Tough as nails, quietly confident, and steeped in history, this gear epitomizes the King Ranch Saddle Shop.
Captain Richard King had a vision, but in the Wild Horse Desert of the 1850s, he also knew he needed a special breed of cowboy to help him bring that dream into reality. He needed men trained in the vaquero tradition of Spanish horsemen, and he rode south to Cruillas, Mexico, to recruit such men. Los Kineños, or King’s Men, settled alongside the Santa Gertrudis Creek and built a family and community as deeply rooted in the Ranch as the Kings and Klebergs. The histories are so entwined that the two operate as twin chambers of the same heart.
It's hard to imagine a more patient human than a cowboy, a true technician who knows when to push and when to give, who quietly asserts authority and a sense of purpose. The Kineños inherited these skills from their forbears and learned anew from their first day in the saddle. Their steadfast commitment to the work seems almost asynchronous as the rest of the world moves quickly and chaotically about its business. The Kineños prefer a steady hand and a steady eye, and their work continues to produce world-class cattle and quarter horses from King Ranch.
The right equipment, from saddlery to clothing, can make or break a cowboy, and the King Ranch Saddle Shop has evolved as both a purveyor and researcher of the right tools, thanks to the tireless efforts of the Kineños. If King Ranch offers it, it meets or exceeds that standard, or it doesn’t wear the Running W brand.
As a tribute to the Kineños, King Ranch Saddle Shop created the Kineño Brush Jacket. Ruggedly built and handsomely designed, it has been a best seller for decades. Constructed with a durable canvas fabric and sturdy features, this jacket turns back spines and thorns, resists abrasion, and easily sheds moisture. From horseback to the hunting rig and everywhere in between, this Brush Jacket performs and will always don the Running W brand.
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Photography: Courtesy of King Ranch Saddle Shop
