Friday, August 22, 2014

Every saddle has a story

You can almost hear the clip of the horses hooves echo in the Branding Iron Room at the Teton Valley Museum. Horses have been part of the valley’s history since American Indians hunted and trappers trapped in what would become Teton Valley. Horses and the knowledge of how to raise and care for them were crucial to the settlers who began trickling into the valley in the 1880s. Eleven saddles donated by the descendants of early ranchers now sit on wooden horses in the museum — lined up with tags, every saddle with a story. The tack tells tales, too. There’s a hand-braided bridle with horsehair tassels. Larry Jacobsen used the bridle in 1906, the tag says. An artifact described as “Mormon Hobbles” hangs on one wall. The hobbles were donated by the family of John Jacob Miller, who settled on the west side of the valley in the 1890s. They were used to keep horses from straying. Stockman Samuel Harrop wore the horsehair coat and Angora chaps you will see hanging on the rough wooden wall in the room...more

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