Leather Dog Leashes…

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Buckaroo John Brand

Dogs have been companions of the horseman for centuries.

Typically, when being used in the field, the dogs are let to wander free to help herd the livestock.

But at shows and events the horseman’s “second best friend”, their dog, is usually required Dog leashedto be leashed.

There is an interesting History about Dog Collars and Leashes, with collars dating back to Ancient Greece. Dog collars were spiked and studded to PROTECT the domesticated  dogs fro predator attacks.

Dog leashes come in variety of designs and colors and are usually manufactured from   leather, nylon or other composite materials. Also, the length is one of the important aspects of the leash. The length of the leash must be chosen according to the size of the dog and it is important because it allows a good control. Leashes should not be either too long or too short. There seems to a consensus the ideal length of a dog leash is around 6 feet for most breeds of dogs, although 4′ is also a popular length.

The idea of leashing your dog is “keep them in control and out of harms way”. It takes a bit of a commitment to train your dog to walk leisurely and not be pulling against their collar and at a fully extended Leash. One advantage of quality Leather Dog leash is the comfort in the hand if your dog does become a bit playful or disobedient.

Matching Leather Dog collar and Leash

Buckaroo Leather products has combined the reliability of strong and soft Harness Leather in attractive combinations of matching Leather Dog Collars and Leases. We can even design them to match your Show Headstalls so your two best friend, Horse and Dog, are the “fashion stars” at any horse show or event…..

You will LOVE the quality of our Western Dog Collars & Leashes. Beautiful scalloped Hermann Oak leather available in Black Latigo, Burgundy Latigo, or Medium oil Golden Brown. This dog collar and leash are made with heavy weight supple Leather. This Collar & Leash matching Set are 3/4″ wide. Collar Length is measured from the buckle to the middle hole in set of holes. Our hand engraved Silver Conchas are available in 3 styles. OR special order your favorite concha from our conchas category

 

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What are Tack Gimmicks?

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Chuck Bartok

Seems like there is a library full of commentary on what some call Tack Gimmicks.

When does a piece of horse tack become a gimmick?

Is being a Gimmick only in the eye of the beholder?

Ever since primitive man figured out he could get on a horse’s back (instead of just eating them) and move faster than his walking, there has been an evolution of “equipment” to seemingly make the job easier.

Ancient horseman with reinsMost of the equipment  developed because of a problem needing a solution. The original horseman just climbed on and guided the horse through his body movement and the relationship developed through a natural process of give and take. One of the first gimmicks man developed was a system to guide and direct the animal with a devices on the head (Headstall)  attached to lines (Reins).

We see this style of tack (Gimmick) in use today as the Bitless Bridle, Bosals, or Jaquima. assyrian Horseman no stirrupsThe object is to gently guide the horse’s direction applying pressure over the nose and down form the poll. The secret is to LEARN proper pressure and quick release. A horse CAN be taught to respond to this simple Tack Gimmick if the horseman has the to allow the horse to learn the Objective through pressure and release. At the right we see Assyrian Horseman using a “bridle” but no saddle or stirrups.

Man may have always been “Impatient”, so around the 17th Century BC, we started to see the Assyrian Horse Bit Tack gimmickuse of Mouthpieces (bone, leather, and metal)  introduced which allowed “quicker” response from the horse by applying a more harsh stimulation. Pictured to the right is an ancient Assyrian solid bit. Another Tack Gimmick?

Man quickly learned the horse could offer an advantage in the art of war and “cavalries were popping up around the 17th century BC. Saddles and saddle pad “gimmicks” allowed the rider to be more secure and “stand up” and use his weapons more effectively in the Charge. About this time in history another Gimmick started showing up and that was the device to stimulate the horse more quickly and that ended up being called a Spur. Spurs were an extension of the rider leg and foot, which bring us to the thought there really are TWO classes of horseback riding “aids”.

Natural Aids: Human legs, trunk arm hands, eyes and voice. (non Gimmick)
Artificial Aids: just about everything else you see in the tack room. (Gimmick)

Yes, there is some tongue and cheek generated in this post about Horse Tack Gimmicks. Many of the devices, we use to enjoy riding and training our horses, are important and useful. The REAL secret to USE them effectively and be willing to UNDERSTAND the HOW and WHY of the horse.

The problem with so many artificial aids is that they are used as a crutch to solve a problem that the rider doesn’t know how to fix, care to fix, or doesn’t have time to fix.

It is my contention that if a person wants to accept the responsibility of owning a horse they should allocate Time, Energy, and modest Capital to LEARN the the Horse, how they think and k what they are capable of sharing. There are competent Trainers and coaches, throughout the world, who respect the HORSE and are willing to share the RIGHT STUFF.

