Friday, December 18, 2009

Christmas in the Old West on the Prairie in the 1800s

In the Old West in the 1800s the pioneers and cowboys on the prairie celebrated Christmas in much the same ways we do today. There was Santa Claus, presents, holiday decorations and of course the Christmas feast.

The difference was seen in the humbleness of the gifts and holiday decorations. Life in the Old West on the prairie was hard and unpredictable. There were often terrible blizzards and cold December winds. The Pioneers would not forget the spirit of Christmas though.

The women would begin baking for the holiday feast weeks in advanced. There would be plum pudding, preserved fruits and vegetables, fresh game (if available), and maybe if their year was good, a fresh ham.

The holiday decorations were homemade from whatever natural materials were available, like pine-cones, evergreen, nuts and berries. A Christmas tree was decorated with homemade decorations as well. Homemade figures and dolls made from straw or yarn were used. Yarn, ribbon, berries, popcorn strings, paper stings, and cookie dough ornaments, such as gingerbread men were also used.

The gifts were also handmade. Corn husk dolls, sachets, carved wooden toys, pillows, and embroidered items were all made with love by the family members.

Another glimpse at Christmas in the Old West on the Prairie-

Below is an excerpt from the book "Christmas in the Old West A Historical Scrapbook", by Sam Travers.


In the West, probably one of the first Christmas celebrations was held by Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery in the winter of 1805. The expedition had reached the Oregon Coast and was waiting for the warmer spring weather in a small fort they had built. The men celebrated the holiday by firing their rifles and singing. Later, Lewis and Clark gave presents to their men out of the few supplies they had left, handkerchiefs and tobacco. Christmas on the frontier was
sometimes just like any other day. Miles from any big city, fur trappers living in the West were more concerned about surviving the brutal weather than having a party. David Thompson, an explorer and fur trapper wrote in the early 1800’s “Christmas and News Years day came and passed. We could not honor them, the occupations of every day demanded our attentions; and time passed on, employed in hunting for a livelihood.” Most of the mountain men were alone and the holiday was not remarkable in any way, but sometimes the lonely men got together and tried to have some celebration to keep their spirits up. In 1833, one man wrote in his journal at a
Hudson’s Bay Company trading post. “This being Christmas day I gave the men a liberal regale of eatables and drinkables, to make up in some measure for the bad living they have had all year here, and they enjoyed the feast as might be expected men would do who lived solely on soup since they came here. Weather still very cold.”

The tradition of Santa Claus was popular among children on the frontier as well and a journal called “St. Nicholas” was available for children out West. This journal was published from around the early 1800’s to the 1940’s. It was designed for children in isolated areas and included 500 pages of stories, poetry, contests, games, and crafts. It was particularly helpful in keeping children entertained during the long winter months on the frontier.

The clever way in which the pioneer families brought holiday celebrations to the West is a sign of their wanting to make a home, no matter where they found that home to be. Making the most of a tough situation, pioneer Catherine Haun wrote in 1849, “Although very tired of tent life many of us spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in our canvas houses. I do not remember ever having had happier holiday times. For Christmas we had grizzly bear steak for which we paid
$2.50, one cabbage for $1.00 and oh horrors, some more dried apples! And for a Christmas present the Sacramento River rose very high and flooded the whole town!”



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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Western Horse Tack- Holiday Savings!




















Buckaroo Leather's Holiday Savings Offer!

Purchase $75 - $150 & receive 10% discount
Purchase $150 - $300 & receive 15% discount
Purchase $300 - $500 & receive 20% discount

Buckaroo Leather manufactures all your favorite Western Horse Tack accessories, including quality American made leather headstalls, western reins, western bridles, rawhide reins, trail riding tack, spur straps, breast collars, training horse tack, Alpaca mecates, hackamores, chinks and western chaps, saddle pads and much more!

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Also check out the Horse Treats!!!




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American made leather horse tack.......

