Monday, October 26, 2009

100% Mohair Breast Collars, Mecates and Cinchs - Vaquero Style!

A new Mecate is pretty, but an old Mecate is beautiful. All of the hair prickles are worn off so the pattern is very crisp and distinct. The colors are still as bright as the day it was made. There is some dander and dirt where it has rubbed many a horse's neck, but that just gives it character!

Mohair and Mane hair Mecates are a natural alternative to synthetic fiber Mecates. They are comparable in price, yet have a longer usable life.


Below is a simple list of the benefits of having Mohair or Mane Hair Mecates:

Mane hair/mohair is very strong, yet not as heavy as other materials, lighter Mecate, lighter horse.

Mane hair/mohair, unlike synthetic materials, is not broken down by UV radiation

Mane hair/mohair as a natural animal fiber, softens with age and use
Since mane hair is slick, hard and relatively non-porous, they stay cleaner longer and are easier to clean when they do need it.

A well made, well maintained Mecate will last a lifetime and longer. There is nothing quite like a good mane hair/mohair Mecate. They have weight, but not too much, they are balanced, and a truly good one has a life of it's own.

Below is a list of the disadvantages associated with synthetic Mecates:
Nylon (yacht braid and braided parachute cord), polyester and polypropylene are all heavier than mohair/mane hair.

All synthetic materials are broken down by ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which makes them stiffen as they age. Many people think the ropes are stiff because they are dirty and think washing them will solve the problem, but it is actually the rope breaking down.

All synthetics and plant fibers (such as cotton or rayon) are slightly rough. This allows sweat and dirt to adhere to them and it doesn't take long for them to get dirty.
Mohair/ Mane Hair Mecates have a timeless quality with character! They are the Mecates To Demand!

Buckaroo Leather carries a variety of styles of Mohair and Mane Hair Mecates, Cinches, and Hackamores. Our quality and service are second to none! We are the Brand To Demand!



Buckaroo Leather Now Introduces- Mohair Breast Collars!

Mohair Blend Cincha cord Breast Collar-29 double strand with Nickel Hardware and roller buckles for easy adjustment with 1" Hermann Oak Harness leather.


Mohair Mecate (pictured above)

Mohair Mecate 5/8" - 22' long, 6 Strand Braid. Beautiful Quality hand braided feel and communication as mane hair, but is much easier on the hands, especially for the rider with a softer grip. They have pretty much the same body and feel as the good mane hair mecates. These are the best we have found braided in the old California Vaquero style!








Mane Hair Mecate 5/8" - 22' long, 6 Strand Braid. Beautiful Quality hand braided feel and communication. These are the best we have found braided in the old California Vaquero Style.







Complete Hackamore Set includes an all natural color beautifully hand braided 14 or 16 (see detail pic) plait 5/8" All rawhide core (no cable core) rawhide bosal w/ Hermann Oak harness head piece attached with Cowboy knot adjustment and Mohair Mecate 5/8" - 22' long, 6 Strand Braid. Beautiful Quality hand braided feel and communication. These are the best we have found braided in the old California Vaquero style. This Hackamore features our best quality all rawhide core bosal; a beautiful piece of "Old Style" rawhide braiding.







27 strand 100% mohair cutter cinch with reinforced sewn center, stainless steel dees, billet pocket, and flat beveled stainless steel buckles. New buckles have a flattened end to help latigo from binding.







27 strand 100% mohair roper cinch with leather sewn center, billet pocket, and new flat beveled stainless steel buckles. Stainless steel dees are inset on the leather center and flat to prevent rubbing. New buckles have a flattened end to help latigo from binding.

Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving
the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality
American made leather horse tack.......

Buckaroo John Brand

Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand
Visit Our Unique Store Today
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

Thursday, October 15, 2009

An Old Cowboy Style Thanksgiving!




The Holidays are almost upon us- Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas!




Thought I would share a brief story of Mrs. Hulda Esther Thorpe-and her reason to be thankful!

And a cowpunchers Thanksgiving Day poem-


A Close Call
In 1938, Mrs. Hulda Esther Thorpe remembers the dangers that settlers faced on the prairie in the 1800s, and the many reasons settlers had for giving thanks:

One of the best Thanksgiving dinners we ever knew of was when a family of settlers had their nice wild turkey dinner taken by the Indians, who came in silently and just shoved the folks back and eat it up. They did not harm the white people though and after they were gone the women made a big corn bread and with what few things the Indians left, they had a feast, the best as the daughter tells, that she ever eat. This was because they were so happy and thankful that the Indians spared them. This is one of many stories Mrs. Thorpe remembers from her pioneer childhood. To read more, in American Life Histories, 1936-1940, search on Hulda Esther Thorpe to find the document entitled, "Mrs. Hulda Esther Thorpe."