Also remember your experience with the Horse will be even more enhanced by owning the correct and safe Quality Horse Tack, such as Manufactured by Buckaroo Leather Products

 

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Bitless Training, Bitless Riding and Bitless Bridle

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Buckaroo John Brand

Bitless Riding and Bitless Training is a current topic of interest with savvy horsemen.

The bitless bridle (AKA sidepull) has been used for many years.

Actually the use of a noseband style head gear pre-dates the use of “mouth pieces of steel”
From Wikipedia

It is likely that the first domesticated horses were ridden with some type of noseband, made of various materials such as sinew, leather, or rope. However, because the materials used to make gear other than metal bits disintegrates quickly, archaeological evidence of the earliest use of bitless designs has been difficult to find. The earliest artistic evidence of use of some form of bitless bridle was found in illustrations of Synian horseman, dated approximately 1400 BC. However, domestication of the horse occurred between 4500 and 3500 BC, while earliest evidence of the use of bits, located in two sites of the Botai culture, dates to about 3500-3000 BC. Thus there is a very high probability that some sort of headgear was used to control horses prior to the development of the bit.

Perfectly Bitless BridleBitless Bridles apply pressure to parts of the horse’s face and head, such as the nose, jaw and poll, but not to the mouth. Uses of a bitless bridle vary, but may include the training green horses, use when a horse has a mouth injury or is otherwise unable or unwilling to carry a bitted bridle, and by personal preference of horse owners. Bitless designs are most often seen in endurance riding, trail riding, and some types of natural horsemanship,they are sometimes seen in other disciplines.

 

Uses of a bitless bridle vary, but may include the training green horses, use when a horse has a mouth injury or is otherwise unable or unwilling to carry a bitted bridle, and by personal preference of horse owners. Bitless designs are most often seen in endurance riding, trail riding, and some types of natural horsemanship, they are sometimes seen in other disciplines.

One advantage of using the Bitless Bridle correctly is the ability to a soft and easy touch Bitless bridle demonstrationwith the horse. Here are some key point about the Perfectly Bitless Bridle as mentioned by Michaella Walker, Natural Horsemanship trainer from Indiana:

  • The Bridle  is an aid that is not harsh.
  • It doesn’t add a cold metal piece into the horses mouth that causes discomfort.
  • It doesn’t break into the tender skin and bones in the roof of the mouth.
  •  This Bitless option gives a rider a more relaxed horse therefor the fight is over.
  • The horse soon realizes how easy it is to understand this aid and they blend, supple and think with out pain or discomfort.
  • The riders hands become much more effective when the communication goes to a calm mind.

Buckaroo Leather Products manufactures a quality collection of Bitless Bridles (AKA Sidepulls).

Black Latigo Bitless bridlePictured on the left is the sidepull bitless headstall,  made from quality Hermann Oak 5/8″ Harness leather or Black latigo leather.  This Side Pull Bitless Headstall has a flat leather nose and is double & stitched with soft chap lining.  The sidepull is hand edged, rubbed and oiled for a soft supple feel. It features an adjustable throat latch, chin strap. It is finished with decorative rawhide loops. Also included in this bitless bridle set is our famous oiled soft and supple lined harness one piece style reins (#LR2887), 5/8″ width. This sidepull bitless headstall is available in regular horse sizes, small horse, cob, pony, large horse sizes, mule and draft horse sizes.

Enjoy the video below demonstrating the Bitless Bridle in action at the 2010 Mustang Challenge, where the competition centered around green broke Mustang horses. Again Michaella Walker is featured.

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Working your Horse with the Liberty Rein

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Chuck Bartok

We appreciate Farah DeJohnette demonstrating her Horse training skills at yielding to Pressure using Buckaroo Leather Quality Leather Tack.

This video focuses on teaching the horse to yield to pressure using the the Buckaroo Leather Bridleless Neck Rein Liberty Collar (Cordero) .

The Buckaroo Bridleless Neck Rein Liberty Collar allows you to train your horse to ride without a bridle

We encourage you to be aware that it does require an investment of Time and Energy to get a horse to respond as you see on the video and the Tack demonstrated are aides in helping the training process and NOT the solution

Buckaroo Leather Bridleless Neck Rein Liberty Collar (Cordero) is available in different styles and material composition.

