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So
You Want to Try Riding Sidesaddle
A Primer for Beginners
Is
It Hard?
What Kind of Horse Do I Need?
What Do I Wear?
How
Does the Horse Get Its Signals If Both Legs Are On One Side?
Where
Do I Find A Sidesaddle?
This
is complicated! Where can I get help?
For any number
of reasons, you may be intrigued by the idea of riding sidesaddle. After
all, it most likely is very different from what you've done with your
horse so far. It certainly looks different, right? So, how do you get
started? Is it hard? Where can you turn for help? Where do you find a
saddle? What do you wear? What kind of horse do you need? These and other
questions are common, and frequently asked by those new to sidesaddle.
This overview is intended to point you in the right direction, so that
you don't suffer through many of the most common pitfalls.
Is
It Hard?
Riding sidesaddle, or riding aside, is no harder than riding
astride. It is simply different. Just as when you ride a horse with a
leg on either side, riding aside requires balance, good seat and leg position,
and a saddle that fits both horse and rider. With just a little guidance,
anyone with a genuine interest in riding well can master the basics quickly.
What
Kind of Horse Do I Need?
It is absolutely critical to your success as a sidesaddle
rider that the horse have four legs. Other than that, just about anything
goes! Horses and ponies of any breed, size or type can be ridden aside.
Of course, as with any kind of riding, a horse with a smooth way of going
may be more comfortable to one that is jouncy or has bone-jarring gaits.
Sidesaddle riders go hunt seat, saddle seat, Western, dressage, and do
everything else that astride riders do with their horses. Unless you plan
to specialize in a certain style of riding, however, the horse you ride
is not important to your ability to ride sidesaddle.
What
do I wear?
The short answer is, in most respects, you don't wear anything
different to ride aside than you do to ride any other way. If hunting,
showing, or doing a demonstration, you will add a safety apron to your
attire, which gives the look of a skirt when in the saddle. If a period
costume or historical outfit is called for, you may wear a skirt or dress.
These should be well researched for authenticity.
How
Does the Horse Get Its Signals If Both Legs Are On One Side?
This definitely is one of the top ten questions asked.
Most of us have been schooled to ride by giving the horse certain signals.
Depending on the direction we are traveling, or what we are asking the
horse to do, those signals may be given with the rider's legs, on one
side or the other. The horse receives many signals from the rider, however,
and many of these are not given with the legs. A common example is the
signal for the canter or lope. Think about what you do when you ask the
horse for this gait. You may use a leg signal, but you may also use your
voice, your reins and/or your seat to indicate to the horse that you want
to canter or lope.
Voice commands,
shifts of weight, position, direct and indirect rein aids, and the like,
all contribute to the information the horse receives from the rider. Therefore,
it is merely a matter of reschooling the horse to accept a different aid
from the rider to replace the missing leg. At first, these aids may be
given with the use of a sidesaddle cane, which is a stiff whip-like aid
that can be pressed against the horse's side, in place of the missing
leg, while the horse learns to accept and adapt to different signals.
A whip or crop may also be used to encourage the horse to respond without
the leg aid. And, of course, weaning the horse away from dependence on
leg signals can be done even before you ever place a sidesaddle on his
back.
Where
Do I Find A Sidesaddle?
This probably is the trickiest part of your journey to
riding sidesaddle. As you no doubt have noticed, sidesaddles are not readily
available in your neighborhood tack shop. And, while saddle fit to both
horse and rider is important, regardless of what kind of riding you do,
it is even more important when choosing a sidesaddle. Why? Well, for one
thing, the distribution and concentration of the rider's weight on the
horse's back is different than it is when riding astride. You will want
your horse to be comfortable and happy, and not suffer any pain or injury
from an ill-fitting saddle. Secondly, because of that weight distribution
issue, a sidesaddle has a greater tendency to roll toward the side where
the rider's legs are if it doesn't fit the horse properly, or if it hasn't
been done up properly. This is especially true if the rider is improperly
balanced, or is putting too much weight in the stirrup. Thirdly, the rider
will be better able to balance and grip if the saddle fits her well. And,
lastly, as with any tack, you will want to be sure that any saddle you
choose is safe and in good, usable condition.
- The
perils of old age: Let's take the last point first.
You went to tag sale and bought an old sidesaddle for $20. Or, you found
great grandma's saddle in the barn loft, or couldn't resist that old
bargain on Ebay. So, now you can't wait to get it onto your horse, right?
WHOA! Almost all sidesaddles in use today are antiques
- ranging anywhere from 40 to 140 years old, or older. Unless it has
been in constant use or has had continuous care over its entire life,
however, the likelihood is that the leather will be dry, cracked, and
dangerous. Before trying to ride your treasure, you must ensure that
all stress-bearing wood, leather and cloth parts, such as billets, girths
and cinches, stirrups, and that all-important foundation, the saddle's
tree, are safe and sound. Even if it looks good, it's better to be safe
than sorry - 100-year-old leather simply isn't trustworthy. We strongly
advise getting an opinion from a competent saddler or leather repair
person before you tack up.
