Friday, April 30, 2010

Mother's Day Specials!

Buckaroos and Buckarettes get your mother, wife, or mare something special for mother's day from Buckaroo Leather! Good through mother's day any order of $100 or more and get a 10% discount, free contest ticket for a chance to win the Barn By Harrahs Barn or $5000 cash, and a free set of Silver Buckaroo Bridle Heart Conchas - perfect for any mom!

















Use the discount code "mother" at checkout to receive this great deal!



Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in servingthe Western Horseman the safest most durable QualityAmerican made leather horse tack.......Buckaroo John BrandBuckaroo Leather, The Brand to DemandVisit Our Unique Store TodayBuckaroo Leather Shopping Site

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Mecate Reins a Popular Piece of Horse Tack

Buckaroo Leather, due to popular demand, has added new colors to our popular Cotton Mecates.


Cotton Mecate L507c

Perfect for the beginning stages of Cowboy Horse Training and/or pleasure riding. Soft Cotton Mecate with Rawhide button. Available in 1/2" - 23' in many colors. Designed to compliment the Buckaroo Snaffle Bit Bridle along with our Slobber Straps. You can use this Mecate as a Hackamore Rein for your Bosals.

Color to choose from:
Natural/White
Solid Brown
Brown/Gray/Black Multicolored
Black/Gray/Burgundy Multicolored
Black/Brown
Black/Gray
Solid Black


The Mecate is the rein portion of the horse tack, called the Hackamore. The Hackamore is a type of headgear for horse training. The unique part of the Hackamore is that it does not have a bit. It uses a braided noseband called a Bosal. The Bosal is a special type of noseband that works on pressure points on the horse's face, nose, and chin. The Mecate is a rope made from horse hair or soft feeling rope that serves as reins and lead rope.

The types of Hackamores include the Bosal and side pull. The Bosal Hackamore uses the Vaqueros tradition of the braided noseband and the Mecate rope.

The Mecate is tied to the Bosal in a specialized manner that adjusts the fit of the Bosal around the muzzle of the horse and creates both a looped rein and a long free end that can be used for a number of purposes.

For the mounted rider, the free end is coiled and attached to the saddle or tucked under your belt. When the rider dismounts, the lead rein is not used to tie the horse to a solid object but used as a lead rope and a form of lunge line when needed.

The traditional Mecate used by the California Vaqueros was made from the long hair of a horse's tail and was hand braided. Modern Mecates are made with horse hair and synthetic rope with a horse hair tassel at one end and a leather popper at the other end.

A properly tied Mecate knot (please view the how to video ) allows wraps of rope to be added to the knot in front of the rein loop in order to tighten the Bosal noseband on a horse or the rope can be unwrapped to loosen the Bosal.



Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving
the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality
American made leather horse tack.......
Buckaroo John Brand Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand
Visit Our Unique Store Today
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site


Saturday, April 17, 2010

The Cowboy Code- Words to Live by!!



A few months ago I wrote a blog entry for The Pony Expression on The Cowboy Code. I wanted to revisit this topic, because I believe today's world needs to be reminded of the simple "golden rule" and how the Cowboy's of the old west applied it to their everyday life!

(pictured above Grandpa Del)




Cowboy Code of the West (expanded addition)

First chronicled by the famous western writer, Zane Grey, in his 1934 novel The Code of the West, no "written" code ever actually existed. However, the hardy pioneers who lived in the west were bound by these unwritten rules that centered on hospitality, fair play, loyalty, and respect for the land.

If it's not yours, don't take it.
If it's not true, don't say it.
If it's not right, don't do it.
Cowboy's word is his sacred bond
Bargains sealed with handshake are more binding than legal documents
be loyal
Demand square dealings
Be proud of your occupation
Lay down your life, if necessary, for the privilege of defending your outfit
Grant quick assistance to friends and strangers in need
Never tolerate cowards
Be cheerful
Endure hardships without complaining
Don't make excuses
Try to be better than the other fella
Never quit
Share anything you own with a fellow worker
Be generous with your life and money
Treat women like ladies
Never shoot an un-armed or un-warned man
Stealing and rustling are evil wrong doing



Found a few interesting writings from the 1800's depicting these exact qualities of the Cowboy listed above .

William G "Billy" Johnson, who worked the range during the 1880's, recalled that "cowpunchers (cowboys) were square shooters upright, and honest men. I never heard of a cowboy insulting a woman. If they were not up to par they were soon run out of the country."

