Saddle makers are often asked what a person should look for in a comfortable saddle. Though it is a fair question, a simple answer is tough to come by. The key lies in what is called the ground seat. Although many riders are unfamiliar with how the ground seat is constructed and how it works, […]
Grandpa’s Woolies
My paternal grandfather, Theodore John Schwarz (b.1896) came to Idaho in the 1910’s. This is a pencil illustration by my first cousin Todd Schwarz rendered from a photo of our Grandpa Schwarz. This was a time when woolie chaps were extremely common among the cowboys of the day in much of the west. All the […]
It seemed like a good idea at the time…
The story of the 2009 TCAA Woolies began in 2007. I’d been looking for a source for good quality angora goat to use for chaps and unfortunately almost all the hides available had hair that was too short for an attractive pair of woolies. I eventually discovered a tannery in Texas that sold goat hides […]
Testimonial: Rick & Marcia
The first saddle Cary made for us was in 1997. Already Cary had a reputation for doing thoughtful and meticulous work, and we couldn’t have been more pleased or proud of that saddle. It is still as beautiful and functional today, as it was the day we picked it up. Since then Cary has gone on to […]
For the Collector
Since the founding of the TCAA in 1998, I have built nearly twenty unique, collector category saddles for an average price of nearly $30,000, all of which have been collaborations with some very good silversmiths (Scott Hardy, Mark Drain, Mark Dahl, R. Schaezlein & Son) Almost all of them took over a year from the […]
Thoughts on Craftsmanship
Over the years, I have approached fine craftsmanship as a process…a journey of refinement. There has been an ongoing, deliberate effort to make the next saddle better than the last. It is a study of integrating function and art, the two ideals at the heart of fine craftsmanship. This commitment has required a certain amount […]
Keeping Your Saddle Clean
Better horsemanship begins with paying careful attention to details. One of those details that figure into the larger picture is adequate care and maintenance of the one thing you use every time you swing a leg over your horse: your saddle. The quality of care you give your saddle should match the quality of care […]
Famous Customers
I have done work for some fine folks whose names you would recognize (but not many). None are quite as accomplished in the art of living as my Dad. This is Bernie Schwarz (b. 1933) packing the front quarters of my son’s bull off the mountain in 2009. He’s riding a saddle I made about […]
TESTIMONIAL: Jim Reilly
In my judgment, Cary Schwarz is the consummate custom saddle-maker. There are others who may say that they are custom saddle-makers, but what they mean is that they do all the work themselves – and build the saddle their way. Cary works with the customer to build a saddle the way the customer desires it to […]
You’re An Artist
Any craftsman who has taken it upon himself to refine his work has heard this statement. The comment usually implies that one is no longer “just a craftsman” and has ascended to the rank of “artist”. It is almost as if one goes to bed a craftsman, and wakes up an artist. It is as […]
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