In Presidente Prudente I had the opportunity of meeting a legendary saddle maker. Ronaldo Paiao, or Baixinho (Shorty) as he is known by friends and family members, has leather pumping through his arteries.
“I made my first saddle when I was 14-years-old, but long before that I used to help my father make different parts,” he told me while hammering a horn into the frame of a roping saddle.

Baixinho’s father used to cowboy for the Brazilian King Ranch in the 1960’s and one day was asked to fix a broken saddle. When he returned the saddle looking better than it had previously, the ranch put him in charge of maintaining and making tack.
“My dad asked the ranch for a raise but they didn’t give it to him so he moved to Presidente Prudente and started making his own saddles and selling them,” the 55-year-old told me.

The saddlery started in a small home where the family lived, but soon Baixinho’s father built his name and his business. Today, Presidente Prudente is the biggest producer of saddles in Brazil, with thousands of saddles being shipped all over Brazil and the world weekly. And Baixinho’s old man was the pioneer who started it all.
“Without my dad, Prudente would not be what it is today when it comes to saddles,” he told me with pride in his eyes.
I have the honour of riding on a Wade saddle Baixinho made especially for my trip! This saddle used by the Buckaroos in North America to run cattle all day, is in my opinion, the best saddle for a Long Ride like mine.

The saddle sets lower than others with a prominent lip in the front and a larger horn. The saddle sitting lower over the horse’s withers causes less stress on the horse’s back. The bars are wider for more surface area against the horse so the saddle stays in place better, and doesn’t need to be cinched as tight.

“I made this saddle as light as possible for your mares comfort and the deep seat and placementt of the Wade’s stirrup will help ease the pain in your knees and back on those long days,” Baixinho said running his rough hands over the shiny saddle.
I can’t thank Baixinho, his Saddlery Pro-Horse, and his entire family for sponsoring my journey and donating this gorgeous saddle.