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Friday, December 11, 2009

Joseph G McCoy- The Real McCoy

Ever wondered where the phrase "The Real McCoy" came from? Joseph G. McCoy, cattle baron, cowboy and business man was the inspiration for that phrase-



Joseph Geiting McCoy-Cattle Baron


Born on a farm in Sangamon county, Illinois, on December 21, 1837. McCoy is often cited as the inspiration for the phrase "The Real McCoy" because of his reputation and reliability and because he referred to himself by that phrase. He was educated in local schools and spent a year in the academy of Knox College in Galesburg. After his marriage to Sarah Epler in 1861, he entered the mule and cattle raising business. At the close of the Civil War, McCoy expanded his enterprise by buying animals in large quantities and shipping them to major livestock centers. In 1867 he joined a firm that shipped as many as a thousand cattle a week.

McCoy viewed the livestock industry from a national perspective and recognized the need for better contacts between southwestern ranchers, midwestern feeders, and meat-packers. He resolved to build a stock depot west of farming sections on the Great Plains to which cowboys from Texas could drive Longhorn herds.

Joseph McCoy made good on his pledge to Texas ranchers that if they would drive their Longhorn cattle from Texas to Kansas that he would have them shipped by rail to other markets and that the ranchers would receive a good price for their stock.

In the 1860s, cattle ranchers in Texas faced difficulties getting their longhorn cattle to market. Kansas homesteaders objected to the cattle crossing their land because the cattle might carry ticks which could spread a disease called Texas Fever fatal to some types of cattle. The disease could make a Longhorn sick, but they were hardier stock than the northern cattle and Longhorns seldom died from the disease.

McCoy himself said of the disease:
"In 1868 a great number of cattle arrived in Kansas and the mid-west from Texas; appx. 40,000. With them came a tick born disease called “Spanish Fever”. The local shorthorn breeds were seriously affected and in some towns the loss of the cattle was almost 100%. The result was a great prejudice against Texas cattle in Eastern Kansas and Missouri."

McCoy expected that the railroads companies were interested in expanding their freight operations and he saw this as a good business opportunity. He succeeded in obtaining cooperation from the Kansas Pacific Railway provided he assumed all the financial risks. The cattle would be shipped from his proposed stockyards to Kansas City. He then made an agreement with the Hannibal and St. Joseph line, which provided a route to Quincy, Ill.; from there the cattle could be sent to Chicago.

McCoy purchased a 250-acre tract at the edge of a frontier village along the Union Pacific. There he built a pen to handle a thousand head of cattle, a hotel known as the Drover's Cottage, a bank, office, and livery stable This village became known as Abilene, Kansas - one of the first cow towns. McCoy's plan was for cattle to be driven to Abilene from Texas and taken from there by rail to bigger cities in The Midwest and The East.

Abilene sat near the end of the Chisholm Trail (named after Jesse Chisholm) established during the American Civil War for supplying the Confederate army. This trail ran to the west of the settled portion of Kansas, making it possible to use the trail without creating hostility from the Kansas homesteaders.

McCoy advertised extensively throughout Texas to encourage cattle owners to drive their cattle to market in Abilene. The first herds arrived in August 1867; an initial shipment to Chicago left Abilene in September. By the end of the year 35,000 head had been driven over the Chisholm Trail to Abilene, and in 1868 the number rose to 75,000 head; by 1870 the number doubled. By 1871 as many as 5,000 cowboys were being paid off during a single day, and Abilene became known as a rough town in the Old West. Due to their long legs and hard hoofs, Longhorns were ideal trail cattle, even gaining weight on their way to market. One story says that McCoy bragged before leaving Chicago that he would bring 200,000 head in 10 years and actually brought two million head in 4 years, leading to the phrase "It's the Real McCoy"

As Abilene's leading citizen, McCoy was elected mayor and served until 1873.

Rival railroad terminal towns, farther west and south, soon diverted trade from Abilene, and McCoy moved to the new cow towns. In 1872 he went to Wichita, Kans., where he became a promotion agent for American and Texas Refrigerator Car. By 1880 he was a commission dealer in livestock in Kansas City and had been employed by the U.S. Census Bureau to report on the livestock industry for the eleventh census. For a time he lived in Oklahoma and served as agent for the Cherokee Nation in collecting land revenues. In 1890 he was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for the U.S. Congress.

Joseph G McCoy died in Kansas City, Missouri on Oct. 19, 1915.


The Abilene Trail:

In 1867 Joseph G. McCoy, of Illinois, settled at Abilene to engage in the cattle trade, and he developed the Abilene Trail which connected with the already established north end of the Chisholm Trail near Wichita, Kansas. The path then ran northward to Abilene, Kansas, which was situated along the line of the Union Pacific Railroad, where the cattle could be shipped back east in a more expeditious manner.