The Cowpuncher's Thanksgiving Rhymes of the Range

By L. Maynard Dixon
Sunset Magazine, November, 1903





Now swing your rope—and swing 'er wide! It's brandin' time,—and it's time, you bet


To swing a big loop and to take yer ride,— Thank God, there's cows in the country yet!


Cut out that yearlin' and take a chance;— Show how you can ride. Bets up! I say


He'll burn the earth and he'll burn your pants. (We must have some sport Thanksgiving Day!)He's risin' high and he's landin' hard,— Stay with him, Bill! or it's gals good night!


If you can't stick him, a sure thing, pard, You'll land on the only rock in sight!


Now ride straight up—you must ride him fair. He's risin' high and he's landin' far!


Bet I can ride 'im and not pull hair,— Fer that's the kind of boy I are!





With Thanksgiving around the corner- here are some Old West Cowboy ideas for Christmas!


Do you Love The Old Time Style Tack coming back in fashion...
Buckaroo Leather has The old west style headstalls that have tear drop cheeks, scallops and lots of beautiful silver conchos & buckles....

The Old Cowboy styles are coming back strong with horse tack and training methods by all the clinicians...

Rage of the Sage.....





Buckaroo Bridle




This 3/4" Buckaroo Old West Style Bridle Set is hand crafted of the finest Hermann Oak Harness leather, it features a shaped brow, scalloped cheek pieces with easy change buckles at bit connection on headstall & reins then is finished with Hand Engraved Silver Conchas, decorative stitching and nickel buckles. Matching harness reins are also finished with Hand Engraved Silver Conchas, decorative stitching Nickel Plate buckles; reins are available in 5/8" or 3/4" and 7' or 8' lengths.




Old West Headstall



"Old Time Cowboy" look makes a comeback with this Hermann Oak Harness headstall featuring a swell browband and adjustable & removable noseband/caveson. Leather conchas & blood knot ties add that "Old Time" detail to the brow and cheek, designed with a handy old style buckle on cheek connector for an easy bit change. Nickel Hardware. Can easily add on any Silver conchas and buckles!


Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving
the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality
American made leather horse tack.......

Buckaroo John Brand

Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand
Visit Our Unique Store Today
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Swarovski Conchos and Sheekaroo Horse Tack


In the early beginnings of rodeos, including barrel racing for women, what the appropriate attire society expected the early cowgirls to wear often hampered their riding skills and caused accidents.



While men dressed in appropriate pants and wore high-heeled boots that helped keep their feet in the stirrups, the women wore long skirts which were constantly in the way. What women lacked in comfort, though, they made up for in color.

Cowgirls livened their attire with bright bandannas, silk scarves around their waists and the more daring put a fancy feather in their hats.


Today’s Cowgirls have amazing competitive skills and horsemanship for competing in Barrel Racing, but like their counterparts before them-they like their color and Bling!



Buckaroo Leather offers beautiful Swarovski Conchos and Sheekaroo Tack!



The Swarovski Crystal Conchos and Buckle sets are the perfect choice to add some sparkling Bling to your leather horse tack. For all you Cowgirls who want to turn heads both with your riding skills and sparkling flare!


The Swarovski Crystal Conchos and Buckles are Hand Made Original designs by Rodeo Drive Conchos. They only use Swarovski Austrian Crystals and they are the official Crystal Conchos distributor for the NBHA. RODEO DRIVE crystal conchos and buckles are backed by an unparalleled LIFETIME GUARANTEE.


Swarovski Austrian Crystal Concha

(pictured above)


This gorgeous concha features genuine Swarovski crystals on a beautiful hand engraved Antique Silver concha. Color- Teal/Clear. Each piece is hand ma

de and carries a lifetime guarantee; available in 1 1/2". Screw or loop back.


Swarovski Austrian Crystal Buckle

(pictured to the right)

This gorgeous buckle set features genuine Swarovski Austrian crystals on a beautiful hand engraved 5/8" antique silver buckle set. Color- Clear.






