The American Western Stock Saddle (Part 2)

    By the late 1860’s the era of the great cattle drives had begun. Along with innumerable cattle, Texas cowboys were arriving on the plains riding a variety saddle patterns now worn out from the long drives. With an eye toward capturing that business the budding entrepreneurs found themselves repairing and building cowboy saddles.

     The late war had little real effect on the Collins boys except in the business options it provided. In 1872 John took advantage of the most significant of these favorable opportunities by parlaying their old friendship with Sam Grant, now President of the United States into being appointed the lucrative position of Post Trader at Ft. Laramie, Wyoming Territory. Fort Laramie was an important post on the northern frontier and this office provided excellent occasions for perhaps, questionable but nevertheless enormous profits. By 1876, John had ended his tenure there but brother Gilbert was conveniently appointed in his place. The boys were excellent businessmen and sharp enough to manage their money and influence while still in government employ by expanding their chain of saddle and harness shops in several locations including in Miles City, Montana and Cheyenne, Wyoming.²⁴ 

     Not missing the now obvious convergence of opportunities to be found in the emerging cowboy capital, when John left his office at Ft. Laramie in 1876 he and his brother opened a shop in Cheyenne. Like Gallatin/Meanea, the Collins’ shop prospered in the exciting, freewheeling cattle drive era providing cattle country paraphernalia later including other goods: bridles, bits, harness, collars, whips, curry combs, blankets, brushes, pistol holsters, belts, spurs and of course, saddles, “Catering to the Texas cowboy the Collins product was comparable in quality and style to the Gallatin/Meanea saddle.”²

      Another well-known pioneer saddle maker in the west was Hermann H. Heiser. A tough, independent German, Heiser immigrated to the United States in 1854 at age 18. By 1858 he had learned the leather trade and opened his own shops in various locations in Wisconsin and Colorado before finally settling in Denver in the 1875. Heiser built a well-deserved reputation for high quality leatherwork including top-shelf stock saddles of the California, Texas and Colorado styles. While a fine saddle maker he is perhaps better known for his inventive and decorative gun leather. Other, already noted or soon to be well known stock saddle makers were emerging across the west about this same time including S.C. Foy, the Padgitt Brothers, the Connelly Brothers, J.B. Congle, G.H. Schoellkopf, the Keystone Brothers and many others.

 

THE CHEYENNE SADDLE:

     California type saddles in various nuances reigned on the Plains throughout the 1870’s as Texas drovers were exposed to them at the end of the cattle drives. “In the eighties Texas saddle making became subject to “foreign and subversive influences.” Texans, swarming up the trail to Kansas, to Colorado, and to the Northwest, traded off their old saddles for newer and fancier makes, and came proudly jogging home on Heiser, Gallup and Visalia trees.” As has been noted, the identity of these saddles morphed into the “Texas” name but soon other hybrids emerged.²⁶

     While retaining many of the early Texas features some subtle comfort and stylistic changes were introduced in the 1880’s as well as significant new tree designs. Designs that included the aforementioned saddletrees (including Ledesma, Taylor, Visalia, White River, etc.) adopted from California influences and the addition of iron horns that had a significant impact on its function and appearance.²⁷

 

     The emerging saddle, eventually called a “Cheyenne” style was then known simply as a Stock saddle. It employed some features consistent enough to establish a recognizable style including seat jockeys over the fenders. At first, these were separate pieces of leather but soon more commonly as a part of full jockeys. Another feature was the “loop seat”. That is, exposing the tops of the wide stirrup leathers as they looped under the seat jockey then over and around the tree bars. Looping the stirrup leather through the tree bars had been around forever however, employing them, as part of a three-quarter seat under the seat jockeys and, lowering the fenders was a new combination.

