Ever Heard of a Mochilla Saddle?

A mochilla is a leather saddle tree covering with slits to allow the fork and the cantle to protrude. The leather covering extended down the sides of the horse to protect the rider's leg from the horse's sweat. Mochillas were removable and often had large pockets for storage.

Mochilla Saddle

Saddles with mochillas came out of the Spanish and Vaquero tradition (the word "mochilla" evolved out of the spanish word for "knapsack.") and were popular in the 1800's. The saddles ridden for the Pony Expresss had mochillas with large pockets for storing the mail they carried.

Mother Hubbard Saddle

The mochilla morphed into the Mother Hubbard saddle, where the mochilla was a permanent part of the saddle. By 1866, most Texas cowboys rode Mother Hubbard saddles.

After the end of the American Civil War (1865), saddle skirts start appearing on saddles and soon replace the Mother Hubbard style.