Rare saddles on display with the reopening of the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum

SANTA YNEZ, Calif. - A rare collection of saddles is now on display at the newly reopened Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum.
  The saddles date back to the mid-1800's and have a rich history, not just here but throughout California.
   The exhibit is called "The Evolution of the California Stock Saddle." 

Saddle experts on had  for the exhibit opening said, many of the saddle are in their original form and they were important to the Vaquero work that took place on ranches in the area. 

Saddle historian Tom Peterson said,  "if you have an old saddle at home  that you are looking at,  if there's something wrong with it, don't do anything to it.  The worst thing we see in these collections is people take them down to the saddle maker and have it sewn up.  Just leave it alone."
  The valley has a rich history with saddle makers and the evolution of saddles. 
  "You're standing right in the middle of the  ground zero for the Vaquero culture in California,  this area is so important to its history," said Saddle Historian Bill Reynolds.
  The saddle display is open to the public along with the rest of the museum.
  It comes with a video and QR coders on site to help you learn more about the saddles and the time period when they were used. 

The museum on Sagunto Road, which had been closed for the pandemic and renovations, is now open Thursday through Saturday.

For more information go to: Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum