Cowboy Hats: Which One is For Me?

When choosing a cowboy hat one must ask themselves, "What am I going to use it for?"
Once you have established the answer then it is time to decide what style. Am I going to use it for summer or winter?

Summer Cowboy Hat:

If you are looking for a great summer hat then you are probably looking for sun protection. The types of summer hat materials I would reckoned are:

• Palm Leaf- recognized for there great durability, flexibility, and versatility.the come in several different types Mexican, Guatemalan, finished, and bleach finished.
• Rafia/ Sea Grass- most popular among the urban crowds, most known as the "Beach Cowboy". They are very light weight and most are flexible and have a "shape-yourself" feature.
• Straw- most "straw" hats are no longer made of straw any more most of them are made of a Japanese paper yarn called Shantung, these hats are usually a finely woven white or off white material the weave is very exact. But, there are different varieties such as bangora which is a less expensive way to weave shantung or the most famous is Panama straw(fun fact: most "Panama" straws are made in Ecuador!), There is also still classic straw hats,but, all of these *western hats* are known for there breath ability security and classic style.

Winter Cowboy Hat:

When winter roles around you are going to of course want some thing that is going to keep your noodle warm. I would suggest only the best! Examples of great brands are: Stetson, Resistol, Serratelli, Milano, or Greeley.

Types of Felt Cowboy Hats:

There are two major categories in felt hats, they include wool and fur felt.

Wool Cowboy Hats:

Wool felt is made from most obviously wool but, it also includes bison felt as well. The characteristics of the wool hats are typically rough to the touch with a dull finish. they are very cheap but very warm they are also not very weather resistant. A good wool hat will last you typically one to two seasons at best.

Fur Felt Cowboy Hats:

Fur felt hats come in all variations of pure and mixed furs from an even larger variety of animals. the best and most popular fur to make a hat out of is beaver a pure beaver hat is going to make the most weather resistant and durable hat available. They also makes them out of rabbit, mohair, cashmere, angora, hare, nutria, and the list goes on and on.

Some are better that others but all of them with have the appearance of a slight silky cast, rich in color, and light weight, thin, but dense with a smooth feel. If you take good care of a fur felt hat it will last for many a year.

Cowboy Boot Work:

>You have the pull on work boot that make it easy to take on and off by using the looped straps on the sides of the boot.

Then you have the lace style that are great for people you have high insteps or need more support. With the laces you are able to secure the boot to a comfortable fit.

Both styles of boots come with rubber soles to prevent slipping out in the work field.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR WESTERN SADDLE

Usually, the purchase of a Western Saddle is a significant investment. Most saddle owners take pride in the saddles they own and treat them with respect. In some cases, saddles become family heirlooms and are handed down from generation to generation. A little bit of effort to care for a saddle can help make it more comfortable and extend its life.

The following are some tips for caring for your saddle:

• Do not store saddles in plastic bags or other air tight containers.
• Keep it clean.
• Wet or damp saddles should be air dried naturally away from sources of heat.
• Oil or condition your saddle with light oil. Do not use waxes, silicone, or other preparations that prevent the leather from breathing. Regularly recondition your saddle to prevent it from drying out and cracking.
• Protect your saddle from mildew or excessive humidity.
• Never use household chemicals to clean leather. Avoid chemicals that contain alcohol, turpentine, or mineral spirits. Also, using mink or animals fats will darken leather and can turn rancid, causing the stitching and leather to rot.
• Check your saddle for cracks, breaks, or excessive wear. Check the lining for excessive wear or protrusions.
• Properly hang your saddle on a saddle rack or rail so that it will maintain its shape.
• Cover the saddle with a blanket, soft cloth or a saddle cover to keep it clean.

By using these tips, your saddle will help to retain its original value, be more comfortable and safe to ride and show the pride you to take in your horses and tack.

Care for Cowboy Boots

Since cowboy boots are a big investment whether they cost $80.00 or $2000.00, the right care is the best way to protect your investment. It is not really all that hard to care for cowboy boots but important. You always want to wipe off any mud you may have on them immediately while the mud is fairly damp, and use a soft damp cloth to wipe off any dust that could be left on your boots. For boots that may be very dry, shoe cream or leather conditioner can be used and is preferred over saddle soap which could hurt the finish on the boot.

There are all sorts of different kinds of cowboy or cowgirl boots as in cowhide cowboy boots are very strong maybe the toughest of all the cowboy or cowgirl boots. Cowhide can be cleaned by brushing off any loose dirt & dust and then use approved leather conditioner to clean. You may want to use a matching shoe color cream, brushing into the leather and then use a soft clean cloth to buff the boot.