The road from the mouth of the Little Arkansas River to Abilene was not direct but circuitous. In order to straighten up this trail, bring the cattle more directly to Abilene and shorten the distance, as well as counteracting would-be competing points for the cattle trade, an engineer corps was sent out under the charge of Civil Engineer T. F. Hersey.

He, with compass, flag men and numerous laborers began to survey the route. The laborers utilized spades and shovels for throwing up mounds of dirt to mark the road located by the engineers.

The trail ran almost due south from Abilene to the crossing of the Arkansas River and connected with the old Chisholm Trail. All along the way the new route provided for good water, abundant grass and suitable camping points.

The exact combined route of the Chisholm and Abilene Trails had a number of offshoots from Texas to Kansas, so providing an exact location is nearly impossible. However, it crossed the Red River a little east of Henrietta, Texas, before continuing north across Indian Territory to Caldwell, Kansas, past Wichita and Newton, Kansas before it arrived in Abilene.

The first herd to follow the route belonged to O. W. Wheeler and his partners, who in 1867 bought 2,400 steers in San Antonio. At first the route was merely referred to as the Trail, the Kansas Trail, the Abilene Trail, or McCoy's Trail. In the end; however, the entire route from the Rio Grande River to Abilene would be referred to by most cowboys as the Chisholm Trail.
In 1867 about 35,000 head of cattle were driven from Texas to Abilene over this trail; in 1868 about 75,000; in 1870 about 300,000; and in 1871 about 700,000, being the largest number ever received from Texas in any one year. However, by 1872 the area around Abilene was quickly being settled, grazing lands were getting scarcer, and the area residents began to object to the pasturing of great herds of cattle in the vicinity. Due to these reasons as well as the fear of "tick fever" and the unruly conduct of the cowboys, the city of Abilene officially told the Texas cattleman they were no longer welcome in their town. The shipping points then moved to Wichita and Ellsworth.

From 1867 to 1871 about 10,000 cars of live stock were shipped out of Abilene, and in 1872 about 80,000 head of cattle were shipped from Wichita. The settlement of the Arkansas and the Ninnescah River Valleys rendered it impractical to reach Wichita shipping yards after 1873, and the loading of cattle was transferred to points on the railroad farther west, halting finally at Dodge City, where 1887 saw the end of the use of the famous Abilene Cattle Trail.


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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Big Holiday Savings!!! Up to 20% off!
















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Sunday, November 29, 2009

It is Almost Here..Christmas Specials and a NEW Look

Just a quick MESSAGE to let all of our Loyal readers and Valued Customers
The Buckaroo Leather Website will be Off-line for a couple days

Tentatively set for Dec 1-2.

It will be worth the wait for two days..

We're coming out with a BLOCKBUSTER Holiday Special Assortment
of The Quality Leather, USA Made, Horse Tack
you have come to expect from The Buckaroo Family

We will have a Broadcast letting you know What Hour we
will be back on LINE

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the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality
American made leather horse tack.......

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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Pearl Hart-1800 Pioneer Women

The Last of the Lady Road Agents








The era of the old west was the most colorful period of our nation's history. It was a time when notorious outlaws and brave lawman became legendary characters whose name are more popular today than in the 1800s. By the turn of the century though, the west was becoming civilized. Trains were slowly replacing the older methods of transportation and most of the desperados were either dead or in exile. The days of the stagecoach robberies were past, at least the citizens of Arizona thought so. On May 30, 1899 when two people stepped out onto the road with guns drawn, and commanded the driver of the Benson-Globe stage to "Halt!" and, the short career of Pearl Hart, who is known as "The Last of the Lady Road Agents" began.

When the stage came to a stop, three nervous passengers disembarked and obediently raised their hands in the air. They noticed the bandits were an odd pair. One was tall, muscular and sported a fancy mustache. The other smaller one appeared to be a woman whose figure was poorly concealed. She was wearing a rough miner's shirt and blue overalls, which were tucked into course boots that were obviously too large. A few dark curls escaped from beneath the dirty cowboy hat that covered her head and the hands that ransacked the passenger's pockets were small and white.

