Metal horns

[ltoddv]

Without trying to open a can of worms with this question I tried the search option first but could find what I was looking for. In Mr Adams book the way I read it (I could have read it wrong) he says to cover metal horns with a cap and wrap style instead of the traditional wing style covering. I wasn’t sure if this was given as another option or the best way to do it. What are the benefits of the cap and wrap on metal horns? To me it doesn’t seem as durable and seems like it would be more prone to twisting especially on a roping saddle. I have read some threads saying that a traditional wade saddle has a wood horn with a donut cap and wrap and I understand keeping up with tradition but I am curious for other types of saddles like roping, cutters and barrels. I know each type of covering has its place and I’m not trying to start a “only way to do it” argument at all, just asking for opinions on benefits of the cap and wrap. 

[oltoot]

Then you can tap and drill a hole for the screw in the cap to keep it in place. Another option would be to drill and tap a filler piece to the top then traditional cover over it, as to origins metal horns exposed not as strong but trees much easier to make and therefore cheaper in the day. IN some (not all) Wade trees the horn and fork are all one piece of wood vs bronze core bolted to fork for others. Lots of ways to skin a cat. BTW the Vaquero trees from Mexico had one piece horns and forks, in fact, some had the entire tree carved out of a single cottonwood root in one piece.

[ltoddv]

Thank you for the information!  I did not know that much about the old vaquero saddles.  I will go with the traditional wrap and a filler.  Another reason I prefer the traditional wrap is that it looks cleaner to me by going under the fork cover.  My worry was that there would be a performance or durability issue in covering a metal horn this way after reading Mr. Adams book, but I figured I read it wrong.  Thank you again for your reply and help!