     Most important, was the adoption of the new tree designs particularly the emerging California style trees. Here, Frank Meanea had a distinct advantage. His brother Theodore E. Meanea was a gifted tree maker down in Denver with a business also ironically started through the benevolence and direct assistance of uncle E.L. Gallatin. When Frank purchased the Gallatin shop at Cheyenne in 1881, he was already using his brother’s trees. The Meanea’s quickly adopted the deeper seat Visalia, Ladesma, Taylor and other tree patterns. These trees had higher cantles and higher horns that were narrower than the Texas saddles but more suitable for California-style dally roping. Brother Frank began finishing these trees with slick forks often eliminating the Samstag rigging. He also invented the Cheyenne cantle roll while brother Theodore employed his patented iron replacement horns on the saddletrees. The result of all of this was a larger, heavier, stronger saddle with a distinct look. Other makers including the Collins firm soon adopted it.²⁸

 

 

     Many of the trappings common to this pattern evolved gradually from the 1880’s through 1910. To be sure nuances abounded with different sized square or round skirts and varying jockeys, fenders, seats, stirrups, dramatic tooling, etc. It is also noteworthy that the Texas patterns and the Mochila simulated “Coras” coverings were still made by stock saddle makers even as late as the 1890’s. Nevertheless, generally the Cheyenne stock saddle pattern that emerged was notable and established its own identity. Clearly Frank and Theodore Meanea had a lot to do with these changes.

     In addition to saddle making, Frank was also an expert marketer. About the turn of the century he was one of the first western saddle makers to produce a catalog. Holding a business mind at least as sharp as their uncle Gallatin, the Meanea boys were enterprising in everything they did in the saddle business. If E.L. Gallatin was the Father of the western stock saddle then the Meanea brothers were certainly the fathers of one of its offspring- the Cheyenne saddle.²⁹

      Meanwhile throughout all of these evolutions, down in Denver E.L. Gallatin’s old partner Francis Gallup had not been idle. He too, would make his mark. Gallup had remained with his firm in Denver making saddles, harness and other leather needs for the miners, passing immigrants and the developing cattle business. The fertile Colorado rangeland with its tall Buffalo grass was fast becoming a mecca for cattle ranching.

     Sometime in the 1860’s Gallup’s younger brother Samuel C. Gallup found his way to Denver to apprentice in his elder sibling’s shop. By 1870, with the help of brother Francis and E.L. Gallatin, young S.C. opened his own shop a little over one hundred miles to the south in Pueblo. It was during their time together that the three men, E.L. Gallatin, Francis Gallup and S.C. Gallup began the development of melding the California style stock saddle and its tree into a new pattern subsequently known as the “Pueblo” or “Colorado” Stock Saddle.³⁰

 

THE PUEBLO (COLORADO) STOCK SADDLE:

     The Pueblo is renowned for its distinctive look. A heavy saddle, it employed a California style tree and horn on a wide, slick fork pommel, high cantle and was generally finished double rigged with a seat jockey, wide stirrup straps and large fenders. The rigging was under the fork covering in contrast to the “Samstag” rigging wrapped around the horn as used on Texas saddles. While poignantly similar to the Cheyenne saddle, its most easily recognizable feature was the quite large, squared skirts that often ran 18 x 32 inches. It is not clear just who, how or when these entrepreneurs were exposed to the idea of using the California trees but it certainly made sense. The California tree was designed for roping and hard ranch work, as was the rest of the Pueblo saddle with its heavy construction.³¹

 

 

     At first, there was no name attached to the pattern. Like other saddle patterns it was known simply by its place of origin. Yet, that was enough. The Pueblo Stock Saddle was unique in this part of cattle country and it immediately became a cowboy favorite.  However, it was not without its detractors. Mostly due to their heavy weight some folks called them “horse killers”. Others called them “man-killers”. One venerable old cowhand claimed the Colorado tree, “Could never hold a light to the Yorktown tree (a.k.a. New Braunfels or perhaps the Yorktown Applehorn tree).”, both a favorite among the old-time Texas cattlemen who thought the new saddles were painful to the seat points of the posterior. He further lamented it as, “was one of the clearest cases of a fad or fashion deposing the most comfortable saddle ever made” and concluded by postulating that, “it was not the auto that originally shelved the (Texas) saddle but it was fashion.”³² 