Follow the training ideas outlined by Farah DeJohnette and our other “Bitless” Trainer fan,  Michaella Walker

And always remember to  ride with the Brand to Demand, American Made, Buckaroo Leather

Made in USA

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Back Country Horsemen, Champions of the US Trail System

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Buckaroo John Brand

The Back Country Horsemen (BCHA) organization has been on the forefront of assuring the future continuation of American Horsemen to enjoy the vast US  Trail System.

The organization was the brainchild of three dedicated Wilderness Horseman, who enjoyed the Back Country of the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana.

Roland Cheek, Dennis Swift and Ken Ausk hunted together in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. They all had years of experience with horses and back country packing. However they noticed that the Wilderness area could deteriorate quickly and there were  no Organizations dedicated to the preservation of the trail systems. So, in 1973, after many evenings on the trail, discussing the problem, the formation of the Back Country Horsemen (BCH) took place in Montana’s Flathead Valley in January of 1973.

Back Country Horsemen

The  organization, Back Country Horsemen, has grown over the past 40 years to become a MAJOR influence on creating awareness and supporting and promoting the Wilderness access and maintenance, along with being a watchdog and mediator regarding Excessive and Misdirected local and federal Regulation.

The Back Country Horsemen have Chapters is almost of the US. These local groups seriously impact the care and maintenance of  trails for all to enjoy the wonders of our great Wilderness areas.

Northern California Back Country Horsemen will be gathering at a Rendezvous in Red Bluff California  on March 30-Aprile 1, 2012 at the Tehama County Fairgrounds.
For more information Contact:Judy Fox, (530) 396-2702 twofoxes@hughes.net
Daily demonstrations; Private lessons available during event

Buckaroo Leather Pulling Breast CollarBuckaroo Leather Products is honored in providing for Northern California Back Country Horsemen  Fund Raising Auction our  popular Pulling Breast Collar #BC65/66. The Pulling Breast Collar has an over the shoulder fit. This style of breast collar is designed to wrap through the saddle swells, perfect for a pulling position. This Pulling Breast Collar is available in Large Horse, Mule and Draft Horse sizes.

With a traditional Cowboy look these Pulling Breast Collars are designed for performance riding or trail riding, just perfect for all Back Country Horsemen.

 

Remember, Buckaroo Leather is now featuring a complete section on Packing Equipment

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Packing It In with Horse and Mule

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Buckaroo John Brand

Packing it In has taken on some different meaning in the past few years with the growth of Horse and Mule packing.

horse mule packingWhat used to be a transportation mainstay of commerce, construction  and exploration is now enjoying a Renaissance, allowing many to enjoy the Back Country with their trusty Horses and Mules.

The packhorse, mule or donkey was a critical tool in the development of the Americas. In colonial America, Spanish, French and English traders made use of pack horses and mules to carry goods to remote Native Americans and to carry hides back to colonial market centers.

Continue reading →

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The Lasso, Lariat, Riata, or Reata, the “rope thing”

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Buckaroo John Brand

Believe it or not, the Lasso, a.k.a the Riata, Lariat or Reata, has been throwing people for a “loop” for over 3,000 years.

Pharaoh with LassoRelief carvings, found in the Egyptian Temple of Pharoh Seti, from 1289 BC, show the “head honcho”, Pharoh Seti holding a lasso (lariat, riata, or reata), then holding onto a bull roped around the horns.

A bit of research will also show the Mongols, superb horseman, Mongolian Uuraga Lassousing a variant of the lasso called an uurga  is used, consisting of a rope loop at the end of a long pole, and still used today.

Regardless of the names attributed to this very utilitarian and simple livestock handling tool, the Lasso or simple the Rope has been used effectively for a long time.

According to Wikipedia:…..
the tool has several proper names, such terms are rarely employed by those who actually use it; nearly all cowboys simply call it a “rope,” and the use of such “roping.” Amongst most cowboys, the use of other terms – especially “lasso” – quickly identifies one as a layman.

The Rope, Lasso, or whatever you are inclined to call it, typically made of cotton rope polyester or nylon today. However in the “Old West” and Asia and Europe, horse hair lariats were extremely common  and are still made occasionally by the Mexicans and certain tribes of Indians. Also according Bernard S Mason  the French peasants of some sections one can find the  horsehair rope  still in common use today.

The standard rope lariat of the pioneer days of the West was the rawhide lariat, made of buffalo or horse hide

Also according to Mason: The finest rope obtainable for trick roping and all around use by one interested in roping as a sport is the Mexican maguey rope, obtainable from any cowboy outfitters at a very small cost. These are handmade ropes of agave fiber, four strand, and about 3/8 inch thick. They are hard and smooth in finish, and sufficiently stiff to hold a beautiful noose. Maguey ropes are thoroughly to be recommended to every one interested in learning to rope

Regardless of the original material the Rope is typically stiff to allow the “loop” to stay open. It is important for the Roper to be able to keep an open “Loop” while on horseback Most of Lasso, (Lariats, “Ropes”) today are available in a choice of  degree “stiffness” or LAY (weight).  Also the different weight will affect the ease of spinning and keeping the loop open.