- Your
horse should have a fit: The second problem with
the bulk of these lovely old saddles is that many of them will not fit
our modern horses well. Horses have evolved over time - and, these days,
we feed and worm them better and more effectively. They tend to be bigger,
rounder and broader than the rangy, tough horses of the last century.
Many sidesaddles dating from the 19th century will perch on a modern
horse's rounder back, causing the horse discomfort or injury, and/or
causing the rider to be unbalanced or unsafe. This generally is not
conducive to one's success at sidesaddle riding! For more guidance,
read the various articles on Fitting the Sidesaddle, which
can be found on the Sidesaddle Information
page.
- Safety
first: The third problem with many of these grand antiques,
or period sidesaddles, is that they do not have many of the most modern
safety features developed for sidesaddles. Just like any other saddle,
the sidesaddle evolved over time, improving comfort, balance and safety.
Important 19th century innovations, developed primarily for the safety
of women in the hunt field, were the flattened seat, the balance strap,
and the leaping head. The flattened seat allows the lady to come forward
when approaching a fence. The balance strap prevents the back of the
saddle from tipping forward as the rider's weight shifts, and also greatly
reduces the likelihood of rolling, because it helps to counteract any
uneven weight distribution. The leaping head gives the lady support
when jumping, and also serves to give her a strong emergency grip when
needed. Back in the day, not everyone warmed up to these new-fangled
ideas right away, however, and, consequently, the majority of sidesaddles
100 or more years old either predate or simply do not have these additions.
Occasionally these are added when period saddles are restored, but saddles
in original condition may not have them. Does this mean you can't ride
them? No - if they are otherwise safe, they are usable. In fact, you
may prefer them to be more authentic, if you intend to participate in
historical events or reenactment. For general sidesaddle riding, however,
you almost certainly will be happier and more secure in a saddle that
sports a flat seat, a leaping head and a balance strap.
- When
newer isn't necessarily better: So, after reading the
above, you've come to the conclusion that you shouldn't bother with
those antique saddles. Much better to get a brand spanking new one,
right? Well, sorry, but we've got to raise the red flag again. There
are well built new sidesaddles in production, but they are not plentiful,
and they are not cheap. Most of the modern sidesaddles available in
the United States under $1,000 are made in various Asian countries,
and are very inconsistent in quality. More of them tend to be bad than
good. There also are some relatively inexpensive sidesaddles being made
in Germany which are of poor quality and worse fit. And, you will want
to avoid the charro type sidesaddles coming out of Latin America. It
may be unfair to condemn all of these sidesaddles wholesale - some folks
have found such saddles that fit their horse acceptably, and work well
for the rider. But, be aware - there are more failures than successes
with these. The bottom line is, if the saddle fits well, your horse
is happy and you're comfortable in it, then more power to you.
- Is
it all bad news? No - the good news is, there are desirable,
quality-made sidesaddles out there, both old and new. The supply is
perhaps not plentiful, but it is adequate for now. We hope to see more
and more, as time goes on, and interest grows. The down side is that
high quality sidesaddles tend to be expensive. The classic English sidesaddles,
from such manufacturers as Champion & Wilton, Owen, Martin &
Martin, Mayhew, Knoud, Whippy and others, are the most in demand. These
senior citizens range in age from 50 to 100 years old, and thus can
suffer from some of the dangers of the 19th century saddles. Moreover,
they are a dwindling resource. Those in serviceable condition are not
likely to be found at bargain prices - the buyer should expect to spend
between $1,000 - $2,000 for such a saddle, with some over or under this
mean. Of course, some of these still can be found in unlikely places
and/or at bargain prices, but it just doesn't happen too often. And,
as with all antiques, buyer beware - be sure your classic sidesaddle
find is sound, either ready to ride or repairable, and that it will
fit your horse and you, before you invest.
In the way of new sidesaddles, English styles are being made by Karl
Niedersuss, for about $3,500, and a new synthetic saddle is available
from Thorowgood for about $2,000. Both of these are available from distributors
in the United States, and the prices quoted above may vary, depending
on shipping costs and payment methods. A handful of saddlers will build
English sidesaddles to your specifications, at a price of about $4,000
and up. New Western style sidesaddles can be ordered from Circle Y,
Comal and Skyhorse, starting around $2,000, or custom made by several
talented saddlers for a minimum of about twice this amount. Sidesaddles
built on a modern Steele tree come in both English and Western styles,
and can be ordered for under $2,000. Reproduction period saddles also
are available. Not all of these are perfect, but they often are far
preferable their low-cost modern counterparts. If you are interested
in finding any of these new saddles, and do not know where to go, please
visit the links page and check under
"Saddle Sources," or feel free to contact me via email at
info@asideline.com.
This
is complicated! Where can I get help?
It may not always be easy to find personalized help with
sidesaddle issues. The popularity and accessibility of the internet has
made it far simpler, however. Now you can easily reach organizations dedicated
to sidesaddle riding, such as the International
Side Saddle Organization (ISSO), the World
Sidesaddle Federation (WSFI), NEA
Sidesaddle Association, the Side
Saddle Association in the UK, Side
Saddle International, and other such organizations around the
globe. They can help you find a saddle, a teacher, or just someone in
your neck of the woods who can assist with getting you started. All you
need to do is ask.
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