Buckaroo John's Blog

Well, I think I may speak for all of us in the West when I say we are more than ready for spring. Winter was ROUGH. Flooding in the lower elevation and a snow pack in the higher elevations that we haven't see for awhile. Rain, snow, ice, and now....MUD. Sigh. I am ready for the horses to slick out, to get in the back country and ride, although still trying to calculate how long it takes 50+ feet of snow to melt....? While we still have some more storm in the forecast, the weather has been leaning more towards spring, so with that...

Slobber straps and water loops, albeit small pieces of tack with odd names, have a purpose. Typically slobber straps are used on mecate reins, while water loops are used on split reins, both connecting the rein to the bit. When reins used to be made from braided rawhide, the slobber straps prevented those precious reins from getting wet while a horse drank water. They also add a little weight to lighter weighted reins, for a better feel between horse and rider.  Water loops are small, approximately the same width as the leather spilt reins they attach to. Slobber straps are...

Chaps, short for chaparajos, were originally worn by cowboys as protective garments.  Chaps are now used for both decorative and practical reasons.  Chaps originated in the countries of Spain and Mexico. Riders wore them while working cattle, as they formed a protective shield over the rider’s legs and the horse's chest. While serving those purposes quite well, they were bulky and hard to work with; which is when today’s chaps were developed. There are several types of chaps.  Originally, the most common type of chaps were batwings. These consisted of an outer layer of leather, typically they had three clasps...

The Great Basin buckaroos have many customs handed down throughout the years, and one such custom is the "war knot." The war knot is also called the mustache knot. It is practical, in that it's purpose is to keep the tail out of the way during brandings, where it could easily get caught up in the rope, and also to keep the tail out of the mud or from getting tangled in brush. I know I'm not the only one that has looked back to see a large tumbleweed dragging from my horse's tail! The knot should always be taken...

A popular type of saddle is a rough-out leather saddle. These saddles are popular for many reasons, including functionality for working cowboys. Let’s talk leather…Leather saddles are made from heavy hides known as saddle skirting. Skirting comes in different weights, or thickness, and grades, which is the quality. The thickest skirting is used for the heavy wear areas such as the fenders, stirrup leathers and seats. Skirting has two distinct sides – the grain side, which is smooth, and the flesh side, which is rough. A saddle can be made with either side facing out as the finished side. Most...