When I think of tack, I can’t help but think about the stories behind my favorite pieces. There’s a pair of shotgun chaps handed down to me that appear in a C.M. Russell painting (thanks to my cowboy friend Dan Cummings).
I remember the surprise of spotting a new saddle pad under the Christmas tree, and the orders of special headstall buckles stamped with my brand. There’s the saddle I designed and bought for myself in middle school with money earned working at a dude ranch and guiding beach rides.
There are also the used saddles I’ve acquired over the years as I refined my style. And there’s my one-of-a-kind bit and a custom pair of spurs, once the fanciest in my collection and too nice to use, now my everyday favorites.
No matter our style, I imagine we all have pieces in our tack rooms that carry stories. Maybe it’s the saddle you received for Christmas or the hand-me-down chaps from a cowboy mentor. Maybe it’s the tack you bought while day-working, with $5 to your name.
Some pieces mark big wins in the arena, while others hold quieter, deeper meaning, like a child’s saddle passed down through generations. Sometimes it’s the gear that got away. Those pieces of tack you had to sell to make ends meet. I know I have a few of those stories, too.
As we put this issue together, I noticed a recurring theme centered around tack and gear. It’s clear that these items can be more than just tools. They connect us to our past, our mentors, our events, our family and the journeys we’ve taken. In the pages ahead, you’ll find stories that celebrate makers, traditions and the individuality behind each piece.
In this May: Tack and Gear issue, we step into the craftsmanship of makers like Big Sky Mohair Cinches, Nettles Stirrups and Waite Saddles, alongside family ranch stories and curated tack selections. In “Stronger Than the Storm,” we follow the effort to keep campers in the saddle after historic flooding threatened the horse programs that have shaped generations of young riders in the Texas Hill Country.
We also travel across the country for a barn design feature that explores how one idea grew into a company dedicated to preserving the character of traditional timber barns. Lastly, in our conversation with Butch Morgan, cover man of the May 1972 issue, we see how one horseman’s commitment to family has helped preserve the values that define our community.
When you look at your collection of tack and gear, what stands out to you? What are you missing? And what stories are behind the leather or stainless steel? Collecting memories (and tack) along the way is a unique part of our journeys. If you have a story to share, I’d love to read it.