Beautiful Hand tooled Oak
 pattern 5/8" browband headstall, double & stitched featuring a scalloped browband and cheek pieces. This headstall is finished with 1 1/2" genuine Swarovski crystal antique conchas at the brow, 5/8" Buckles & 1" conchas with chicago screw attachment for easy change at the bit end. Matching Oak Leaf & Basket stamp Breast Collar features 4-1 1/2" Swarovski clear crystals antique conchas. Other crystal concha colors available in the Concha & Buckle Set category. Just contact us.



Buckaroo Leather’s Sheekaroo Tack is a great way to add you own style and flare! Whether you are pleasure riding or competing in the ring-this tack will be sure to turn some heads-and not just your horses!




Animal Print Headstall & Spur Straps-


Beautiful Sheekaroo Designs your horse will love. Zebra or Leopard print hair-on cowhide makes a statement. Accented with antiqued Copper conchas and buckles making it easy change at the bit ends. The set includes 1 pair of matching spur straps and regular horse size headstall. Matching Breast Collar available- PLEASE contact us. This Set Available with medium brown oiled bridle leather as pictured or black latigo with Animal print overlay.






Buckaroo Leather also has a great selection of quality leather Barrel Racing horse tack-



Hermann Oak harness leather 5/8" barrel rein w/natural hand braided rawhide buttons for gripping. Adjustable with scissor snap attachments at the bit end.









Harness Leather western Reins made in AMERICA! Made from premium Hermann Oak Harness leather for a smooth, rich, "broke in" feel. The Reins are 3/4" -8" adjustable. There are Nickel Plate scissor snaps and Rawhide loops on these Quality Leather Barrel/Trail Reins. They have soft Chap lacing across the hand hold for a graguated grip and feel.








This Martingale is Excellent for all Martingale Training! Every Strap is adjustable! This German Martingale is made from quality Hermann Oak Harness Leather. This Martingale has a one piece adjustable 3/4" Leather Roping Style Rein. Finished with double Nickel Plate Buckles and Rawhide Keepers. The rein portion is available as shown, with a flat center hand hold, or can be ordered with a rolled center hand hold.




To Learn more about the history of Barrel Racing click on the link below




Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving
the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality
American made leather horse tack.......

Buckaroo John Brand

Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand
Visit Our Unique Store Today
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

Friday, October 9, 2009

Barrel Racing History


Barrel racing is a rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to complete a clover-leaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. (Typically three fifty-five gallon metal or plastic drums) It combines the horse's athletic ability and the horsemanship skills of a rider in order to safely and successfully maneuver a horse through the pattern.



Though both boys and girls compete at the youth level and men compete in some amateur venues, in collegiate and professional ranks, it is primarily a rodeo event for women. In the 1900’s when the women began to compete in the rodeo’s they excelled at horse racing, trick riding and relay. Their weight was an advantage and, due to their gentler nature, the females seemed to have a closer kinship with the horses.




The History
(By Gail Hughbanks Woerner)



Faye Blackstone (pictured here) began her trick riding career in the 1930s, but when specialty acts began being replaced Faye turned her great horsemanship talents to barrel racing. She and a few other cowgirls began the barrel racing event in Florida in 1950. Dixie Reger Mosley(the last picture on the page) began her rodeo career at age 5 ½ years old, trick riding on a Shetland pony. Growing up in a rodeo family gave her many varied opportunities, including some rodeo clowning. When the Girl’s Rodeo Association (GRA) began in 1948, which turned in to the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) in 1981, Dixie was the bullfighter, rodeo clown, and competed in most events, except bull riding. She saw barrel racing evolve through the GRA organization to become an event for women that today offers purses that compete with the Professional Rodeo Cowboy’s Association (PRCA) event purses.



Barrel racing was first seen in Texas , according to Faye Blackstone, and spread from there. Although women had been competing in rodeo, in various ways, since the 1880s, when Buffalo Bill Cody, hired Annie Oakley (pictured below), the best known woman gun handler of the day. Cody discovered that fans would flock to his wild west shows to see her perform. But the decision to include women bronc riders, relay race riders, and so on, was always at the discretion of the men producing the event.


