Buckaroo John's Blog

The ponies are starting to get fuzzy, nights are getting downright chilly, and the days are getting shorter. When you have livestock, your life is effected by the seasons. Coming into fall and winter could mean colic and frozen water troughs. Here are some things we thought about to prepare for the upcoming months. You horse should be starting to grow his winter coat. Some grow much more impressive coats than others, and some can withstand the elements much better than others. Do your research on the pros and cons of blanketing. Even though I personally don't blanket, I have...

There are four key points to look for when purchasing leather tack that we would like to share with you! We believe in producing gear, and we view your tack purchase as an investment into the longevity of your gear and safety of your ride. Start with the feel of the leather: Is the leather soft and supple? You want to avoid purchasing tack that feels dry because the quality will be subpar. If you bend the leather and you see it starting to crack it is useless and may become very dangerous when riding. It should be bendable, soft...

Alright folks, time for the million dollar question...who knows what these are for? If you ride a western saddle, there is most likely one of each side of your pommel. Some endurance saddles will have them as well.  These pieces of leather are called latigo keepers, off side cinch holders, and also flank cinch holders. The piece of the horse and rider's left hand side is used to hold the extra latigo after cinching up, like below. Now, the off side, or flank cinch holder isn't as commonly used. Nothing irks me more than to pull a saddle off the...

Hobbles are connected loops made from sturdy material, such as leather, that loosely connect a horse's front legs together. Now, I'm sure that can seem quite horrifying and barbaric to people, but let's take a look at where and why they are used. A good horse must know how to tie and all horses must be able to be contained in some fashion. Ground tie, tie to a tree, outside a bar, pseudo tie (that's a fancy word for "fake tying"), cross tie, tie to the side of a trailer, etc. In this day and age it seems we have...

Horse owners are required to make many choices as they care for their treasured equine friends.  One of the most commonly purchased horse care items is also one of the most used and essential items we own, the halter.  Choices available are nylon flat halters, rope halters (also known as string halters), and leather halters.  Halters are typically paired with a horse to match the training development stage of the horse. Another consideration in determining which type of halter is best is choosing one that suits the experience of the handler and of the horse. Of utmost importance is the...