I think it’s every cowboy’s dream to make their own saddle.
In the scenic valley of the Teton Mountain Range and the Snake River sits Jackson Hole Wyo., home to Keith Valley Saddle Co. The small business, named after its owner Keith Valley, makes custom, hand-tooled leather saddles for riders who want the utmost comfort not only for themselves, but for their horses. Each saddle Valley makes by hand is fit specifically for the client and their horse, taking into consideration how the horse moves and how the rider sits, creating a fluid communication between the two.
Valley’s interest in saddles started at the young age of seven, when he pored over books of artist Charlie Russell’s work and fell in love with cowboy art. As he got older, he started making his own saddles, and in 1999 moved to Montana to learn from some of the top saddle makers in the region. Says Valley, “It took three years to break the ice with the local saddle makers where they let me in the shop and shared information. People started seeing that this is a dying trade, and realized we should share what we’re losing.”
In 2004, Valley relocated to Jackson, partially so that he wasn’t competing with the makers he learned from, and also because there weren’t any saddle makers there. The town draws many tourists who regularly stop by Valley’s downtown location to admire his work. In addition to saddles, Valley does interior work, handbags and more.
Due to the time-consuming nature of working with leather and the incredible detail of Valley’s saddles, he estimates that he makes about 13 saddles a year. He credits his wife with being his motivation, and his horse for keeping him sane after long hours at the workbench. “When I ride, that’s the reward for me, the communication with the horse. It feels almost magical.”
Looking ahead, Valley is wary of his business growing to the point of being pushed into a factory production situation. “I want to stay unique in making my own, and making them for as long as I can.” He is open to hiring an apprentice to keep the trade alive, and give him more time to ride. Says Valley, “I think it would take away the fun if I can’t ride my horse.”
Photos by Christina Clusiau