wondered where the phrase "The Real McCoy" came from? Joseph G. McCoy, cattle baron, cowboy and business man was the inspiration for that phrase. Joseph Geiting McCoy - Cattle Baron Born on a farm in Sangamon county, Illinois, on December 21, 1837. McCoy is often cited as the inspiration for the phrase "The Real McCoy" because of his reputation and reliability and because he referred to himself by that phrase. He was educated in local schools and spent a year in the academy of Knox College in Galesburg. After his marriage to Sarah Epler in 1861, he entered the...

Larger horses, mules and draft horses are becoming more popular every day!!!! This means there is now a large demand for quality American leather horse tack and equipment that fits properly. Large Horses: All large horses have longer heads, are broader across the brow, and have larger throats.   Mules: Following Information is from Horse and Mule Trainer Jerry Tindell. “Mules are built differently than horses due to the influence of the donkey. The donkey gives the mule a broader forehead, larger eyes and a wider base at the ears. The average sized horse brow band is typically too short at...

Most of us are here because we share one common love: horses. Within that love are multiple disciplines in which we work alongside our equine companions. However, setting aside all the competitions, working and training, the most simple and deep reasons we do it all is because our love for these horses seems to be based off the heart to heart and soul connection to these beautiful animals. Last night, after a very long and tiring day, I had the opportunity to stand in a fifteen acre pasture as the sun was setting. The herd grazed quietly, each coming in...

Watch this video and learn how to tie a mecate on your rawhide bosal just like the Vaqueros (cowboys) of the old west. This particular "rig" was the favorite of the Californio Vaqueros when starting young horses for head set and control, before they were moved in to the bridle. In this video you can watch Buckaroo John from Buckaroo Leather Products walk you thru how to tie the mecate to suit your needs and size.Buckaroo John starts with a basic rawhide bosal and the cowboy harness leather hanger headstall. This headstall does not have hardware, just a basic wrap around tie in...