HORIZONS of the WESTERN SADDLE 4 Richard E

MAN MADE MOBILE Early Saddles of Western North America <. HSKIS^ Richard E. EDITOR SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS SERIES PUBLICATIONS OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Emphasis upon publication as a means of "diffusing knowledge" was expressed by the first Secretary of the Smithsonian. In his formal plan for the Institution, Joseph Henry outlined a program that included the following statement: "It is proposed to publish a series of reports, giving an account of the new discoveries in science, and of the changes made from year to year in all branches of knowledge." This theme of basic research has been adhered to through the years by thousands of titles issued in series publications under the Smithsonian imprint, commencing with Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge in 1848 and continuing with the following active series: Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology Smithsonian Contributions to Astrophysics Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Smithsonian Contributions to the Earth Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to the Marine Sciences Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology Smithsonian Studies in Air and Space Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology In these series, the Institution publishes small papers and full-scale monographs that report the research and collections of its various museums and bureaux or of professional colleagues in the world of science and scholarship. The publications are distributed by mailing lists to libraries, universities, and similar institutions throughout the world. Papers or monographs submitted for series publication are received by the Smithsonian Institution Press, subject to its own review for format and style, only through departments of the various Smithsonian museums or bureaux, where the manuscripts are given sub stantive review. Press requirements for manuscript and art preparation are outlined on the inside back cover. S. Dillon Ripley Secretary Smithsonian Institution a FRONTISPIECE.—a, Mexican saddle, ca. 1830 (see also Figures 18, 60) ; 6, vaquero saddle, ca. 1870 (see also Figure 66) ; c. Sioux pad saddle, ca. 1850 (see also Figure 72) ; d, U.S. western stock saddle, ca. 1880 (see also Figure 68). SMITHSONIAN STUDIES IN HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY • NUMBER 39 MAN MADE MOBILE Early Saddles of Western North America Richard E. Ahlborn EDITOR SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION PRESS City of Washington 1980 ABSTRACT Ahlborn, Richard E., editor. Man Made Mobile: Early Saddles of Western North America. Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology, number 39, 147 pages, frontispiece, 84 figures, 1980.—This study of early forms of saddles in Western North America features four distinct discussions: major horizons (wide spread appearances of historical prototypes) within the sixteenth through nine teenth centuries; Mexican origins of form and associated activities; development among U.S. riders before the professional cowboy era (post-Civil War); and development of equestrian equipment among the Plains Indians collateral to the emergence of the U.S. western stock saddle. The four essays are followed by an illustrated catalogue of the equestrian artifacts drawn from the Smithsonian Institution's holdings and from other important collections for an exhibition at the Renwick Gallery, 1974-1976. There is also a glossary of Spanish and English equestrian terms used in this study. It is projected that this presentation of early saddle forms with many well-documented illustrations and descriptions will pro vide both a reference source and also the inspiration for additional typological and social studies. OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Smithsonian Year. COVER: "Catching Wild Horses," by Wil liam Ranney, 184G (see also Figure 26). Library of Congress Cataloging on Publication Data Main entry under title: Man made mobile. (Smithsonian studies in history and technology ; no. 39) Bibliography: 1. Western saddle—History. 2. Saddlery—The West—History. 