Tapadaros: Style With Substance

What are tapadaros? Some folks call them hooded stirrups, but tapadaros has such a nicer ring to it, don't you agree? And since "taps" come from the vaquero tradition, they should have a Spanish name.

Tapadaros protect your feet and keep them warm when riding in harsh terrain and weather. They started off as a strictly utilitarian accessory, but the vaqueros had too much style to leave it at that. They added elaborate tooling, silverwork, lacing and strings and elongated the shape to provide more surface area for decoration. Tapadaros became a highly ornamental piece.

Today you'll still see working cowboys in the harsh terrain of the west and southwest riding with tapadaros. Taps have also made a bit of a comeback in the recreational market with the renewed popularity of the old timer style saddles.

You can see some great taps on this old timer saddle made by Lyle Henderson of Platte Valley Saddle Shop in Kearney, Nebraska.

Read more about the history and uses of Tapadaros.