Horses are an important part of western history and thus saddles are also an important part of the West. The Old West Room in the Presby House Museum in Goldendale, Washington, contains a display of saddles.
Shown above is a roping saddle made about 1870 by a saddle maker in The Dalles.
Shown above is a stock saddle.
The saddle shown above was made in Texas in 1886 or 1887. It cost $24.36.
Shown above is a woman’s side saddle. Women were not supposed to straddle the horse when riding. The side saddle kept them erect, rigid, and uncomfortable.
While a man riding in a western saddle could control the horse with pressure from the thighs, knees, and heels (very important in herding cattle), a woman riding sidesaddle was total dependent on the reins. From the perspective of the horse, having the majority of the weight on one side often caused injuries to the horse’s back. While a man could mount a horse alone, it generally took two men to help one woman get into the side saddle.
Another side saddle is shown above. This saddle was made about 1900.
In addition to people, horses were also used for carrying goods and supplies. Shown above is a pack saddle.
Another pack saddle is shown above.
Museums 101
Museums 101 is a series of photo tours of museum displays. More from this series:
Museums 101: Saddles and More (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Horse-Drawn Wagons in Fort Steele (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Saddles and Boots in Nevada City (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Western Room in the Fort Dalles Museum (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Blacksmith Shop and Saddle Shop
Roman Soldiers in Ancient Scotland (Photo Diary)