     Notwithstanding the few unhappy cattlemen, by 1884 the saddle making business was booming for S.C. Gallup. His fresh saddle style was achieving recognition all over cattle country if only among its many imitators. That year, he added to his employ an accomplished saddler by the name of Robert T. Frazier. Eight years later, Frazier bought into the firm becoming a full partner then known as Gallup & Frazier. Their specialty was of course, making enumerations of the Pueblo pattern stock saddle.  Frazier was apparently a very impetuous and progressive personality with opinionated marketing ideas that did not always fit comfortably with the more conservative Gallup. In 1898, they parted company with Frazier opening his own saddle shop in Pueblo.³³

     Frazier was hard working and innovative. He immediately and intuitively embraced mail order sales as the future by printing his first catalog in 1899. In addition, he developed promotional contracts with the famous Miller Brothers 101 Wild West Show- rivals, then heirs to the success of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West traveling show. It wasn’t long before R.T. Frazier was one of the largest mail order stock saddle makers in the country.

     Although the two Gallup’s and Gallatin figured more prominently in the origins of the Pueblo Stock Saddle, Frazier embellished his advertising with the tag lines, “The Original Designer, Owner and Maker of the Famous Pueblo Saddle”. Despite this egregious overstatement, R. T. Frazier’s promotional, business and saddle making talents made him famous in his own right. By 1915 he was enlarging his operation requiring the employment of fifty saddle makers to keep up with the orders.³⁴

 

GALLATIN’S LEGACY:

      Through all of these machinations, the influence of E. L. Gallatin cannot be overestimated. A thorough study tells us that Gallatin’s hand can be found on almost every stock saddle innovation and pattern east of the Rockies. History would prove him to be one of the most inspiring saddle makers in the west. Interestingly, readings of his memoirs suggest Gallatin himself may have thought otherwise. One author noted of Gallatin’s autobiographical life story that, “Gallatin seemed to be more concerned and involved with politics, real estate, and philosophy than with the business of manufacturing stock saddles. It is ironic that upon his death in the early 1900’s the old craftsman had made only minimal inroads in these later pursuits but he had achieved lasting renown as a saddler and harness entrepreneur.” So true, and this legacy remains imbedded in the saddles that real cowboys and other horsemen still ride today.³⁵

 

MORE EVOLUTION OF TREE MODIFICATIONS:

     Until the 1870’s stock saddle trees were made almost entirely of wood often using the natural forks of trees for the saddle fork in the desire for strength and durability. Hard woods were an obvious practice but over time their use faded away. Pine or other soft woods became a common replacement, which allowed for easier shaping of the tree, in particular the cantles and forks. Since the overall strength of any tree lies in its rawhide covering the early hardwood stock saddles were at first quite hefty but they became lighter with the softer woods yet remained just as durable.

 

 

     One of the most important improvements to the stock saddle tree was the use of a steel horn. Although there were early stylistic or experimental versions of iron forks or horns, the first meaningful cowboy trade pattern horns were patented in the late 1870’s. In 1877, Henry and Joseph Still of Austin Texas appear to have patented the first iron horn and fork combination that bolted to the tree bars. Another important early steel horn was patented by E. B. Light in 1879. Several other steel horn patents were issued in 1878 and 1879 and more followed; notably most in Texas and Colorado. In 1882, Theodore E. Meanea in Denver Colorado introduced his improved patent. Still, Light and Meanea became the most prolific and well-known makers of early steel horns. What is most interesting is that technology was changing the cowboy saddle and its geographical center. Early tree modifications were led by the Californians. However, by the 1880’s the requirements for roping and long cattle drives had shifted saddle innovation to the eastern slope of the Rockies.³⁶ All of these were a tremendous improvement over the old wooden horn trees. By 1885, most saddle shops had adopted steel horns in one manner or another. The use of steel horns also allowed liberal experimentation with the swells of the saddle forks.³⁷  

 

THE SWELL FORK:

      The purpose of the swell fork was to keep the cowboy in the saddle when trying to sit astride a half-wild, pitching, jumping, bucking bronc, who’s own focus, purpose and immediate intent is to evict that same cowboy. The swells at the fork of the saddle provide a fulcrum or brace, for the cowboy’s legs. 

 

 

     There is some discrepancy among historians as to who was the first to come up with swell forks. Early models appear to have experimented with different types of padding, bucking rolls or detachable add-ons before someone finally introduced a tree specifically made for the purpose. It probably originated under the direction of one or another of the early saddle companies found in the northwest region of Oregon, Washington or Montana. Several of the big-name saddlers justifiably claim some partial credit including Victor Marden, the Hamely Brothers, George Lawrence, John Clark and Al Frustnow. 