The haul was not a poor one. A drummer had $290, a heavy set man turned over $36 and a Chinese merchant added $100. The robbers seemed content and the smaller one silently returned four dollars to each passenger for bed and food. Then they rode off into the bushes and the stage continued on its way at a fast pace. When it arrived in Globe, the driver ran in and notified the sheriff and an excited posse set out in pursuit of the dangerous renegades. The old timers, however, seemed almost happy, for to them a robbery meant the old west was still alive and kicking.


Meanwhile the road agents who were clearly novices attempted to cover their tracks. They were unfamiliar with the territory and spent three days plunging across canyons and doubling back, only to find themselves a few miles from the scene of the crime. When the posse found them they were sound asleep on the ground. Neither one even had the chance to spend a penny of their ill gotton gains.

The sheriff awakened the pair and asked the man his name. When he seemed hesitant to answer, the woman said, "Joe, its Joe Boot." No one ever knew his true identity, so that was how he was booked. Boot didn't give the lawman any trouble, he turned himself over without a word, but the woman was not anxious to go to jail, she put up quite a fight and had to be subdued. The Arizona Star reported, "She is a wild-cat of a woman and had she not been relieved of her gun a bloody foray might have resulted." When they reached the jail, Pearl was carrying all the money.

The path that led Pearl Hart to that fateful day in May was long and hard. She was born in 1872 in Ontario, Canada, and christened Pearl by her mother, no one is sure of her last name. It can be assumed Pearl had a normal childhood, very little has been written about her early years. She entered a boarding school for young ladies at the age of 16, and while there she met a personable man named Hart. He swept the girl off of her feet with his looks and promises. A year later they eloped, much to her mother's dismay.

Hart was a semi-professional gambler, sometime bartender and full-time drinker who spent more hours nursing his hangovers than working. Pearl returned to her mother several times during her marriage, but Hart always managed to convince her to give him one more chance.

In 1893 they went to Chicago in hopes of finding steady employment at the World Columbian Exposition. Hart was confident he could get a good bartending job. He ended up instead as a barker in a shabby side show. Pearl, however, discovered the glamour of the West in the form of the tall, muscular cowboys who were part of the entertainment. It wasn't long before one of the amorous cowhands convinced the pretty lady to accompany him to Colorado. He paid her way but soon left her there to fend for herself.

Pearl's admiration for cowboys ended and she began cooking in the mining camps of the west. For the first time she began to save money and was doing well. Pearl especially liked the attention she received from the male population. One day in Phoenix,Arizona , she ran into her husband. When he noticed she looked prosperous he decided to get a bit of her money. Once more Hart talked his way back into her life with the usual promises.

This time he did settle down for a few years and held a steady job. During that interlude they had two babies. Hart again showed his lack of responsibility when he began drinking and abusing his family. Pearl knew she really had enough of her husband and sent her children to her mother, who was living in Ohio.

Without the babies and her husband, Pearl returned to the mining camps disillusioned with life. She drifted from place to place and soon began drinking heavily and using drugs. There were many men in her life, but she was not a prostitute.

In 1889 Pearl met Joe Boot in a mining camp in Arizona, and they became close friends. Whether Pearl was in love with Boot or not has never been revealed, although at the time of their arrest she claimed undying affection for the man. At other times, however she expressed disgust for him and said he was weak and worthless.

Boot was with Pearl when she received a letter saying her mother who she loved very much, was ill and needed money for medical expenses. She and Boot looked at their resources and since neither one had any, devised a plan to rob the stage. At least that is the reason they gave the police. Boot said he just went along with it to help the women.

This was Pearl's first encounter wit h the law and her last, but it made headlines throughout the United States. Many newspaper reporters rushed to Arizona to write every detail of the "sordid" crime they could dig up, whether it was true or not. Pearl was portrayed as a fallen woman and described as a morphine fiend. Through the years writers have continued to tell of the notorious Pearl Hart who will forever be remembered as a stage robber.

Sheriff Bill Truman of Pima County said she was a tiger-cat for nerve and endurance and would have killed him if she could. In another report it was written, "She is a delicate, dark haired woman, with little about her that would suggest the ability to hold up a stage loaded with frontiersmen. She had refined features, a mouth of the true rosebud type, and clear blue eyes that would be confiding and baby-like were it not for the few lines that come only through the seamy side of life. In weight she is not over 100 pounds, in form slight and graceful".