Team Ropers throwing their RopesIn the sport of Team Roping, Headers and Heelers  choose different weights and lengths, from XXS  (Xtra Xtra Soft) to MH (Medium Hard) and lengths fom 30-35′
Headers seem to favor the shorter Heavier Lay “ropes”, while the Heelers lean toward the longer Softer lay lariats.

Ranch Roping enthusiasts today will opt for a longer and softer rope lariat, in contrast to Team Ropers, who are usually working in a short distance of “chase” and watching the clock, the Ranch Roper  is moving more slowly and not “pressuring the herd.

Buckaroo Leather makes available a fine selection of Quality Long Ranch Ropes for the Buckaroo Leather Ranch Ropemodern day ranch Roping enthusiast.

For those who enjoy their Sport of Roping or practice your roping skill as part of your daily chore, may all of your catches be true and Ride American

 

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Ranch Roping, the Traditional Rodeo Event

Posted on January 8, 2012 by Buckaroo John Brand

Almost every Rodeo fan is aware of the exciting fast paced sport of Team Roping.

But back in history and now gaining popularity the sport of Ranch Roping has always enjoyed a following.

Ranch Roping has evolved from part of the daily work chore of the American Cowboy to a growing spectator sport.

Ranch roping was a mainstay of of what was often called “round-ups” or “cowpuncher reunions”.  These informal rodeos were later promoted as “frontier days” or “pioneer days” by canny officials in nearby towns. The Dewey Oklahoma Roundup, held since 1908, is an example.

Ranch Roping Soft LoopCowboys (vaqueros) used long ropes in the old way of handling cattle on the open range for doctoring and branding. They used  “la reata” (lariat, catchrope, gutline, whaleline, maguey) for catching and holding the animal while a groundman did the deed. This is a far cry from that high speed deal, we now see as Team Roping on today’s Rodeo Circuit.

Ranch Roping was done slowly and purposefully, so as not to stress the cow or young calf, being as it was probably sick or a young one that was about to be stressed enough by the branding and castrating that cattle undergo still today. 

 

The Ranch Roper is working under different conditions, they find themselves using a more traditional Long Rope, greater in length and softer than the highly specialized Team Roping Ranch Roping with Long ropeRopes. and there are two different methods used for working the rope from saddle.

Among other distinguishing characteristics, the Hispanic vaquero used the “dallying” technique: he loosely bound his rope around the saddlehorn, often leaving slack between horse and roped cow. The Anglo/African American “cowboy” generally used a “hard tie” technique: he tied the rope fast to the saddle horn and trained his horse to move away from the roped animal. …

From the book, Catch Rope: The Long Arm of the Cowboy (The history and evolution of ranch roping)  by John R. Erickson

Buckaroo Leather Products has been proving quality, Made in America, Working Cowboy Leather Tack and accessories for 30 years. One of most popular products for the Ranch Buckaroo Leather Ranch RopeRoping participant is the fine collection of soft, durable Long Ropes.
They are proud to offer the ranch and range proven aged 3/8″ Soft Red Tracer nylon lariat ropes. These have become the “go to rope” in the Great Basin and ranches across the West.

Available in Lengths from 35 feet to 75 Feet

We offer the standard tied in loop honda with rawhide burner or the metal buckaroo honda. 3/8″ Soft Lay (lay is the degree of softness/stifness feel) is our most popular. Please call 530-545-0139 or ask question above for any other sizes or lay.

 

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Team Roping, the American Team Sport

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Buckaroo John Brand

Team Roping has evolved over the past decades to become a major All American sport.

Team Roping grew out of the daily ranch work of sorting branding and doctoring herd of cattle, usually twice a year on the great American Ranches.

Typically two cowboys would sort a calf, one throwing a loop over the head (the Header)and the other dropping a loop at the rear legs to catch the heel (the Heeler), then stretch the calf and have the ground crew throw and go to work with medication, castration and branding. From this real Work Team Roping evolved the Sport of Team Roping.

There is is resurgence of interest in the Ranch Roping Technique that is growing around the country and it is a slower activity, but still allows the demonstration of horsemanship and horse cow sense.

