If there is one accessory that a cowboy needs outside of comfortable western wear and a good cowboy hat, it’s a great saddle. For over 20 years now, Wyoming resident Steve Mecum has been making handmade saddles for cowboys all across the country. Featured on CNN.com, Mr. Mecum describes his love of saddle making and why he feels like it is so important to pass on:

 

Micum now dedicates December through May to crafting custom saddles, some of which demand more than 350 hours of work to finish. While a basic saddle costs roughly $4,000, a high-end job that features carved, intricate designs and extra work on the seat and fenders can cost as much as $20,000.

"I have customers who collect saddles, but there is tremendous gratification in making a saddle for someone who is going to use it every day, such as a horse trainer," says Micum, who has a two-year waiting list.

"A lot of the well-known custom cowboy-gear shops are disappearing," says Micum. "We’re trying to preserve the tradition of quality and teach it to younger people so that this type of work stays alive."

Steve also can be found teaching classes on saddle making through the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 at 5:11 pm and is filed under Country Western Style, Cowboy Culture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.