Home >> Collecting >> Antiques

How to Collect Old Saddles

Saddles were created in countries that had horses available, normally to aid in warfare while horse-riding. As Europeans migrated to North America, they brought along their horses, and the art of saddle making evolved in the Great Plains region to aid in traversing rugged terrain in the West. The stock saddle, or cowboy saddle, was preferred by riders in this mountainous region because of its comfort level on long rides. Cheyenne, Wyoming, was the center of saddle making during the old western era, according to Oldwestsaddles.com, and many shops where traditional saddle making is performed still exist to this day. This region is a great place to start collecting vintage or antique saddles.

Instructions

- 1
  Consult with a saddle maker in your area to inquire about old or antique saddles. Saddle makers are few and far between, but typically in the American West near cattle ranches, this work is still performed by hand. Saddle makers can instruct you on where to search for older saddles and may have a few for sale.
- 2
  Search through old western movie props. These films were given great reviews for their depiction of natural old western scenery and props, and most of them used authentic saddles. Many of these props sit around collecting dust in a warehouse, and an old saddle can be purchased by contacting the film production company or the warehouse holder.
- 3
  Search online saddle dealers for vintage saddles. Numerous antique saddles are available on many websites such as Jsoldwest.com, which is a saddle shop and museum, or Tom-Stevens.com, where antique saddles are sold.
- 4
  Go to country and western stores in your area to see if any antique or vintage saddles are available for purchase. Many times these businesses use antique saddles as decoration, and sometimes they sell them to collectors if the price is right.

Antiques