Joe Boot, on the other hand was described by Sheriff Truman as, " a weak morphine-depraved specimen of mortality, without spirit and lacking intelligence and activity. It is plain the woman was the leader of the assorted partnership. She does not deny that such was the case and expresses nothing but contempt for her companion."

The prisoners were first taken to Florence for preliminary hearings and held over without bond to answer to the grand jury. Pearl was transferred to the Pima County jail at Tucson because there were no accommodations for women in the Florence jail. It was said Pearl cried when they separated her from Boot.

On October 20, 1899, The Tucson Star wrote of Pearl's escape from the Tucson jail. The officers were quite upset over it as they had taken every precaution for her safe keeping. The newspaper wrote, "It is evident that after everything was quiet someone entered the courthouse, walked up the stairway and entered the tower room. It was the work of but a few minutes to cut a hole through the wall into Pearl's room. She held a sheet to catch the plaster that fell by her side. After the hole was cut through, she put a sheet underneath, and placing her chair upon that crawled through the hole."

It was obvious she had an accomplice because she couldn't have managed it alone. The police believed it was Ed Hogan, who was serving a drunk and disorderly sentence. He was a trustee and also turned up missing the next day. Pearl was captured in New Mexico several days later and returned to Tucson.

The plight of Pearl Hart won the hearts of many, especially women. She had no prior arrest and they felt she should not be put on trial, convicted and sentenced under a law she or her sex had no part in making. She captured their sympathy and used it to help win freedom. However, no one really knows who Pearl was, her personality changed to suit her moods. In the eyes of many she was a petite woman who couldn't possibly have committed the crime. Others saw her as a depraved, fallen women. Even Pearl's vocabulary alternated between Western phrases, gutter slang and that of an educated woman. Later, during her confinement, she wrote poetry which showed an educational background.

On November 25, 1899 Pearl stood trial for her part in the robbery and was acquitted. The judge was furious and dismissed the jury. He immediately rearrested her, calling in a new jury. This time Pearl was charged with a lesser crime, stealing the revolver from the stage driver. She could not stand trial again for the robbery itself.

The Arizona Sentinel reported, "the action which will be telegraphed all over the country is, however, likely to do the reputation of Arizona a considerable amount of injury, as it will confirm many eastern people in the that the people of Arizona have a sneaking sympathy for crimes…In these days of women's rights the question of sex should not be allowed to play any greater part in crime than it is supposed to do in merit and achievement."

Pearl at the age of 28, was convicted and sentenced to serve 5 years in the territorial prison at Yuma, Arizona, her accomplice, Joe Boot, was sentenced to 30 years. Throughout the trial Boot had maintained he did it only to help a lady in distress. Although both Boot and Pearl had a "death-do-us-part" vow, he escaped a few months later and was never heard of again. Pearl entered the prison on Nov 15, 1899. She was the 13th female prisoner and became #1559.

A letter arrived at the prison from Pearl's brother in law that confirmed her first story of why she committed the robbery. It said, "To the Sheriff- I see by the papers that you have Miss Pearl Hart in custody in Arizona for some misdemeanor. Now, as I am her brother in law, I am interested in her welfare. It has been a long time since we have heard from her, and we did not know what had become of her. I assure you that her mother would be glad to have her at home. I have seen her sit and cry when we were talking about Pearl and wondering what had become of her…Now, I would beg of you to be as easy as you can, for we have not dared to let her mother know that we have heard anything of her and much less that she is a prisoner, as she is troubled with heart disease and the news might affect her seriously…James T. Taylor"

Pearl was the only female prisoner for almost nine months. By the time she was granted a pardoned she was sharing her cell with 3 other women.

Pearl's sister and her mother petitioned the governor for a parole. They said if Pearl obtained a release she would have the opportunity to play a leading role on the Orpheum circuit. Her sister had written a play which would dramatize Pearl's experience as a stage robber.

The petition was convincing and Governor Alexander O. Brodie agreed to sign it if Pearl would leave Arizona. She accepted the terms and was released a little over two years from the day she entered the prison.

It was said Pearl left the prison in good health and free from opium addiction. No one knows if Pearl's stage appearance was successful. The end of her life appears to be as confusing and as much a mystery as the lady herself.

