They do have some value.

I'm blogging from a dude ranch in Colorado this week, which BTW is a great family vacation spot. Most of the folks here are not serious horse people and therefore do not have the muscles built up that allow you to ride for 4-6 hours a day.

I'm learning some new things that I would like to share. While riding you need to pack water, a jacket, camera, etc. and they provide you with saddlebags that hang on the horse to hold all that shit. I heard that and realized that my very own saddlebags were going to be next to the horse's saddlebags and I had my first Dude Ranch epiphany. I discovered that our saddlebags do perform a necessary function particularly when you're sitting on a horse all day. For the first time, I actually LOVED my excess padding. Especially when the skinny assed, bony butted girl in front of me couldn't last more than 45 minutes.

Next up? Bull riding. Bring it on.