Some boots are durable but softer to touch as in rough out or suede cowboy boots. With this type of boot you want to avoid the mud, then clean with a nylon brush and you should treat with a stain protector fairly often.

Full quill ostrich cowboy boots have a very unique grain. The smooth ostrich leather is soft to the touch due to reduced indent contents. The ostrich cowboy or cowgirl boots are very strong and versatile. To care for the ostrich leather brush off any loose dirt with a brush or a soft cloth, apply Reptile Conditioner with a soft cloth and then let them dry followed by thin coats of conditioner as needed.

Cowboy boots made from snakeskin are smooth and very delicate to touch. To care for snakeskin cowboy or cowgirl boots wipe against the scales to remove dust and dirt. When applying matching cream polish make sure you polish with the grain of the scales. Yellowing of snakeskin is caused by the sun and cannot be reversed with cleaning products.


There are cowboy boots made from alligator and to keep them in good condition you simply brush off any loose dirt with a brush or a soft cloth. Apply Reptile Conditioner with a soft cloth and then let them dry. Buff the leather and apply thin coats of conditioner as needed.

There are other exotic cowboy or cowgirl boots like elephant & lizard to care for these types brush off loose dirt then clean with a leather conditioner. Then you would apply a thin coat of a matching wax polish and buff.

Some of the boot makers that would make these types of exotics, or cowhide would include Ariat, Lucchese , Justin, Tony Lama, Charlie 1 Horse, Olathe, Chippewa. Cowboy boots come in a wide range of sizes for any lifestyle. The exotics are generally the most expensive compared to cowhide or rough out leathers.

CHOOSING A HORSE BLANKET

Horse blankets are part of most owners’ basic horse equipment. With several choices on the market these days, you want to make an informed decision on your horse blanket purchase. Below are some basic blanket descriptions to help you navigate your way through all the options available at your local tack store or internet site.

• BREATHABLE – Allows the blanket to wick moisture away from the horse’s body.
• CLOSED FRONT - Blankets that do not open at the chest. These blankets will need to be slid on OVER the horse’s head (like a turtleneck sweater). Some horses are uncomfortable with this procedure at first.
• DENIER (D) - Outer layer of the blanket. A blanket with higher denier will be STRONGER and WARMER. If your horse will be with other horses, consider a higher denier to withstand bites, rips and tears.
• FILL - The amount of insulation in the blanket. Sometimes insulation is listed in grams and sometimes in ounces. A blanket with higher fill amounts will be warmer. Equine seniors and newborns may need more fill to keep warm.
• HEAVY WEIGHT - Blankets designed for very cold climates where the temperature goes below 20 degrees. They are 1200D or more and have more than 8OZ or 200G of fill.
• HOOD/ NECK COVER - These are usually separate pieces that will attach to rings/fasteners on your blanket.
• LIGHT WEIGHT - Blankets designed for spring/fall or mild winter climates where the temperature doesn’t get below 40 degrees. They usually are 600D or less and have little or no fill.
• LINER - This is the layer next to the horse’s body. Some liner options available are fleece, felt and nylon. Most blankets have a liner built in, but you can also buy them separately.
• MEDIUM WEIGHT - Blankets designed for cold climates where the temperature doesn’t get below 20 degrees. They are usually 600D-1200D and have 8OZ or 200G of fill or less.
• OPEN FRONT - Blankets that open at the chest and have buckles or fasteners to close.
• SIZE - Proper sizing is very important. A blanket that is too big won’t stay in place. A blanket that is too small will rub. To get the correct size, hold a measuring tape at the center of the horse’s chest and move backwards to the center of the horse’s tail (making sure you go around the fullest part of the horse’s shoulders, barrel and hips). This will give you the size. Example 76”. Some blankets will only come in even sizes; so if your horse measures a 75” you may have to go up to a 76”.
  

How to Measure Your Horse for a Horse Blanket -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

• STABLE - These blankets are not waterproof or water resistant. They are intended for indoor use. They usually have a “quilted” look to them. You can use them outdoors in good weather, but if they get wet they can hold the moisture in like a sponge.
• TURNOUT - These blankets are either water resistant or waterproof. They can be used indoor or outdoor. They usually do not have a back seem (stitching running down back/top line of the blanket/horse). They are usually breathable. They usually have gussets at the shoulders to allow for freedom of movement.
• WATER RESISTANT & WATERPROOF – Water resistant may allow moisture to seep through. Waterproof should not allow moisture to seep through. Moisture can run down your horse’s neck and into the blanket. A neck cover will help stop this from happening.