Excerpt from the book " Daughters of the West" by Anne Seagraves



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Thursday, November 19, 2009

The First Thanskgiving?

Thanks Giving is Next Week.


I thought this story of the Basques celebrating

Thanksgiving is an interesting story for the holiday.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving to all!


Basques and the First Thanksgiving in America


The first actual feast of Thanksgiving was celebrated by Basques on April 20, 1598 in what was to become the United States, in present day El Paso, before the Mayflower survivors held their thankful feast in 1621. The feast was led by Juan de Onate during his expedition north from San Geronimo, Mexico to colonize New Mexico.


"Basques Hold the First Thanksgiving Feast in America"

One of our most honored annual traditions is Thanksgiving. Most Americans celebrate this holiday on the last Thursday of November. It is a continuance of the celebratory feast begun in the fall of 1621 by the fifty-three survivors of the Mayflower after their first year in a new land. It took place near Plymouth, Massachusetts.


However, the first actual feast of Thanksgiving in what was to become the United States occurred on April 20, 1598 in the area of present day El Paso, Texas. The feast was led by Basque Juan de Oñate during his expedition north from San Gerónimo,Mexico to colonize New Mexico.


The story begins in 1525 when Christóbal de Oñate y Narria, born twenty years previously in the Basque province of Bizkaia, came to Mexico and the New World as assistant to the accountant of the royal treasury of New Spain. Oñate rose quickly in politics, the military, mining and ranching and was instrumental in the settlement of the Zacatecas area of Mexico. Through his silver discoveries he became one of the wealthiest men in Mexico.


In 1552 his son, Juan de Oñate y Salazar was born, literally, with a silver spoon in his mouth. A child of frontier and colonial nobility, he was quick to rise to an influential presence in New Spain. In the late 1580’s Juan married the daughter of his father’s Basque business partner Juan de Tolosa. Her name was Isabel de

Tolosa Cortéz Moctezuma. She was the granddaughter of the conqueror of Mexico, Hernán Cortéz and Isabel Moctezuma, the daughter of the Aztec emperor.


Making a very long story short, because of Juan de Oñate’s political connections, social standing and extreme wealth he was chosen by the king of Spain to finance and lead an expedition to colonize an unknown area to the north of Mexico called “New Mexico” which was thought to extend all the way to Newfoundland. As was the Basque custom on the frontier, Oñate surrounded himself with Basque friends and relatives and organized and funded an exploration party that consisted of five hundred men; one hundred thirty of which took their families along with them. They set off on their eight hundred mile trip in January 1598. They brought more than seven thousand head of livestock and eighty-three wagons and carts for food and every type of provision they could carry. (On this trip Oñate brought the first chili peppers and the first domesticated sheep into what would become the US.)


After three months of extremely difficult travel over trail-less desert with weeks of food and water rationing and, finally, after a stretch of five consecutive days without water, the group reached the Rio Grande River. Finding abundant water, game, fish and waterfowl, on April 20, 1598 Oñate led the members of his expedition in a Thanksgiving feast and celebration to give praise for finding the life-saving river. This event predated the Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving in New England by twenty-three years.

At this location he named El Paso and then headed north to found the area now known as New Mexico, become one of the founders of Santa Fe and the first governor of the province. (There would be nine additional Basque governors of the Spanish province of New Mexico.)





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

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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Quick Change Leather Headstalls and Reins from Buckaroo Leather

Innovative new system of Leather Headstall and Rein attachment to your Favorite Bits. Buckaroo John Brand demonstrates how easy to use this Quick Change System

Monday, November 2, 2009

Buckaroo Leather's Favorite Horse Websites

Since starting my own blog, website, and now a new monthly newsletter, I have encountered and met some passionate and interesting people in the horse world. Listed below are their websites and brief description of each. I encourage you to visit and pass along these websites.

If you have any websites you would like to share, please feel free to leave a comment. Also if you are interested in subscribing to my new monthly newsletter, with updates on new horse tack and great discounts, please click on this link, Newsletter, to sign up for The Buckaroo Newsletter, The Newsletter to Demand!




When was the last time you found wonder and delight viewing a web site featuring some of the most amazing horse hair products you will find anywhere? Just take a moment and imagine the richness and the luxurious feeling of a quality, authentic, real horse hair product in your hands.

