It is about 4½ inches long and consists of three ornaments dangling from each other by gold cord. The first ornament is a 2 inch long Country Fiddle for those long nights on the prairie. The second is a ½ long brown Saddle resting on a green blanket. The third is a ¾ inch long lone Gray Wolf wearing a red bandana and doing what Wolves do best, howling at the moon. Select this link to view our Western Christmas Ornaments.
Wolves.
The gray wolf also known as the timber wolf, is a mammal of the order Carnivora. The gray wolf is the largest wild member of the Canidae family. Its shoulder height ranges from 26–36 inches and its weight varies between 20 and 68 kilograms. Select this link to view our Western Wolf Dangling Ornament.
Though once abundant over much of North America and Eurasia, the gray wolf inhabits a very small portion of its former range. Considered as a whole, the gray wolf is regarded as being of least concern for extinction according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Today, wolves are protected in some areas, hunted for sport in others, or may be subject to extermination as perceived threats to livestock and pets.
Gray wolves play an important role as apex predators in the ecosystems they typically occupy. Gray wolves are highly adaptable and have thrived in temperate forests, deserts, mountains, tundra, taiga, and grasslands. Select this link to view our Western Wagon Ornament.
The Saddle.
A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider which is fastened to an animal's back. The earliest saddles were simple pads attached with a surcingle seen by 800 BC, with the saddle tree coming into use circa 200 BC, and paired stirrups by 322 A.D. Saddles in the styles seen today date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Today’s modern saddle comes in a wide variety of styles, each designed for a specific equestrianism discipline, and require careful fit to both the rider and the horse. Proper saddle care can extend the useful life of a saddle, often for decades.
From the earliest depictions, saddles became status symbols. To show off an individual's wealth and status, embellishments were added to saddles, including elaborate leatherwork, precious metals, jewels, and embroidery. Select this link to view our Chili Pepper and Saddle Dangling Ornament.
The development of the solid saddle tree was significant; it raised the rider above the horse's back, and distributed the rider's weight on either side of the animal's spine instead of pinpointing pressure at the rider's seat bones, reducing the pounds per square inch carried on any one part of the horse's back, thus greatly increasing the comfort of the horse and prolonging its useful life. The invention of the solid saddle tree also allowed development of the true stirrup. Without a solid tree, the rider's weight in the stirrups creates abnormal pressure points and makes the horse's back sore. Select this link to view our Dangling Cowboy Outfit.
The McClellan saddle was designed in the 1850s by George B. McClellan for use by the United States Cavalry and the rest of the United States Army, and was used continuously, with some improvements, until the 1940s. Today, the McClellan saddle continues to be used by ceremonial mounted units in the U.S. Army. The basic design saw use by military units in several other nations, including Rhodesia and Mexico, and even to a degree by the British in the Boer War. Select this link to view our Western First Christmas Ornament.