I just got old 687 saddle back from the Meridean Saddlery friday. The saddle was made in 1967 by Meridean Saddlery when I was managing the Monitor Ranch in Austin, Nevada. It was in the shop to get new stirrup leathers and new sheepskin. Just a little reconditioning and it is same as new. Still looks and rides great. Adrianna Collins rode it yesterday.
Many parts of the saddles are named after the person who first ordered it on saddles.
Frank Arcularius,(sp?) who owned the ranch adjoining the Monitor on the South saw the saddle I was riding which I had made by a Las Vegas saddlemaker-team roper named Bucky in about 1965. He saw that it had no "rideability" and helped me order 687-it cost $287 -measured me and the type horses I rode. It is interesting that Anne- my wife of 47 years has never seen me bucked off--Due in large part to the ridability of these saddles. In 47 years--no horse ridden with this saddle ever had "saddle marks" on the side of the withers and we rode lots of horses real hard in hot country.
The horses were big-- half Thoroughbred and Percheron geldings that we gathered off the Monitor. Great big, "soggy" horses-with big hooves - all high withered, big boned -mostly bay with a white star.They were wonderful as they could run wide open over rough country and strong enough to really "ride" all day. Another good thing was that you could "turn out" these horses all winter -when you needed less saddle horses and not have to feed them all winter. They did fine on winter crested wheat pastures. Amazingly, they were easy to shoe and pretty "quiet" natured. They also could damn sure buck. One horse off the Monitor made "bucking horse of the year" in Nevada. His name was "BLUE SMOKE".
Another horse-named "SPUD", that I bought from Frank was a great animal. He never bucked me off--But since he was a "spade bit" horse I always used one on him. I ,again at Frank's suggestion bought Albert Tietgen bits, THey were really well balanced and light weight-wonderful silver inlays. Twenty percent of the weight of the traditional spade. I still have 2 of these.
When we left The Monitor, I tried to buy some of these horses. They would not sell. New ranch manager was a Texan--"grazing bit" man who "threw his reins away" (no mouth contact) when he rode. About 2 months after we left the Monitor I got a call from the Monitor---DID I WANT TO BUY SPUD?--I asked why-said-"Just doesn't fit our program"
I then called George Ediueta--The bask buckaroo, who was ready to retire at 65 and go back to Spain-who came to the Monitor at 15 years old and spent his whole life on the Monitor. Really understood everything about running the Monitor.
He said new boss got on Spud -with grazing bit-and he bucked him off with gusto.
THey then beat shit out of Spud--bitted him up --got back on him --Spud again bucked him off. George loved it.
A friend of mine-Kathy -needed a horse--She bought a Al Tietgen Spade- and Spud--No problems for many years. I called new Monitor Boss- told him a lady rode Spud daily -no problems. JUST TO RUB IT IN.
The stirrup adjustments on these saddles--all of mine- are named "arky"stirrup adjusters after Frank. They are flatter and lighter than traditional adjusters The stirrup leather placement--front to back- which is half way between a three-quarter single and a five-eights single are named after me 'Essex stirrup placements" Never use a double rig as the back cinch is not necessary and on a bucking horse it transmits every "snap" of the jump to the rider.
Mike Burnhart--the current owner of Meridean Saddlery makes the "same" saddles as I have ordered several from him in the last few years and they are all wonderful
More on Meridean Saddlery on a later post.
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