Each piece a timeless classic done in the traditional Cowboy fashion dating back hundreds of years, made from one of the only raw materials the Western Cowboy had available: Horse hair. Each piece of Hair delicately trimmed from his own horse and each item made in the quite of the evening, by his own hands, one-at-a-time into a priceless treasure. 

Each horse hair item so intricately made by his hands, was admired and prized for generations: a working piece of authentic Western Art. Is this not True Western art at it's finest?  From the moment you place you hands around one of our high quality, hand-made horse hair items, you will love and treasure each piece for years to come. 




This online and print magazine has all the latest news in the equine world. Information on all the latest horse show competitions and the latest equine products. Show pictures from the various horse show competitions and a "horse trader" section.




A site for news, reviews and discussion about everything Barrel Raci
ng. A blog by fellow barrel racer Chelsea Toy. She has traveled the world, literally, but has come
 back to her roots as a barrel racer. 







Cowgirl Living is an online magazine for western women. CL is designed specifically for the modern horsewoman and focuses on the unique day-to-day challenges that come with juggling work, home, and horses. Feature articles on Cowgirl celebrities, Western fashion, and helpful tips for barn and home make Cowgirl Living a new kind of magazine for today's Western Woman. Also check out Cowgirl Living



The nations Premier Barrel Racing website. Show results, upcoming shows, horses for sale, and member forums and blogs.


Bit and Bridle Magazine

Bit & Bridle is dedicated to bringing readers great content such as interviews with equine professionals, training advice, the latest news, Q&A columns, subscriber submissions and more! For your convenience, here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.
No, we are a printed magazine that gets delivered right to your door! While online magazines are becoming more and more popular, most people still like to have pages to flip through at their own leisure. We do, however, offer limited online content and are looking at the possibility of having on online edition in the future.



True Cowboy Magazine

Our Mission is to contribute to increased awareness of the plight of the mustangs, horses and burros and SAVING THE WILD MUSTANG from round ups, penning and slaughter! with subscriptions, content and advertising support.

trueCOWBOY magazine was established with the intention to act as a one-stop platform for the various mustang and wild horse rescue organizations. Working with the groups to help increase their sphere of influence to a readership that includes not only the horseowner and enthusiast but layman as well, who are not even aware that wild mustangs exist freely on the plains and most definitely not aware of the mustangs plight to remain free.



Equestrian Life

This magazine has it all for the competitive horse and rider! Submit your competition photos, stories etc. Learn more about other riding competitions and there results.


Cowgirl Magazine

COWGIRL Magazine is published six times a year by Modern West Media, Inc. Featuring the best of the modern west including stylish accessories for horse and home, hot fashion, luxurious dream getaways, cool western design trends and expert equestrian advice designed to inspire, educate and entertain the modern cowgirl. Join us today as a subscriber, advertising partner, retail distributor & friend!

Petticoats and Pistols

a fun website with cowboy stories, cowboy and cowgirl chat and insight into cowboy life.




Buckaroo Bay for Cowgirls

A cowgirl with attitude offers a funky fashion and dare to be different line of hand crafted cowgirl and girly-girl jewelry. We love to cater and pamper all the soulful cowgirls, that be city or country gals, with our collection of Buckaroo Bay Jewelry. From ranch to runway Cowgirl; From classic fashion to grunge to the sort of twisted fun and plus size cowgirl couture, we can make it for you knowing that your piece is a genuine Buckaroo Bay original. Whether your fashion tastes favor country or rock, every fashionista will benefit from our own western inspired pieces. We do understand the meaning of "poor economy" and do our best to keep our western inspired jewelry affordable.


Cowboy Syndicate

Cowboy Syndicate will be the premier social network for everyone who loves the western way of life: cowboys, cowgirls, rodeo professionals, rodeo fans and western businesses from fashion to décor and everything in between!

Cowboy Syndicate Network will offer all the features that people have come to expect on their social sites including customizable profile pages, widgets and apps, photos and videos, as well as community areas, Discussion forums, and groups.


Horses Magazine
Horses Magazine is the largest regional horse / equine magazine in the country. We are available free at tack stores and equine related businesses all over the regions we serve. Horses Magazine features some of the country's most well known clinicians such as Chris Cox, Clinton Anderson, Lynn Palm, Tommy Garland, Ryan Gingerich, Gary Lane, Julie Goodnight and more!



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

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