| One usually thinks of the western saddle as an | | | | styles developed reflecting differences in climate, |
| American style of horse riding, but in fact it's | | | | terrain, culture and stock working styles. The |
| origins can be traced back to the Moorish | | | | harsh climate and punishing brush of the mesquite |
| horsemen and warriors of the Dark Ages. When | | | | of the southwest resulted in saddles built to |
| the Moors invaded Spain in the 700's, they | | | | protect the rider, thus making it big, bulky, heavy |
| brought with them their unique style of horseback | | | | and plain. California, on the other hand, had a mild |
| riding and tack. Their saddles were designed for | | | | climate with lush land where the vaqueros had |
| battle with longer stirrups to accommodate their | | | | much more leisure time. Their saddles were not |
| armor and high cantles which provided them | | | | only smaller than the Texans, but evolved into |
| security in the saddle and protection from their | | | | highly decorative pieces that are still used in show |
| enemies. So it was mostly Knights and crusaders | | | | rings today with their conchos and elaborate |
| that used these saddles. | | | | designes of tooling. |
| The Spanish adapted the Moors saddle for their | | | | From the 1700's through the 1950's, the western |
| use in to what became known as the Spanish | | | | saddle continued to grow and evolve, with many |
| War Saddle. This was the same saddle they | | | | new features to support cattle work and |
| brought with them to the New World. As they | | | | improved construction methods extending the |
| changed from needing military gear to fight an | | | | strength, durability and comfort of the piece. |
| uprising to the needs of colonial expansion, the | | | | Today, the working cowboy isn't the only focus |
| military saddle was again transformed in to a | | | | on saddle making. They are now designed for a |
| stock saddle to better suit their needs. This was | | | | wide variety of uses and riders such as trail or |
| known as the Spanish Stock Saddle. It was | | | | pleasure, endurance, rodeo contestant, team |
| designed as a tool for the working cowboy and | | | | roper, barrel racer, reiner, cutter, and of course, |
| evolved along with the expansion into the | | | | working cowboy. Western saddles are now all |
| American West, from everything to fighting | | | | over the world, but regardless of the style or |
| Indians to helping settlers round up their cattle. | | | | origins, all of these saddles have an ancestry they |
| Over time the stock saddle was influenced by | | | | share from the western stock saddle. |
| geography and the culture using it. Very distinct | | | | |