The saddle has become an American icon. Wranglers rely on saddles every day, but discerning outsiders favor them for image enhancement and self-expression. Thus, saddles turn up in paintings, films, even advertisements for cigarettes and automobiles. In the marketplace of western memorabilia, they have great value. Saddles--sometimes intricately and exquisitely carved--are no longer merely cowboy paraphernalia. At their most elaborate, they...