      According to Russel Beattie in his book “Saddles”, the first recorded swell (bulge) fork was made by T.W. Farrel of Ellenburg, Washington in either 1892 or 1893. Regardless of who was the first, best or most, by the turn of the century swell forks in various shapes and sizes were being turned out by all of the major saddle producers in the northwestern states before it permeated to the cow country east of the Great Divide about 1912. These saddles took on a genre all their own with many firms specializing in their own makes and models.³⁸

 

 

MORE EAST AND WEST MELDING:

     The finished stock saddle that first developed in early California’s cattle country west of the mountains evolved with many variations. However, over time some features faded away and others grew to be synonymous to the California style including the aforementioned trees with center-fire rigging, full seats, short rounded corner skirts, variations of Mexican flavored decorative embellishments and other amenities. As these saddles emigrated north into the states and Northwest Territories of Oregon, Wyoming, Idaho and western Montana, the saddles there often embraced some of these qualities. As the century came to a close the trees of the northwest also increasingly employed swell forks popular in that region. What emerged was a tree and finish-style somewhat unique to the Northwest and certainly different from the large, square skirts, half seats and double rigging generally found on the eastern slope of the Rockies.

     The convergence of all of the general styles began to take shape on the Northern Plains in the early 1890’s, “Although the Plains saddle had become rather accepted by the time northern ranching was established around 1877, Northerners, in general, still objected to the extra cinch. There was far less need for a heavy roping rig in their region; northern horses were not habitually conditioned to flank cinches” …. “It was not until the later 1800’s that the influx of western buckaroos, along with a scattering of perceptive cowboys sent West to accompany Oregon drives, brought a reasonable meeting of the minds. …As additional single rigs came (east) over the mountain they gained in popularity. Many found them to be more convenient, lighter in weight and eminently satisfactory…”³⁹

 

THE MONTANA (ak.a. Miles City) SADDLE:

     It was from these inspirations that another hybrid pattern, the Montana Saddle (a.k.a. Miles City Three Quarter Saddle) began to emerge about the 1890’s. “The result included the straight bound cantle, which had won so much preference on the northern range, the slender horn and high fork carrying generous swells, small, square skirts with rounded corners, full covered seats, and three-quarter rigged single cinch. Stirrups were predominantly the inch-wide ox-bow type with leathered bottoms.” The three-quarter rigging moved the front girth from the traditional “center-fire” position forward a few inches providing in theory, more stability and less saddle slippage.⁴⁰

 

     Some of the ideas came from the west in Oregon but the chief proponent if not originator of this pattern appears to be Charles E. Coggshall of Miles City, Montana. Due to his influences, this pattern became known as the Miles City Saddle and was to have a profound impact, “Miles City three quarter saddles and similar copies made by most western saddle makers spread east, south and west to general acclaim after its appearance in the late 1890’s, but 20 years passed before it became the more or less standard working saddle of the cow country as a whole.” Though variations of different features were routinely adopted, by the 1920’s the basic characteristics of this pattern were beginning to be widely considered the fundamental cowboy saddle in the west, at least by the general public. It must be noted that several other stock saddle patterns with variable similarities to this, as well as the Pueblo, Cheyenne and other patterns remained common elsewhere including parts of Colorado, Nevada, Arizona and Canada.⁴¹  

 

THE RODEO “ASSOCIATION” BRONC RIDING SADDLE:

      Swell fork saddles also had a significant effect on the sport of rodeo. By 1910, rodeo was emerging as an organized sporting event with big prize money and traveling professional cowboys. An exaggerated swell fork saddle can give an unfair advantage to a cowboy in the Saddle Bronc Riding competition. So, in 1919 representatives of some of the larger northwest rodeos met and developed a bronc riding saddle to be used at their rodeos to level the field of competition. In short order other, non-affiliated rodeo organizations also adopted the saddle, renamed the “Association saddle”. By 1920 it was the official standard bronc riding saddle for most rodeos and remains so today with little variation.⁴²

 

 

THE LOW ROPER SADDLE:

     Another popular saddle pattern emerging out of rodeo about 1930 was the modern low roper. In the timed event contests of calf roping and steer wrestling where a tenth of a second determines big money winners or losers, these cowboys prefer a saddle without a high horn or cantle to allow them to cleanly leave the saddle. The popularity of these low-profile saddles in the thirties and forties led to their wide acceptance in the recreational saddle industry as well. 

