Getting married - want to ride to wedding...HELP!!

[tinker88]

Hi,

Im getting married in June, and it has been a child hood dream to ride my horse to my wedding.
He horse is great, safe, beautiful and i trust him 100%.

We have done little side saddle and thinking about it i recon id feel safer (just think horsey my pick up on my nerves??) astride.
Im going to search for a cheap dress on ebay to practice in, and hack him around the place im getting married at.

But any suggestions regarding a saddle? I was going to get my mum to make a wrap around ivory exercise sheet to cover my saddle as well so i keep clean... and hopefully my dress will cover my legs etc too?

any other suggestions will riding astride still look nice?

 

[Faro]

First of all, congratulations Tinker!

Have you already chosen your wedding dress? I think that it will depend on how full the skirt is as to whether or not it "rucks up" when you're in the saddle. My guess is that you'd need a whole lot of extra material in the skirt in order for it to hang nicely. Alternatively, could you have the dress adapted into a kind of "split" skirt - kind of like culottes?

If you have a long train at the back, that would look lovely draped over the back of the saddle and on to the horses quarters.

Don't give up on the riding astride idea - I am sure you will figure it out and will look absolutely gorgeous on the day.

 

[marinitagsd]

Yes congrats Tinker!! That is such a lovely idea. I got married when I was having a break from horses but when we got to the reception someone was walking past with a beautiful horse and agreed to let us have some photos taken with it, brilliant! I was sooo happy.
Good luck and please keep us informed of your progress. Piccies as well.
Anita
xx

 

[Ruth_Cymru]

My friend had her horse at their wedding and hopped on board to have photos taken (astride not side saddle). She had a dress with quite a lot of material and a train, it looked fab sweeping along the sides and back of the horse- she just needed a few people to hoist her on and off and arrange her dress.
I think it's a great idea and good luck with the wedding x x

 

[eoe]

My friend rode to church on her 17.2hh Irish TB, I escorted her and we rode the 1.5 miles to the church, 300 yards from the church we were escorted by a man playing the bagpipes, she was from Scotland, interesting experience good job my big horse is bomb proof, although he was not too impressed to start with, the bridge had a white trouser suit on. We did not practice she just turned up on the morining of the wedding as I had got the horses all plaited up etc and we rode to the church, we did get an awful lot of stares from traffic as we had to go down the main road. That was 3 years ago.

 

[gillianfleming]

My friend rode her mums horse to her wedding, she used a vautling roller and pad and so sat side saddle, looked fantastic but she kind of had to leap to get on.
Congratulations too i'm sure it'll be great.

 

[catdragon]

Would it be possible to have a traditional dress altered so it opens at the front and wear white jods/ riding tights under? That way the dress could hang down your legs either side and across the flanks of your horse, which I think looks beautiful?

 

[gekko]

If you go to cmsporthorses.com and click on the "our wedding on horseback" link you can see my OH and I's wedding...entirely on horseback...only got off to sign the register! ....followed by a BBQ in the hayshed next to the house on the TB stud we managed...

Our meeting, my proposal, our engagement party, the wedding and everything since has had a horsey theme!

 

[tinker88]

I have already got my dress, its got a decent train on it, so I hope it will be ok? i know i wont be able to wear my hoop

I have bridal pumps to ride in, and will wear some tights etc.

I was thinking about a saddle pad, roller but just incase i get emotional and charlie picks up on it i recon id be better astride?

Thanks guys.... i couldnt sleep last night thinking about it

i have the horsebox, friend to bring him, plait him up etc,
i cant wait, and im going to get him a diamante browband to match my tiara,
xx

 

[Theresa_F]

Yes do take horse if he is the sort to be calm and not phased by people everywhere and loud noises, flash photos etc.

First time I rode my TB to church - only slight problem I had that as we jogged along (we were side saddle) she did start to sweat so I had to keep to a walk to avoid dress being sweaty. I had a dark red skirt so this hid anything.

Second time - again rode side saddle and hubby was in his western saddle. This dress was a silver grey and I forgot that I had a hoop but it was flexible so sort of rucked up under skirt under my waist and then over skirt hid it as the dress flowed over the hind quarters.

