Western Dove Artisan Horse Tack embodies the very best of our Western heritage—ingenuity, hard work and integrity.
Sponsored by Western Dove
What sets Western Dove tack apart from traditional tack is the artistic element. Every set has a unique design of stones and beads creating wearable art. It’s a proprietary concept that originated back in 2008 when Western Dove was started, and the ideas and techniques have been conceptualized and developed by owner and artist Katie Weaver ever since.
Every piece created at Western Dove is handmade and designed by Katie. Katie started making designs in a very remedial fashion including a hammer and a nail and beads for jewelry making. The attachment process of stones also went through its ups and downs, but it’s the use of wire and glue that have proven to be the most reliable. The quality of leather is of upmost importance, as functionality is essential in the equine industry.
Katie is a lifelong cowgirl, artist and avid barrel racer. It’s her love for horses and the Western lifestyle that allowed her passion for art and turquoise to form such a unique concept of horse tack. Over the years, Katie has accumulated a variety of materials to work with. From different hides, feathers, and skins, to lacing colors, conchos, and of course the beads—everything from jasper and opals, turquoise, agates, fools gold, onyx, fossils and sea glass—if it can flow in a pattern, it’s attempted at Western Dove.
Heavy oiled Herman Oak leather is the foundation of every set to ensure durability. The base tack is essentially the canvas on which Katie creates. From there, she lets the ideas form freely, laying out patterns and testing out different color combinations, similar to assembling a puzzle or solving a riddle.
Often times the pattern can change from beginning to end. Concepts are not sketched out and put to the test; they come to fruition organically. Trial and error come from experience and years of working with different materials. References to the color wheel, composition, and balance from end to end play a major role in the aesthetic. It’s Katie’s artistic eye and passion to create that set Western Dove apart from anyone else.
Western Dove strives for one-of-a-kind designs and is the pioneer brand of a unique niche market in the Western lifestyle.
It’s also Katie’s ability to establish relationships with her clients that build trust in Western Dove. She has a reputation of fairness and integrity and stands behind her products. The motivation to design and create are not based on the monetary return but the pride in the final creation. Repeat customers enjoy the evolution of Western Dove and appreciate the ingenuity of design over the years.
You may have seen Western Dove tack on horses at jackpots and rodeos across the United States and in six different countries. It’s been on magazine covers, sale catalogs, rodeo posters, barrel racing flyers and ad campaigns for major Western brands.
Western Dove has several riders representing coast to coast. Clients include National Finals Rodeo cowgirls Christine Laughlin, Shali Lord, Brittney Barnett, Jackie Ganter, Ivy Saebens and Shelley Morgan. NFR team ropers Dugan Kelly and Brandon Beers have both represented as well. Professional barrel racers like Meg Champion, Lacey Lockard, Mary Jo Camera, Lindsay Schulz, Sonia Gorrell, Vicky Cook, and Casey Mathis have been a part of the Western Dove team for the last 10 years.
Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Champion barrel racer Jackie Jo Perrin represents Western Dove, as well as multiple world title holder and horse trainer Lance Graves. Savannah Palmore, Paris Jean, Aubrey Smith, Kaiden Ayres, Jene Mathis, Jamie Wilson, Oceana Sipila, Sydnie Wynn Graves and Logan Busick have graced the winner’s circle in their custom Western Dove tack. Shelley Morgan, Shali Lord, and Casey Mathis have represented at AT&T Stadium during The American Rodeo. Lance Graves has traveled internationally for competitions with his custom pieces.
While the tack is intended to be functional, it’s more than a tool. Western Dove is identifiable as a brand, it’s a statement piece. It’s a conversation starter, it’s a work of art you can hang on your horse instead of your wall. Created from life experiences, love for horses, and all that is beautiful in the world, Western Dove is where the imagination can still run wild.
Be inspired at westerndove.com.