Saddle tramp

Last updated

A saddle tramp is a person who wanders from place to place on horseback. One of the most famous saddle tramps was Mesannie Wilkins; a 63-year-old farmer who made national headlines by traveling over 5,000 miles across the United States from Maine to California by horseback.

Contents

Etymology and history

The earliest known use of the term saddle tramp is from the 1920s. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, evidence for the usage can be found in the 1922 Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette (Fort Wayne, Indiana). [1] Sometimes mistaken for a nomadic cowboy, a saddle tramp does not move cattle; but instead looks for work, mainly odd jobs, while moving from place to place.

In modern times, a "saddle tramp" also refers to a biker. Corey Baum, aka Croy from the band Croy and the Boys, explains: [it] doesn’t matter if he’s on a horse or a Honda." [2]

The Saddle Tramps, an all-male booster organization supports men's athletics at Texas Tech University, were formed by Tech student Arch Lamb in 1936. The name Saddle Tramp came from the stories of traveling men who would come to a farm for a brief time, fix up some things and move on. [3]

There are other present day iterations of the term, including: "a person who cannot drive and has no shame in asking for a lift" (saddle bum), "a lone person who saunters into a bar looking for a drink" (drifter), and "attractive female who rides on the back of a sport bike wearing short shorts, exposing thighs and lower back (saddle tramp).

Saddle tramps in literature

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trail riding</span> Traveling on trails and forest roads by horse, bicycle, motorcycle, or all-terrain vehicle

Trail riding is riding outdoors on trails, bridle paths, and forest roads, but not on roads regularly used by motorised traffic. A trail ride can be of any length, including a long distance, multi-day trip. It originated with horse riding, and in North America, the equestrian form is usually called "trail riding," or, less often "hacking." In the UK and Europe, the practice is usually called horse or pony trekking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pony Express</span> 1860–1861 mail service in the United States

The Pony Express was an American express mail service that used relays of horse-mounted riders between Missouri and California. It was operated by the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equestrianism</span> Use of horses for sport or work

Equestrianism, commonly known as horse riding or horseback riding, includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the use of horses for practical working purposes, transportation, recreational activities, artistic or cultural exercises, and competitive sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cowboy</span> Traditional ranch worker in North America

A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. Cattle drives ensure the herds health in finding pasture and bring them to market. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of special significance and legend. A subtype, called a wrangler, specifically tends the horses used to work cattle. In addition to ranch work, some cowboys work for or participate in rodeos. Cowgirls, first defined as such in the late 19th century, had a less well-documented historical role, but in the modern world work at identical tasks and have obtained considerable respect for their achievements. Cattle handlers in many other parts of the world, particularly in South America and stockmen and jackaroos in Australia, perform work similar to the cowboy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaquero</span> Horse-mounted livestock herder of a tradition that originated on the Iberian Peninsula

The vaquero is a horse-mounted livestock herder of a tradition that has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula and extensively developed in Mexico from a methodology brought to the Americas from Spain. The vaquero became the foundation for the North American cowboy, in Northern Mexico, Southwestern United States, and Western Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charro</span> Traditional horseman of Mexico

Charro, in Mexico, is historically the horseman from the countryside, the Ranchero, who lived and worked in the haciendas and performed all his tasks on horseback, working mainly as vaqueros and caporales, among other jobs. He was renowned for his superb horsemanship, for his skill in handling the lasso, and for his unique costume designed specially for horseback riding. Today, this name is given to someone who practices charreada, considered the national sport of Mexico which maintains traditional rules and regulations in effect from colonial times up to the Mexican Revolution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chaps</span> Leather leg coverings

Chaps are sturdy coverings for the legs consisting of leggings and a belt. They are buckled on over pants with the chaps' integrated belt, but unlike trousers, they have no seat and are not joined at the crotch. They are designed to provide protection for the legs and are usually made of leather or a leather-like material. Their name is a shortened version of the Spanish word chaparajos. Chaparajos were named after the chaparral, from which they were designed to protect the legs while riding on horseback. Like much of western American horse culture, the origin of chaparajos was in the south of Spain, from which it then passed on to the part of New Spain that later became Mexico, and has been assimilated into cowboy culture of the American West. They are a protective garment to be used when riding a horse through brushy terrain. In the modern world, they are worn for both practical work purposes and for exhibition or show use. Chaps have also been adopted for use on motorcycles, particularly by cruiser-style motorcycle riders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yakima Canutt</span> American rodeo rider, actor and stuntman (1895–1986)