Hopefully you can see how a big dress fits on a small horse - Jemima is just 15 hands.

You need a good friend to groom for you and a large mounting block to get on and off. Silk flowers on bridle if you have two horses going or they will try to eat them.

Best day of my life having Jemima and Cairo at our wedding - OH would not have done it without his big boy being there - Cairo was Best Horse and Jemima was Mare of Honour.

If you can see, my dress is hanging either side - very full skirt and I prayed she would not have a poo.

As you can see, our two were very well behaved - did not poo or step on anyone and spent the day being fed lots of treat so really enjoyed themselves.

 

[kcinks]

OMG Theresa your wedding pictures are amazing!

 

[Theresa_F]

Thanks, though it does still make me very sad to see Cairo RIP and Jemima has now gone back to her owner.

Hopefully Farra, our new clydie and Chancer my little cob will grow up to be as much of a credit to us as these two were.

 

[muffinino]

A friend of mine had a medieval wedding and originally was going to ride side saddle. Her horse pulled a tendon 2 months before the ceremony and couldn't be ridden, but she still had him there (was more concerned that he was there than her fiancee, lol). In the end she borrowed a treeless saddle and made the fabric covers to look medieval. He had covers on the reins, bridle etc and a sort of rug over his back, if that makes sense. It looked lovely and as she borrowed it cost nothing

I'm not sure what type of treeless it was but it looked sort of like the Cheyenne on this page (last but one down): http://www.treelesssaddle.com/barefoot.html

 

[hellsdarkrose]

Your wedding pictures are gorgeous.

Out of interest what happened to the horses whilst you were actually at the ceremony did someone stay outside to hold them?

 

[Weezy]

Have you got a dress or a 2 piece?

You do have to remember that by the time you get to church all of your wedding party should be IN the church, so you could get away with wearing a different, cheap dress to the church and having a quick change?

 

[Theresa_F]

They were held outside by friends who also on the day tacked them up for us and put the flowers in their mane and tails. Would have loved them inside but think it would have been pushing the good will of the venue - we actually got married in what was the old working horse stables - very appropriate in view of what we have.

You need good friends to get them ready, help you get on, hold them whilst you are getting married and then take them away to their stables. Friends quickly get changed after that and come and join in the food and booze.

Where we got married had stables next door where they stayed overnight - finding a venue that allows horses and can stable them was a bit of a challenge - for Essex folks, try the Reid Rooms - great place and horse friendly.

 

[tinker88]

wow..... Thankyou ever so much!!

Charlie is very chilled, Ive just called the venue (old stately home) they are happy for me to ride charlie around the grounds so hes happy with it all.

now, my mum wants everyone outside to come see me ride up!? so then whilst poeple go inside and get to there chairs im planning on going to my room, put my hoop on and change into heels.

I was going to see about getting a side saddle fitted n have more lessons but think on such an important emational day i need to be 100% happy with my saddle? so i recon im going for my normal tack with a cover over.
Fortunatly charlie has only ever pooed 5 times in 12 years of me owning him... whilst ive been riding! lol... and never wee'd! (hes strange i know)

Thaks for the great replies

and the photos are amazing

i hope mine as as good

thanks so much... I CANT WAIT! x

 

[Theresa_F]

I hope your day goes as well as mine did - perfect day, perfect horses and great weather.

Have fun and we look forward to seeing your pics - you sound like you have it all in hand.

What I forget to mention is this. On first wedding, trotted several miles to church - was young so had thong on. As I dismounted, friend pulled up my dress out of the way and dad got a horrible shot of my bare and very pink arse - lots of sitting trot. Ensure everyone has gone into the venue before you get off to avoid embarrassement.

 

[neil40]

Hi Theresa

Nearly missed this post - love the piccies; great outfits & matching flowers in the hair work really well. I expect similar standards at the next showing show!
Neil

 

[PapaFrita]

Oh WOW!! What fantastic photos!! Everyone (including horses of course) looks fabulous!!