Learn More:

The Parts of a Horse Blanket -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

Keep these items in mind when purchasing your next horse blanket. If you have any further questions, we are only an email or phone call away and would love to help. 1-877-78HORSE or email me at sroberts@callisters.com.

SIX EASY STEPS TO SADDLE A HORSE

Saddling a horse can be an easy process once learned. Doing it right helps ensures more comfort for the horse and rider and most importantly, safety while riding. Acquiring good quality horse tack from your local tack shop will greatly help in this process. Here are six easy steps to follow in saddling your horse.

1. Prepare your horse for receiving the saddle.

Begin by tying your horse securely to a hitching post, stall ring or trailer. The use of a quick release knot or a metal tie ring can help in the event your horse is spooked or feels the need to pull back. Then use good quality horse supplies like grooming brushes, curry combs and hoof picks to clean and remove any dirt, mud, or wood shavings from the horses coat and feet. Pay special attention to cleaning your horse’s back and belly. This will ensure that the saddle and cinches will not cause any irritations when placed on the horse.

2. Inspect your saddle and saddle pad.

Make sure your saddle and saddle pad are clean and in good working order. Remove any dirt or debris from padding (or fleece) beneath the saddle. Also cleaning your saddle pad or blanket will provide greater comfort to your horse and help to prevent sores or bruising by the saddle. Inspect your saddle for any missing parts (like Conchos, stirrup hobble straps, metal D-rings, screws, etc.)

3. Place your saddle pad on the horse.

Place your saddle pad or blanket onto the horse’s back. I like to place it a bit forward and upon the horse’s withers to start and then side it back a little to where is appears to be centered. Make sure the horse’s mane or wither hairs are not tangled or being pulled on beneath the pad.

4. Place your saddle on the saddle pad and horse.

Position on yourself with the saddle being held by both hands on either side of your horse. I like to saddle my horses from either side of them. I feel always saddling from the same side may cause the horse to become one-sided. I think it’s also good to step up on your horse from either side. I like my horses to feel comfortable when I am on either side of them. I then rest the saddle on my hip and then use a swinging and lifting motion, I raise the saddle up to the horse’s back. Center the saddle on the saddle pad. Make sure that your saddle pad extends at least one inch from the front and back of your saddle. Then lift the front of your saddle pad up and away from the horse’s withers. Once again, check to make sure that the horse’s mane or wither hairs are not tangle or being pulled on by the pad or saddle. I like to stand off to the side of the horse and visually see if the saddle is lying level on his back. Another way to check for proper saddle placement is to make sure you have one hand’s width of distance between the horse’s elbow and the front cinch. Placing the front cinch too close or next to his elbow can cause pinching or too much pressure from the saddle onto his shoulders.

5. Secure your saddle onto the horse.

When I’m not using my saddles, I like to tie my cinches, latigo, and breast collar on top of my saddles. I usually leave them tied up on top of my saddle even when I go to lift and place my saddle on the horse. After saddle placement, then I untie these items and let them hang down from the saddle. I always start by securing the front cinch. Exercise caution when reaching underneath your horse to grab any cinches (front or back) from the off or left side of the horse. I recommend standing next to his left front leg facing backwards and then using your left arm to reach under the horse. This allows you to look at his hind leg in case he decides to kick or jump. I thread the latigo (leather front strap on the saddle) through the front cinch buckle several times. Pull and tighten the latigo/cinch until the saddle doesn’t slide from side to side. Use either a “T” cross knot or use the tongue of the front cinch buckle to lock the cinch. If you are using a back cinch, make sure the front and back cinches are connected with a connecting strap. I like to leave about an inch of spacing between the back cinch and the horses belly when I’ve buckled and locked the back cinch into place. Having the back cinch too loose may allow a horse to get his hind foot tangled in it and having it too tight may cause him to be uncomfortable.

6. Relax your horse and perform final inspection.

I find relaxing my horse by walking him around for a few minutes helps to ensure a well fit and properly cinched saddle. I will usually rock the saddle from side to side while still standing on the ground to make sure it’s secure and that it’s going to stay in place when I get up into the saddle. I find that I usually have to tighten the front cinch a bit more before stepping up into the saddle. The end of your latigo should now be inserted into its keeper. All buckles should be locked and secured.

Having a properly fitting saddle will help ensure a safe and enjoyable riding experience. If you have further questions regarding this article, please feel free to contact me by email at rcaldwell@callisters.com. Also visit your local western tack shop for advice and help.

BY RON CALDWELL (TACKGUY)

A.A. CALLISTER CORPORATION (www.callisters.com)

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