Enos Edward "Yakima" Canutt was an American champion rodeo rider, actor, stuntman, and action director. He developed many stunts for films and the techniques and technology to protect stuntmen in performing them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lane Chandler</span> American actor (1899–1972)

Lane Chandler was an American actor specializing mainly in Westerns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aimé Félix Tschiffely</span> Swiss-Argentine professor, author, and adventurer (1895–1954)

Aimé Félix Tschiffely was a Swiss-born, Argentine professor, author, and adventurer. A. F. Tschiffely wrote a number of books, most famously Tschiffely's Ride (1933) in which he recounts his solo journey on horseback from Argentina to Washington D.C.. Tschiffely was a household name in the United States during the 1930s, meeting with President Calvin Coolidge, appearing in National Geographic Magazine and earning a living from his popular book sales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Masked Rider</span> Primary mascot of Texas Tech University

The Masked Rider is the primary mascot of Texas Tech University. It is the oldest of the university's mascots still in existence today. Originally called "Ghost Rider", it was an unofficial mascot appearing in a few games in 1936 and then became the official mascot with the 1954 Gator Bowl. The Masked Rider has led the team onto the field at nearly every football game since. It is the nation's first school mascot to feature a live horse at a football game, ahead of Florida State's Chief Osceola and Renegade and 25 years before USC's Traveler and all other such mascots in existence today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raider Red</span>

Raider Red is one of the mascots of Texas Tech University. The university's primary mascot is The Masked Rider who rides a live horse. Raider Red is used at events where The Masked Rider is not allowed or would not be appropriate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridle path</span> Path that can be used by people riding horses

A bridle path, also bridleway, equestrian trail, horse riding path, ride, bridle road, or horse trail, is a trail or a thoroughfare that is used by people riding on horses. Trails originally created for use by horses often now serve a wider range of users, including equestrians, hikers, and cyclists. Such paths are either impassable for motorized vehicles, or vehicles are banned. The laws relating to allowable uses vary from country to country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gymkhana (equestrian)</span> Equestrian event consisting of speed racing and timed games for riders on horses

Gymkhana is an equestrian event consisting of speed pattern racing and timed games for riders on horses. These events often emphasize children's participation and may be organized by a recognized Pony Club or a 4-H club. Very small rodeo-like events with little or no prize money, designed for beginners or riders at a local level, are sometimes called playdays. In parts of the western United States, this type of competition is usually called an O-Mok-See. "Gymkhana" is the word used in most of the rest of the English-speaking world, including the United Kingdom and both the East Coast and the West Coast of the United States.

A saddle tramp is a person who wanders from place to place on horseback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Tech University traditions</span> Aspect of Texas Tech University culture

Texas Tech University traditions are an important part of the culture of Texas Tech University.

<i>Ride Ranger Ride</i> 1936 film by Joseph Kane, Nat Levine

Ride Ranger Ride is a 1936 American Western film directed by Joseph Kane and starring Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and Kay Hughes. Based on a story by Bernard McConville and Karen DeWolf, and a screenplay by Dorrell and Stuart E. McGowan, the film is about a Texas Ranger working undercover to protect an Army wagon train full of ammunition and supplies. The Army doesn't believe him at first, until the Comanche arrive.

Cowboy polo is a variation of polo played mostly in the western United States. Like regular polo, it is played in chukkas (periods) with two teams on horses who use mallets to hit a ball through a goal. It differs from traditional polo in that five riders make up a team instead of four, western saddles and equipment are used, and the playing field is usually a simple rodeo arena or other enclosed dirt area, indoors or out. Also, instead of the small ball used in traditional polo, the players use a large red rubber medicine ball and use mallets with long fiberglass shafts and hard rubber heads.

<i>Riding into the Sunset</i> United States historic place

Riding into the Sunset is a bronze sculpture by Electra Waggoner Biggs, depicting Will Rogers on his horse, Soapsuds. There are four castings, located in Fort Worth, Texas, Claremore, Oklahoma, Lubbock, Texas, and Dallas, Texas.

Annie "Mesannie" Wilkins (1891–1980) was a 63-year-old farmer who made national headlines by traveling over 5,000 miles across the United States from Maine to California with a retired race horse named Tarzan, a packhorse named Rex and a dog named Depeche Toi.

References

See also