Documentary outline.

Introduction : Introduce the western saddle

Background: Brief history of saddles and their use

Differences : What makes the western saddle different from english or other varieties.

Compare and contrast

Origin: go over the artifacts antecedents, and prior iterations of saddles.

Saddles through time

Invention: development of western saddles from South American saddles.

Trace development using patents, artwork, or other available means.

Interaction: Introduce how the western saddle interacts with and influences society and culture.

Possibly go over how saddles now are often built for show, or as an ornamental piece (but not all ways)

Include the decorated saddle image from our research.

 Alternatives: Discuss other saddle formats that could have taken the place of the western saddle but didn’t

Mention why the western saddle won out in this competition.

Conclusion: recollect main points and wrap up the documentary.

Invention Outline

• Oldest saddle
  • Northwest Chinese saddle artifact
• Show development over time
  • Other historic examples
• Showcase 1600’s south american saddle
  • Closest antecedent to western saddle
• Development
  • Highlight that many hands were involved in shaping the western saddle 
  • Often made unique to an individual’s wants by artisans in the west and south
  • Highlight certain features became more popular overtime such as horns and larger pads
  • Give examples of how these saddles progressed such as the pony express saddle
• Conclusion
  • No single inventor
  • Shaped by communities and artisans and features were accepted or rejected over time.

Antecedents outline:

1. In Saddles by Russell H. Beatie, we will use Chapters 9 (pp. 42–50) and 10 (pp. 50–57), as they provide important contextual information regarding the development of the antecedents of Western saddles. In addition, we will use selected passages from Chapter 15 (pp. 93–97, 112–118, 153–163) to explain the major parts of the saddle in the documentary.
2. In Man Made Mobile: Early Saddles of Western North America, we will use the chapters “Horizons of the Western Saddle” by Richard E. Ahlborn (pp. 4–21), “Origins of Mexican Horsemanship and Saddlery” by Daniel F. Rubin de la Borbolla (pp. 21–39), and “Western Saddles Before the Cowboy” by James S. Hutchins (pp. 39–72), as they provide extensive information about the history of colonial, Mexican, and early types of Western saddles, along with their social and economic contexts.
3. In United States Military Saddles 1812–1943 by Randy Steffen, we will primarily use Chapter 1, “The Walker Contract Saddle and Other Dragoon Saddles, 1812–1814” (pp. 3–17); Chapter 2, “Dragoon Saddles, 1833–1841” (pp. 17–33); and Chapter 3, “The Ringgold and Grimsley Saddles, 1844–1847” (pp. 33–49), as they discuss military antecedents to the Western saddle.
4. We will also use the collection The Journals of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, with Letters and Related Documents, edited by Donald Jackson, as a primary source. Specifically, pages 85–89, where Zebulon Pike discusses contemporary saddles.
5. Finally, we will include photographs from Man Made Mobile: Early Saddles of Western North America, specifically images of the estradiota (Figure 21), the jineta (Figure 17), and the comparison between the estradiota and jineta styles (Figure 14).