I'm no cowboy, but we have two western saddles on stands in our family room, courtesy of my wife's maternal grandfather, saddle maker Victor Alexander. I don't know how to post pics, or I would. If you're ever visiting Cody, WY you can see his tools and some of his saddles on display at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. PS My wife rides and competes in 3-Day Eventing, so we own horses that I help care for. Basically, I'm a stable hand
Points West: Victor Alexander, Saddlemaker - Center of the West

I got mine in a trade over 30 years ago. I traded a rifle I got for free for a circle Y equitation saddle. It has made in the mid 1960s. It’s the most comfortable saddle I’ve ever ridden in. Sadly my wife’s gelding passed last spring at 33 years old and I sold mine 3 weeks ago. Man I miss him.

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Dave
Regulators mount up!

That could make a real tear jerker country western song. I'll bet you
really miss the horse and saddle.

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In Omnia Paratus

Dave,
The first picture is terrific. It looks extremely cold, and I am sure situations like that require learning the best way to stay warm, or as warm as possible. There is certainly a lot of gear in the second picture. I had to look up was a mecate is. I never would have known that it was made of horse hair. The shu-fly is cool too. Where does it "hang" when everything is in place? I also never would have guessed that the binding on the cantle was rawhide. I can see that would be a "vintage" way to protect it very well. I like that the rawhide is used instead of some "modern/man made" product.

I reposted the third picture because I had a question I noticed in it. What is all the wrapping around the base of the horn, and what is it's purpose? Thanks for all the pictures and information and sorry for all the questions.
Larry

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

Larry, I notice Dave isn't "on board" at the moment, so I hope it's okay if I butt in and answer your questions. If I miss something, Dave can add more info.

A shu-fly is a bundle of horse hair that can either hang from the throat latch where it dangles underneath the jaw or from the girth where it dangles beneath the belly. The purpose, as the name implies, is to keep the flies away.

In the picture below, if you look closely, you can see a small shu-fly underneath Lil' Trooper's jaw and a longer one underneath him. You can see it right behind his front leg in the picture.


As for the wrapping around the base of the horn...it's called "mule hide," and a lot of folks really believe that it's made out of mule hide, but in reality it's split cowhide. It's used to provide a bit a friction when one dallies (or wraps) a lead rope (if leading a pack string) or lariat (if roping calves or steers). You'll see some cowboys wrap the horn with a chunk of inner tube, but the "mule hide" is a little more forgiving and lets you slip your dallies a little easier. Hope that answers your questions.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

I do not remember the maker of the saddle. It was black with brown rigging. I think the skirt was black, too. Bad memory! Sorry!

I do have a picture of the horse - it's almost 20 years old and not a great picture because it's tiny so it blurred when I enlarged it.



Wait!!! It was 2005. I found more.

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Come and take it!!

The only 'vintage' saddle I have is a Heiser square skirt highback made in the early '20's for an eastern colorado doctor. His granddaughter gifted me the piece when I commented on it and told her my uncle worked for Heiser after WW II. He lost all the fingers on his hand in a saddle skirt stamping accident while there. She even gave me a pic of her grandpa riding the saddle in a parade. I actually used it for several years elk hunting. When the only horse I owned that it fit died, it was again retired to home decor......

huntsman22,
Thank you very much for posting the pictures of your fantastic Heiser saddle and telling us the story behind it. I bet that highback helps keep you cemented in the saddle going up the steep slopes of Colorado. In the third picture, is that an elk quarter in the white bag?

I didn't know we had any forum members that had a relative that worked for Heiser. I am sure that makes the saddle super special to you. How did you determine it was made in the early '20's? Also, has your uncle's history of working at Heiser caused you to be a Heiser holster collector?
Larry

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

Yes, elk front quarters on the stock saddle. The hind quarters and head was on a little packhorse. The woman that gave me the saddle was unsure what year the saddle was actually made, but the pic she gave me was from 1925. I only have a few Heiser holsters.