Bet you've not seen one of these before..Reversible side saddle!

sidesaddlegirl

sidesaddlegirl

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11 November 2007
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Wigston, Leicestershire
www.sidesaddlegirl.co.uk
Just thought I'd share one of my new treasures and something you don't see very often, a reversible side saddle! I've wanted one of these for ages and found one on ebay a few weeks ago and conveniently, fits my TB and me perfectly! They were usually made for kids so adult sized ones are very hard to find, especially for a tall woman like me!

I'll be mostly riding it on the off-side but you can swap the pommels over easily by unscrewing them. The safe was cut down but my saddler is going to make me a new one. you just flip it over depending what side you want to ride on.

Need some work but my saddler had a look at the tree and said that the tree was sound and that it was actually a good fit for my mare so he'll be taking it to work on. I hope to compete on this one in October at the Area 5 show at Pittern Hill. :)

parker2.jpg


parker7.jpg


parker8.jpg
 
How does the weight distibution work?All side saddles I've seen have a more build up panel on on side to compenaste for asymetry? Surely one with a reverisible horn will have symetrical panels and therefore end up very squint?
 
Kallibear said:
How does the weight distibution work?All side saddles I've seen have a more build up panel on on side to compenaste for asymetry? Surely one with a reverisible horn will have symetrical panels and therefore end up very squint?
Click to expand...

This is the debate about reversibles and how they were flocked up that we've been having. I think the general conclusion, is that reversibles were flocked upon the side the owner preferred to ride on and then on times when they chose to ride on the other side, some sort of riser pad must have been used. Probably one custom built for that particular horse. This particular saddle, was ridden more on the off-side so I'm going to get it flocked up for that side as that is the side I want to ride on any ways.
 
Didn't these used to be made for men who'd lost legs in WWI and for grooms so that they could a) carry on riding and b) keep a lady's horse balanced for her if she wasn't a good enough rider herself. There's a pic one the wall of Cliveden Hotel that shows Waldorf Astor riding side saddle and I think he must be using a saddle like this because his legs are on the offside.

Nice to see one - it must be a pretty rare thing these days.
 
I have heard of these being used in the past for younger riders, so that riding one side would not cause their bones to deform. Never seen one. Thanks for sharing. :)
 
Reversibles were made as it was thought that if you only rode on one side, you would develop a crooked back (no true but this is what the Victorians thought). Mostly they came in kid's sizes but you do get the odd adult sized one like the one I had in the photos. Even so, reversibles and offside saddles weren't the norm even then, which is why very few survive to this day. Yes, men did ride side saddle near or offside depending on what disability they had but offsides and reversibles weren't reserved exclusively for men. Most women rode on the normal nearside but depending on what was wrong with you, you could ride on the offside. I have joint problems with my right hip so I only ride on the offside now. I have 4 offside side saddle, 3 vintage, 1 newly made (I had to sell my reversible to pay for my new offside saddle).

1588, I would love to see photos of your reversible :)
 
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