3. Saddlery—Exhibitions. I. Ahl born, Richard E. II. Series: Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian studies in history and technology ; no. 39. SF309.9H67 685 M'0978 78-8550 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington. D.C. 20402 CONTENTS Page PREFACE vi INTRODUCTION 1 Richard E. Ahlborn HORIZONS OF THE WESTERN SADDLE 4 Richard E. Ahlborn ORIGINS OF MEXICAN HORSEMANSHIP AND SADDLERY 21 Daniel F. Rubin de la Borbolla WESTERN SADDLES BEFORE THE COWBOY 39 James S. Hutchins SADDLES OF THE PLAINS INDIANS 72 John C. Ewers DESCRIPTION OF SADDLERY IN THE RENWICK EXHIBITION 85 Ann Nelson GLOSSARY 137 Richard E. Ahlborn ILLUSTRATION CREDITS 146 PREFACE Saddles used (and often manufactured) in what is now the United States south and west of Saint Louis prior to 1865 constitute the ultimate focus of this composite study. The development of this presentation of emerging saddle types depended on three factors: (1) an enthusiasm on the part of the researchers for the unglamorized life sustained on the prairies and plateaus of our Southwest, in large part the northern borderlands of Mexico until the decade after 1836; (2) a serious commitment to the study of the history and cultural geography of the region (extending into present-day Canada and Mexico) in terms of a single class of significant, documented artifacts; and (3) an opportunity to gather together a grouping of his torical objects for intense examination. It was a natural outgrowth of such a study project that these choice, finely crafted historical artifacts should be shared with the public through an exhibition. In 1973, three Smithsonian staffers, John C. Ewers, James S. Hutchins, and I, formed an ad hoc committee to discuss the study and exhibition of early horse equipment as a class of artifacts in the pre-1865, trans-Missis sippi West. We realized that this tremendous, geographically diverse terri tory encompassed three grand-scale cultural complexes, each having a full set of characteristic gear for horse and rider—northern Hispanic-Mexican, Plains Indian, and westering Anglo-Americans. Based on experience com mon to us and other collectors and curators, the committee recognized from the outset that even this vast area would be unable to provide complete, documented outfits for the mounted rider in the various component cultural patterns. This was presumed true even in the critical 1836-1865 era, the period in which previous experiments in the design of horse gear found culmination in a distinctive type common throughout the southwestern United States. Thus, we chose to concentrate on the single most character istic piece of horse equipment, the saddle. A second factor in selecting this tighter focus was the up-coming celebration of our nation's bicentennial anniversary, and its urgent requirements for most of our exhibition capa bilities. The project was made possible by Joshua C. Taylor, director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Collection of Fine Arts (NCFA). Dr. Taylor offered display space and exhibit capabilities at the Renwick Gallery through its director, Lloyd Herman, and pledged support for a series of scholarly articles, as well as funds to contract for a project assistant. The first task was to research and identify artifacts to make up a com pelling and historical exhibition. As project assistant, Ann Nelson, a grad uate student in American Studies from Utah, was chosen to work under my supervision and to consult with Dr. Ewers and Mr. Hutchins. All the necessary Indian artifacts—saddles, crupper, quirt, and stirrups—were selected by Dr. Ewers from the collections in the Department of Anthro pology, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Smithsonian Insti tution, with the assistance of George Phebus and his staff. The Anthro- VI NUMBER 39 Vll pology Conservation Laboratory (ACL) under Bethune Gibson provided facilities for conservation services contracted from Bettina Raphael. The selection of Mexican and Anglo saddle types was more involved. Mr. Hutchins and I reviewed the riding gear in two divisions of the National Museum of History and Technology (NMHT), Smithsonian Institution: Ethnic and Western Cultural History, now named Community Life (assist ed by Ulysses G. Lyon) and Military History (assisted by Donald Kloster and Dan Stanton). Then, with research notes in hand, Ms. Nelson set off through several western states, examining hundreds of saddles and sending back suggestions for loans. Collections in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Wyoming, as well as the state of Toluca, Mexico, made general loans. By early 1974, all the Mexican and Anglo saddles were selected and received at the National Museum of History and Technology. Because of the dearth of documented saddles pre-dating 1865, we selected several items for exhi bition that were made after that date but that represent, we believe, styles in use in the Southwest during the target period. Within NMHT, the Smithsonian's Conservation-Analytical Laboratory (CAL), under its chief, Robert Organ, undertook fumigation, material analysis, and conservation. Reports were prepared under the supervision of Eleanor McMillan by scientists Martha Goodway, Walter Hopwood, Barbara Miller, and Joan Mishara, and by conservator Mary Lou Garbin, who revitalized tired surfaces of tooled leather and tarnished silver. With conservation completed, the necessary papers were prepared by Undine Jones of the Division of Community Life, and by Virginia Beets,

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