Archive for the ‘Western Saddles’ Category
I’ve always fancied myself a bit of a cowboy enthusiast. I enjoy rodeos, horseback riding, and the great outdoors of the Southwest. When I told my wife that I wanted a room dedicated to cowboy paraphernalia, with authentic Western horse tack adorning the walls, she laughed at first. It took a while, but she started to understand that I was serious. The problem is, we only have three rooms in our house, one is the master bedroom, one is my son’s, and the other is the guest room. I wanted somewhere to display all my cowboy wall art and collectibles, but it wasn’t practical to use one of the main rooms of the house.
We ended up compromising; my wife told me I could use our dining room for all my cowboy art. We seldom used the dining room, but I was happy enough with the fact that I could make it into my own Southwest haven. I put lassoes on the walls, added some rustic dining chairs, and displayed all my cowboy wall art and collectibles on shelves. By the time I was done, even my wife liked how the room turned out!
When it comes to horseback riding, there are two main classifications: Western and English. Generally, stereotyping is counterproductive, but in this case, it is helpful in creating a basic idea of each style. Western saddles and tack are typically associated with the Wild West and cowboys riding horses through open plains. This style of tack tends to be heavier and larger, making it ideal for longer rides.
English tack is smaller and more lightweight. This style of riding equipment is used in jumping competitions and other applications where speed and agility are at a premium. One of the main discrepancies between the two styles is that English riders typically have contact with the horse’s mouth via reigns, whereas Western riders use body movements and the horse’s neck to dictate direction.