 

THE WESTERN SADDLE AS ART:

     Ever since man began riding horses, one of the most appealing aspects of saddle making has always been its decorative opportunities. This was never truer than on the stock saddles found in the American west. While the working man’s saddle was customarily plain and un-adorning, for those desiring a more sophisticated, cultural or personal touch, and if they had the means to do so, there was endless creativity to be found in leather cuts, staining, sliver inlays, fancy stitching and above all, imaginative leather carving that was often nothing less than artistry. 

     The cultural origin for these kinds of embellishments was Mexico. The centuries long skills of the Talabateros had only improved when their creative efforts were first exposed to Anglos in the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries. Even until the 1840’s or so, many of the most elaborate stock saddles found from Texas, southwest to California were imported from the interior provinces south of the border. Known for intricately carved saddle horns, silver mountings, colorful embroidery and wonderfully carved leather, Mexican saddle artists proffered their wares and skills into the United States. Their exquisitely crafted saddlery was unlike anything ever seen in America. Even the finest saddles and tack from the Far East to Europe could not match their creative flourishes yet simple logic, and their graceful beauty. Much of this heritage settled into California in the wake of the 1849 Gold Rush when a number of Talabateros from Mexico, Central, South America and even European culture immigrated their saddle mastery along with their tools and differing methods, styles and ideas. This was the beginning of the various leather tooled and silver decorative features found on all of the impressive American western riding saddles, bridles, ornate bits and spurs that would follow, even to today.⁴³

 

     By the 1870’s the rising importance of the western cattle industry and the steady growth of ranchers, farmers, miners and town-folk created unprecedented demand for high quality saddles and harness, “The development of a railroad network and tanning facilities and the availability of a greater number of skilled craftsmen, many of them Mexican and European immigrants or eastern trans-plants, also hastened the growth of the saddle-making industry in the Trans-Mississippi West. Lower labor, leather, and saddletree costs played (additional) crucial roles…”.⁴⁴

     Cowboys often added their own decorative touches but most preferred the look and feel of hand carved or tooled leather on their saddles. It also made them stronger. Tooling, also known as “stamping” or “sharking” compressed the fibers of the leather to shed water more easily, arguably extending the durability and life of a saddle. Intricate stamping required soft, high quality leather and the west coast conveniently provided this as well. In the last quarter of the 19^th century California tanners became known for producing large commercial quantities of soft, superior oak tanned skirting leather favored by many stock saddle makers. “Possessing a white, velvety grain, California leather wore better than other varieties and was especially conducive to stamping and carving.” Perhaps it’s just coincidence, but the convergence of these factors: skilled immigrants, equine know-how, fine leather, silver mines, innovation and opportunity made California the capital of artful western saddle making.⁴⁵

 

TRADESMEN AND THEIR TOOLS:

     Leather workers used a distinctive set of hand tools in their trade to cut, edge, carve and stamp leather. These included gauges, blades, skivers, awls, hammers, punches and a variety of stamps. Many of these tools were of ancient origins or adopted from the old wood and metal hand trades. Until the Civil War, British companies dominated commercial sales of these tools until American foundries in Newark, New Jersey, led by C.S. Osborne & Co. entered the market. When the commercial saddle industry exploded in the 1870’s, the large-scale eastern saddleries widely adopted the emerging technology found in splitting, creasing and stamping machines and began to turn out massive amounts of merchandise cheaply, quickly and uniformly. Examples of these are the lessor quality Texas and stock saddles offered by the large commercial catalog companies. Small-scale saddle shops were slow to embrace machinery and those that traversed the higher quality hand-trade saddlery rightfully would not. Machines could never match the texture, character and artistic touch of handwork. For this proficiency, highly skilled tradesman known as “stamp hands” established and built a formidable reputation in the industry as did talented silver smiths and engravers that specialized in fine saddle, spur and bridle bit work. Several great saddle makers in California were known for their leather carving and stamping but others outside the state also became prominent including Hermann H. Heiser, Newton Porter of Phoenix Arizona and Samuel D Myres of Texas.⁴⁶

