Making a Horn Bag
Horn bags are a convenient Way To store Items While In the Saddle.
One of the challenges horsemen have long dealt with is the obstacle of carrying things you want and need while mounted on your horse. Historically, people have solved this challenge in different ways. Here are a few historical images showing a variety of horsemen. You’ll notice that although each has a different setup, they are similar in nature.
As you can see, horsemen have only four places to store things. Behind the cantle. On the pommel. Tied on. Or, on the rider. How you choose to load the horse will depend on who you are, what you are doing, and what you are carrying.
Recently, my wife asked me to build her something to carry her cell phone while riding. Of course, this has become pretty common in the last 10 years or so. We talked about different ways we could do it but eventually came back to a simple pommel or horn bag.
Although I could have crafted a bag especially crafted for the phone, (check out this wet mold gun holster) we decided that a multi-purpose horn bag would be most useful. That way, she could carry things like chapstick, water bottle, or whatever else she needed in addition to the phone. After some planning and tinkering, I eventually came up with a design that she liked and I got started.
If you’re interested, here is a video showing the process.
Overall, I’m happy with how this horn bag turned out. It’s a well-fitting piece of gear that my wife should be able to use for many years to come. Like most people, she also likes the personalized touch.
In case you are interested, here is a link to a template for this horn bag.
Here are the materials used:
5-7 oz. veg tan leather for top, bottom, and body
2-3 oz. veg tan leather for sides
Feibings Pro Dye
2 Center bar buckles
Leather sewing needle and thread
The 2-3 oz. veg tan for the sides gives the horn bag more structure. If you want it to be more flexible, you can use chap leather or other chrome-tanned leather.
Although we certainly could have gone online and purchased the cheapest horn bag at a big outlet store, to me, creating our own was worth the cost and effort. Not only did we end up with a great piece of tack, but I learned a few things along the way I can apply to my next project. In the end, not only did I get the gear, but I also developed myself just a little bit more. To me, that is something worth doing.
By sharing these projects, I hope they can help motivate you to get off your device, get back into the real world, and make something. You were made for more than screentime.