How and Why We Got Here

Dec 7

In 2001, I had the privilege of visiting a hacienda near Sevilla, Spain with the
benefit of riding lessons with a graduate of the Spanish Riding Academy.
I was assigned an Andalusian with a snaffle bit and a Roseville Saddlery
saddle. I wish I had taken a picture of the tackroom; I don't remember
seeing a spade in it. Based upon conversations, I think the "good bits" were
in a private room in the owner's quarters. We had our private adobe style
room with beds covered by rough-woven blankets and showers that took a
while to warm up. Otherwise it felt totally luxurious.

Horses and the tack were then and are now an international movement. The
owner of the hacienda was a student of George Rose from Central California.
We rode the hacienda arena where the Spanish trainer and I would ride the
rail, and then try little techniques and maneuvers. He was almost as
interested as I was in different practices or terminology coming from
different regions. While I practiced my Spanish, he practiced English. And
around and around we went talking, trying, and learning universal ideas and
new techniques. Then the trail rides, out in the rolling hills of olive groves,
absolutely amazing, brought it all together. However, we never saw the cattle.
And every meal we sat at a table with French, German, American, Spanish,
and even Egyptian friends finding ways to bridge the language gaps, sharing
stories about horses, tack, and technique, and enjoying interesting food. I
never realized Mexican cuisine would be a specialty in Spain. I did have
trouble with the fish on my dinner plate staring back at me. Where was my
steak?

Adhering to my belief that geography creates much of the criteria for tools
and procedures in the agricultural world, the southern regions of Spain were
more conducive to horses, cattle, and Moorish traditions. The northern part,
up in the Basque regions, we saw sheep, larger horses, and more human
footwork. I never saw a spade bit when I was in Spain, but I wasn't on the
ranches, in the barns, or at the bullfights. We went through the National
Armory at the National Palace: saw lots of armor (they were very small),
horses' armor too, and if I remember correctly. some primitive ring bits.
In Spain and in the United States, each region and era has different
requirements and it adapts to those needs. Remember I do look at it from a
ranching perspective. Now the show horse/trainer world is very active and
influential. No matter the perspective, there is a human curiosity about the
evolution of the tools we use and why we use them.

I am not a true historian about the spade bit. There are greater researchers
who have poured over every detail and timeline to determine how we got to
where we are today. I give them enormous credit for their studies and their
passion. Most of them focus on the introduction of Old World traditions
through the explorations of the Spanish conquistadors. And many of them
trace that travel up to current California as evidenced by the “vaquero
traditions” practiced or emulated there today. However, I also look at what
has evolved in Texas, also strongly influenced by Spanish traditions. And all
of America had the Anglo migration towards the new lands further west,
bringing different breeds of cattle, horses and men. Both Spanish and Anglo
had cattle and horses on those boats and migrations across the miles forging
together a unique foundation for our agricultural economy. They brought the
tools and tack as well as the language. California is very proud of their
vaquero lifestyle, just as is Nevada and Idaho of the buckaroos, or Texas of
their cowboys (I don’t mean the football players in this instance), or the cow
punchers of the Southwest. And remember Spain and Mexico had caballeros
and vaqueros, different but evolving and changing traditions. The United
States of America had the perfect infusion of many influences and creative
minds to forge new solutions for new environments.

With all of these external influences, we then add in the distinct
characteristics of the regions. The terrain, the weather, the productivity of
the land, the grasses that thrive there, the personalities of the inhabitants.
The Hereford in the forests or foothills of Northern California or the elusive
longhorn running over the sage covered flats of Texas. Interesting little facts
stay with you: an Angus cow’s bag won’t freeze like a Hereford’s white bag
in the cold North or a Hereford can’t find the gate but an Angus will make
one for you. The geography and the breeds work together and the horses
and their work complete the puzzle.

The fleet Arab, the sturdy Shires, the faithful Morgans (coincidentally a good
name but no relation). the evolved Quarter Horse, and the mystical mustang,
each one suited to the ranch work of the region. One no better than the
other, just the right one for the right time. The Californians developed the bridlehorse with the spade bit. The Texans have their own touches to help that horse get the cow turned or through that hole in the fence. Some dally, some tie hard and fast, not by choice, but
because of circumstances. Some need the horse now and use more
expedient training techniques, others finesse through the years and stages
to get the picture-perfect behavior. Through all these differences, the
similarities never waiver. Trust, energy, willingness, intellect, and respect
from rider to horse and back again. Now we have a natural progression of
the men, the horses, and the cattle that inhabit these lands.

We stand here now, with a world-wide mixture of influences, natural and
man-made. Each has its own answers to how to get the work done most
efficiently and safely for man and beast. Each stands tall in pride for the
heritage it represents. Each has a worthy story told over and over. Mine is
the heritage represented by a legacy of a mid-century Northern California
cowboy to cattleman, horseman to bridle man, and his wife. With them there
came a very notable collection of Early California spade bits that he used
daily and a treasure of stories about his partners, the horses. Now please pass that precious steak that he helped get on our tables.