The 1931 Stamford, Texas, Cowboy Reunion, a weekend rodeo, decided to add girls, sixteen years and older, that were sponsored by area businesses and represented the community from which they came. The girls would lead the parade, participate in various minor rodeo activities and be available to visit and dance with the cowboys at the social events held each evening. The following year the young ladies were given prizes for (1) the best mount, (2) most attractive riding outfit, and (3) best horsemanship. The horsemanship was demonstrated by riding in a figure eight around barrels. In 1935 the Stamford event changed the barrel racing to a cloverleaf pattern, but it was not judged strictly by the shortest time until 1949.


The Cowboys Amateur Association (CAA) organized in 1940, and held rodeos where the contestant could compete on the amateur level until they had won $500. They could then join the ‘professional’ rodeo organization, should they choose to do so. The CAA held competitions for women, as well as men, which included barrel racing, cutting horse contests, bronc riding and a roping event. They also offered money as prizes instead of feminine gifts, such as make-up cases and hair products, which were the general prizes offered previously.


There was a flurry of “all girl rodeos” during World War II. They were highly successful, but when the war was over and the men came home things went back to the way they had been before the war, that meant few rodeo competitions for women.

Mildred Farris, barrel racing pioneer, whose competitive years spanned the 1950s until 1971, and was a Girl’s Rodeo Association director, vice-president and president from 1965 to 1971, remembers the days when she and others in her era were trying to get barrel racing included at rodeos across the country. “I worked for the rodeo producer, Tommy Steiner, as a rodeo secretary and he always had barrel races at his rodeos. I think that the barrel racing event, in the beginning, often took the place of contract acts, that had been such an important part of rodeos in earlier days. The girls in the barrel racing event, in our day, always wore more colorful, flashy clothes, much like the contract performers. Steiner was the first producer to use the electric eye in timing the barrel racing event. It must have been in the 1960s,” Farris recalled. She also said that in those days the prizes for barrel racing were not comparable to the men’s events. If the men’s bronc riding or roping paid $400 to win, the barrel racing paid around $100 to the winner. She is quite proud to say that in today’s rodeo the WPRA-sanctioned barrel racing events pay comparable monies to the PRCA-sanctioned events, such as bronc riding, roping competitions, etc.




Farris reminisced about her first barrel racing horse. She bought a ‘spoiled’ roping horse. He was ‘high-headed’ and it was impossible to use a tie down on him. But when he started running he would put his head down and he handled well. “The first barrel race I entered with him was an amateur rodeo and I had only run him a few times. At the last minute they decided to change the pattern and run to the first barrel, then to the third barrel, (the farthest away), and back to the second barrel. In spite of the fact he’d not run this pattern before we finished second. That night I practiced this new pattern with him and the second performance we finished first.” Farris was one of the top fifteen barrel racers in the United States for twelve years, 1958 through 1970, only missing 1965. She was also voted Rodeo Secretary of the Year by PRCA nine times, with the most recent honor given to her in 2006. She was inducted, with husband, John, in to the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2006.


Buckaroo Leather has quality leather Barrel Racing horse tack, including Sheekaroo Tack and beautiful Swarovski "Bling" Conchos! Look for our upcoming blog featuring these items!




Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving
the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality
American made leather horse tack.......

Buckaroo John Brand

Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand
Visit Our Unique Store Today
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Headstall and Rein Quick Change Horse Tack


Buckaroo Leather's new Quick Change Headstalls and Reins make it easier to change your horses’ bits!

The quick changes are at the bit ends…
Just too easy and secure!!
The Quick Change Headstall and Rein Sets are made to perform with the maximum effectiveness for your horse training or horse riding needs.
The quick change allows for simplicity and ease of changing multiple bits, with no screws to loose or come undone.
There are no ties to replace….
Great for kids, easy to use secure and safe!

Watch The How-To-Video on how easy it is to use the Quick Change Reins and Headstalls


Headstall Quick Change-



Quick Change Browband Headstall 5/8" Oiled soft supple Harness leather. With new QUICK changes at the bit end making it super easy to change bits! Beautiful double & sewn with dyed edges and double cheek adjustment for the perfect fit. See Split Reins LR100-55QC to match.





Quick Change Split Reins-



Quick Change Oiled super supple broke in feel Split Harness reins 5/8"- 7 1/2'. For QUICK & easy bit changes. YOU will love the feel and ease of using these reins. Made to match Headstall #LH100-45QC


Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving
the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality
American made leather horse tack.......

Buckaroo John Brand

Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand
Visit Our Unique Store Today
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site