When the cowboys would gather at the end of Roundups there was always a bit of competition to see who could earn bragging rights to be the Top Team at Roping. In the early 20th Century as the wild West show began to wane the “organized Rodeo began to show up and by the mid century  in 1945 to the Rodeo Cowboys Association Grew out of the Cowboy Turtles Association and the modern sport of rodeo was born, and Team Roping became a regular event.

Today the sport of Team Roping has become a fast paced competition with well trained Team Roping corriente steerhorses and athletic Cowboys and Cowgirls. The Camarillo Brothers are credited for really exploding the sport with their remarkable performances in the 1960′s. The typically arena is laid out to “re-cycle” cows and employs the use of Electronic timers for accurate recording of time. The actual time is not counted until the Arena Judge gives the signal the catch was correct. There is a penalty if only one rear leg is caught and the Header’s loop must be around the horns. The Corriente Breed of cattle has become a preferred breed for roping stock. It seems every year the World speed record is broken.

Draft Horse and Mule Pulling Breast CollarOne of the critical components of a successful Team roping , beside the ability of the Rider and the well trained cow horse is thew us of Quality and safe horse tack, from the roping saddle and a well fitting Breast Collar, for balance and support for the horse during the quick turns and stretching the catch. The Roping style Breast collar has been a standard for years, but the “old fashioned” Yoke style Pulling Breast Collar has grown in popularity. But you will typically see the Standard all around  Breast Collar on most Team Roping horses.

Another important piece tack is, of course, a set of quality, supple leather reins and a well made reliable Bit, fitting the the horse and handled with soft hands. The training of the horse is an obvious need, since the rider needs to focus on his hands and the movement of the steer. A well trained, Cow Savvy, horse is imperative.

It almost mind boggling to realize the World Speed record for Team Roping as recoded by the PRCA is 3.5 seconds posted by Blaine Linaweaver and Jory Levy (San Angelo, TX. in 2001).

Anybody have a knowledge of a better time?Comment below
Comment below

 

 

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Bits and Spurs, the steel side of horse tack from Sliester Bits and Spurs.

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Buckaroo John Brand

When most people think of horse tack they thought of Leather arise, but Bits and Spurs are the hard steel side of the tack world.

Everyone does not wear Spurs, but  most all horseman use a Steel Bit in their horse’s mouth at some time.

When seeking the proper Bit and Spur to use, the same diligence needs to be applied as the choice of Quality Leather Tack. Following the tradition of Buckaroo Leather, we are proud to to offer the finest, Made in the USA Sliester Bits and Spurs

Snaffle BitStarting with the “Bit” a serious horseman want to be looking for the material used in manufacturing, the finish and also the purpose of the bit. Yes the purpose of the bit  sounds strange, but different style bits are chosen for their AFFECT on the horse’s mouth and at what stage of training the horse is experiencing.

Pictured above  is an O-ring snaffle by the manufactured by the Sliester Bit Company of California , founded in 1954,  now being featured by Buckaroo Leather Company. This is traditionally what most horsemen “start” their horse ‘s exposure to the Bit and is offered with choice of Mouthpiece form reputable manufacturers, such as Sliester Bits and Spurs. One need to be assured the highest quality steel is used and the fabrication is detailed to smooth corners  and no opportunity for the Bit to cut the horse’s mouth.

Steel Bit Mouthpieces by Sliester BitsAs the horse become finished and training advanced, the fully bridled Western Horse will usually be found wearing a “Californio Vaquero” shanked,style Bit, sometime referred to as a Salinas Style Bit and pictured at right. When the horse is ready for this type Bit the rider needs very little hand pressure, since the Bit is Sliester Shanked Bittransforming the riders cues subtle to the mouth through quality leather reins. Again the purchaser want to be assured of the highest quality Steel used and the smooth finish, devoid of any sharp protrusions. Also the Shanked Bits should be available with a choice of Mouthpieces and provided by Sliester Bits. One reason why Buckaroo Leather chose to offer Sliester Bits was the fact they are made to order and YOU can Choose options such as Mouthpieces, shank length, etc..

Each Sliester Bit is custom made, never mass produced, offering a fine feeling of balance. Sliester Bits feature the “SQUARE PIN.” This keeps the cheek pieces from turning and pinching the horse’s mouth, yet allows all the action required in a loose jawed bit.

Spurs

We have discussed spurs in previous articles and will elaborate more on the new Line of Handcrafted Made in the USA, Spurs Buckaroo Leather is now offering from Sliester Bits and Spurs

What have been your experiences with the Bits and Spurs available in retail stores? Also if you have a Horse related Facebook Fan Page, feel free to include in the comments below, so we can follow you and better understand your needs.

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