howdy fellers,
that one little weekend experience I will remember the rest of my days. I have more pics and will post some of them later this evening. some I can't cuz other people who were on the ride are in the pics and I haven't permission to post there likeness here.
the horse and saddle I was loaned to. the saddle was made by clay landry. I do not know if he has a web site. those who have been in this hobby awhiles should recognize his name. he wrote a couple of things in the book of buckskinning series as well as muzzle loading magazine. the saddle to my understanding is built on whats called a trapper's tree. the one I was on has a double hand hole in the cantle. it is covered with a mochilla and has the monkey nose tapaderos. it was my first experience with a period saddle. I must say it is very bare bones. it fits close to the horse and was very comfortable to ride. when I settled into it, it felt like I melted around it. the mochilla has leather lacings on the top and I was concern it would rub me while see sawing back and forth on the saddle. that was never a problem. with real buckskin pants on the mochilla just kind of grips you. I never want to ride a modern saddle again.
as far as my other gear. my bed roll consisted of two Hudson bay blankets rolled up in a Spanish brown oil cloth that I got from crazy crow( I mumble that under my breath) and my buffalo robe. I had planned on packing light thinking everything would be on the horse. my plans were to use the buffalo robe for a saddle blanket and tie the bed roll to my saddle. this was a event I was invited to and not every one was riding horses so my bed roll was waiting at the camp for me when I got there.
my hat was made by a feller from Kansas named lil griz. I have a narrow strip of black wal nut hull dyed braintan for a hat band a assortment of turkey feather and a length of hemp string twisted for my hat band, and a bob cat tail.
I made my shirt following beth gilgun's direction from the book of buckskinningII pages 78-79. I got the fabric from
http://www.reproductionfabrics.com/. I sewed it by hand using real linen thread. the vest is just a ronnyvoo special that I cut the stupid looking plastic buttons off and replaced with brass buttons.
my waist belt is wal nut hull dyed and is 1 1/2 inches wide with a will ghormley had of God brass buckle. I have a simple leather sheath wal nut hull dyed, with a single row of brass tacks and a criss cross pattern carved into it. with my original Wilson butcher knife. the blade is 6 inches long. most carry a bigger knife but I come from the school of thought that it aint the size of your blade but how you use it that counts. I also have a willow bait bottle and a brain tan pouch for a wet stone attached to the belt
my hunting pouch I copied from a miller painting. it is the first thing I made years ago after I started brain tanning. its simple in design. I like red beads so I added a few to the fringe. the powder horn me and my friend made. its a real buffalo horn with a black wal nut plug. with a simple leather strap attached and a deer horn stopper.
my pants are a simple button fly brain tan pantaloons. at one time I had the under straps sewed on but I have since walked them off. mocs are the pucker vamp made from brain tan elk, cover in red wool flannel and of course you gotta have the white beads.
my brain tan coat and plains rifle completes the attire