Horse Tail Dancer Belt

There may be no way to tell, but I am curious if you folks can help determine if this item might be Native American, or a "Boys' Life" project. I can find several depictions of a horse tail dancer, (as well as contemporary videos), but I have not been able to find an example of an actual belt in museum collections to compare it with. I have no illusion that it is 19th century, based on the materials used, but perhaps first half of the 20th century. The 2 1/2" steel Dexter bells might be a datable component.

It is made on a heavy, commercially tanned leather belt that has been modified at the buckle ends (cut down). There is a faint stamp on the back, partially obscured by a rivet, that says "L...OAK". Presumably some company's oak bark tanning. The most used belt holes indicate someone with about a 28" waist - could be a boy, or a smaller adult. Current videos show boys in the dance group. The tail is nailed onto a rough cut piece of wood which holds the tail out when the belt it worn. The wood is painted black, and mounted to the belt using a can lid and wire. (Can lids are a fairly common adapted tool/fitting in Native American made objects.)

Here is the belt -












Here is a 1954 page from Boys' Life, showing how to construct a similar belt -

 

The Horse Tail Dance seems to be quite widespread, from the Pueblos to the Northern Plains. For context, here are some drawings of Horse Tail Dancers, and a video of them in action -


https://collections.gilcrease.org/object/0280


https://americanindian.si.edu/collections-search/objects/NMAI_246419