From the Texas Livestock Journal 10/21/1882- wrote of the cowboy's courage, chivalry and loyalty.

"We deem it hardly necessary to say in the next place that the cowboy is a fearless animal. A man waiting in courage would be as much out of place in a cow camp as a fish would be on dry land. Indeed the life he is daily compelled to lead calls for the existence of the highest degree of cool calculating courage. As a natural consequence of this courage, he is not quarrelsome or a bully.

As another necessary consequence to possessing true manly courage, the cowboy is as chivalrous as the famed knights of old. Rough he may be, and it may be that he is not a master in ball room etiquette, but no set of men have loftier reverence for women and no set of men would risk more in the defense of their person or their honor.




















Another and most notable of his characteristics is his entire devotion to the interests of his employer. We are certain no more faithful employee ever breathed than he, and when we assert that he is par excellence, a model in this respect, we know that we will be sustained by every man who has had experience in this matter."

(both excerpts from the book "Cowboys of the America's" by Richard W Slarta)


The Cowboys of the Old West Lived by these simple rules. Think about how our world would be if all live by these simple Cowboy ethics.

A challenge for all Buckaroos and Cowboys today- take just one rule and live by it. Let us know your experiences, or comment on how you already live by the Cowboy Code of the West!!!!



At Buckaroo Leather American Made is not just a sales slogan, standing tall behind our Buckaroo logo is honesty, hard work, dedication, sacrifice and integrity. In our journey of the last 30 years we have met many amazing artists, business horseman and women , craftsmen and customers who still live, as us by American Made. Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality American made leather horse tack.

(pictured to the right is my Grandpa Del)


Buckaroo John Brand

Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand
Visit Our Unique Store Today
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site

Monday, April 12, 2010

Git Down Rope- Popular with Working Cowboy Ranches






Many working cowboy ranches embrace the traditions of the Old West Vaqueros. The Cowboy Ranches use the traditional Vaquero horse tack and teach the Vaquero ways of horse training and horsemanship.

In keeping with this traditional Vaquero style- the Get-Down-Rope is becoming popular with not only the old west working cowboy ranches but the casual riders, following the vaquero style.

The "Git Down Rope " is also very popular in the competitive ranch classes at rodeos and horse shows. These horse competitions demand the use of the this rope as well as the bosalito.


The traditional cowboys used the “git” down rope to keep there horse standing still while they “git” down to shut the gate, pick up something or have some “doughgods” ( old west cowboy word for biscuits) by the campfire.


Today the, get-down-rope is used in the same way, especially in training young horses to stand still.



The Git-Down-Rope is used along with your Bosal and hackamore set up. The Bosal is favored by Western Horsemen, especially those following the Traditional Vaquero Style.




The Git-Down-Rope is used in place of a halter and is easy to use.




Watch the How to Video to learn the proper way to attach the old west “git” down rope and the proper comfortable fit for the horse.


Buckaroo Leather has just the "Get Down Rope" , with new colors or the rope with the bosal and hanger.





Git Down Rope Lead L505


Git Down Rope- 18' long with leather popper. 3/8" Nylon Marine yacht braid with Beautiful Natural Rawhide Button with Tassel. Or 1/2" Cotton with natural rawhide button and cotton tassel. To be used in place of a halter and lead rope with a pencil bosal and hanger under a bridle for leading. When you "get down" you have a lead. New color are available (see picture here) If you need the bosal also see below the L505comp.









Git Down Rope w/Bosal & Hanger L505comp

Git Down Rope and 3/8" Pencil Bosalito with 1/2" harness leather Hanger headstall (complete set as pictured)- Get Down Rope is 18' long with leather popper. 3/8" Nylon Marine yacht braid with Beautiful Natural Rawhide Button with Tassel. Or 1/2" Cotton with natural rawhide button and cotton tassel. To be used in place of a halter and lead rope with a pencil bosal and hanger under a bridle for leading. When you "get down" you have a lead. Pencil Bosalito is 3/8" and 12 Plait Beautiful all natural rawhide braid w/rawhide core.


Our family has been dedicated for 30 years in serving
the Western Horseman the safest most durable Quality
American made leather horse tack.......

Buckaroo John Brand

Buckaroo Leather, The Brand to Demand
Visit Our Unique Store Today
Buckaroo Leather Shopping Site