 

     Despite all of this creative energy, innovation and many individual examples of superior craftsmanship many stock saddle makers of the period resisted highly decorative embellishment, “Much of the saddlery produced in the late 19^th and early 20^th century was run-of-the-mill and abounding with repetitive designs and discordant patterns.”⁴⁷ This was particularly true in parts of Texas and on the northern plains. One reason for this can be attributed to the conservative culture prevailing in the rough-hewn cattle country during the late Victorian era. However, other areas of American industry were then exploding in artful design including fashion and architecture. Why not saddles?

 

THE TROPHY, PRESENTATION AND PARADE SADDLE:

      This began to change towards the turn of the century at least in some quarters. With the rising popularity of Wild West shows, rodeos and then movies, the bold, colorful and occasionally flamboyant found a strong niche market in western culture. Even in the rough and tumble world of cowboy saddlery there was room for show business, celebrities and drama personified at first by Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, rodeo cowboys and then movie stars. The cowboy lifestyle became attractive for country folks and city dudes including their hats, boots, clothing, and of course saddles. Saddles could make a statement too.

 

     Early purveyors of this style were E. L. Gallatin who made a fine presentation saddle for Col. Jesse H. Leavenworth during the Civil War and the Collins Brothers who made one of Buffalo Bill’s finest presentation saddles and others for his Wild West Show participants. A few others did so too, but as the old century turned into the new, no one did more for the cultural resurgence of the decorative stock saddle trade, and bring about a new era of boastful saddles than did G.S. Garcia of Elko, Nevada. Like many others before him, Garcia immigrated to California from Sonora, Mexico in 1864. Garcia prospered by his exceptional work and by hiring only the best silversmiths and engravers to turn out fine saddles, trimmings, bits and spurs. One of the sharpest entrepreneurs in the business, he had several locations including the one in Elko. After thirty years of hard work he was considered among the best saddle makers in the business.

     In 1903, he entered the fine arts exhibition at the celebrated Louisiana Purchase Fair and Exposition in St. Louis. Garcia was up against some stiff competition but he was determined to proffer his finest work. He and his staff of craftsmen put everything they had into the effort. Not surprisingly, his finished product was so masterful he won a Gold Medal at the fair. Moreover, the very next year it won the same honors, and another gold medal at Portland Oregon’s Lewis and Clark Exposition.⁴⁸ 

     Garcia’s creation, a combination saddle, bridle and breast strap included exquisite tooling throughout, highly embellished silver mounts with patriotic motifs of eagles, flags, stars, shields and the Nevada State Seal juxtaposed with various animals, cherubs and scrolls. Across the seat was carved a series of silver edged scallops embedded with seven engraved medallions converted from $20 gold pieces. Three contained handsome life-like portraits of President Theodore Roosevelt, and two Nevada State Governors, Lady Liberty and images of fairy horse heads with diamond filled eyes. The entire ensemble was arguably the finest western saddle ever made, and was insured for $5,000 dollars- a massive sum at the time. Ever the master promoter, Garcia took this saddle on the road using it as a catalyst to broaden his reputation for fine saddlery as well as other civic endeavors at home including riding tournaments, parades and rodeos.⁴⁹

     Of course, other saddle artists had come before Garcia and many others subsequently followed him in this exceptional arena during the last of the 19^th century and the first half of the twentieth century. The most celebrated purveyors about this time were Californians Sherman Loomis and J. M. Forbes of Santa Barbara. Later, others including Jepson, Lichtenberger-Ferguson Co., the Brydon Bros, Jesus Moreno and his sons, Edward H. Bolin and Bob Brown of Hollywood as well as many others. From all of this, many other celebrated trophy, presentation, parade and cowboy movie saddles were made in a significant and artful trade that flourished until the 1960’s and still enjoys a high level of distinction today in the form of horse show saddles.