Had my first side saddle lesson :)

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So I managed to tick another thing that I've always wanted to do off my list.

My horse Mick was amazing, and totally took it in his stride.

Found canter pretty hard, but loved, loved, loved it! Always said I was born 200 years too late and now I am certain I was meant to be in Jane Austen times!!!

Anyway it is something I am certainly going to continue with...now to start saving for a saddle!!!

Also, anyone on here who rides side saddle, is it ok to ride both side and astride on the same horse? And to chop and change?

Here are some pics and vids:





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Fab pics, well done! I'm on my phone so cannot see great but is that Pippa your having your lesson with? If so that's who I had mine with too, she's fab.
 
Well done!

Yes, it's perfectly fine to ride aside and astride on the same horse, I only have one horse and this is what I do. Heck, I even have a reversible side saddle AND an off-side side saddle (to throw a spanner in the works) for days when my right hip is acting up so I can ride on my left hip!!
 
Is Mick your own horse or was it a side saddle lesson horse? He's lovely!

Generally, wide fitting saddles for cobs are hard to find and often have a high price tag. If you have a narrowish TB like me, then that is half the battle as the old side saddles were made for TB's as ladies did not ride cobs. If you are tall, you will find an easier time finding saddles to fit as people seemed to be taller "back then" than they are now. Nowadays, everyone wants 16 1/2" and smaller seated side saddles and the larger ones go wanting. LOL, I'm lucky as I'm tall and have a narrow TB so the saddle so I have my choice of saddles. If you are shorter and have a wide cob, then start saving!

When you shop for a saddle, DO NOT buy one of those cheap imported saddles. If you are not sure what you are looking at, then post for opinions or message me as there is a lot of cr*p out there being flogged out of Asia.

You will probably end up buying a 2nd hand saddle and those come in varying conditions for being show perfect to needing some stuff doing to it. Look to save up at least £1000 but sometimes you can come across some good bargains on ebay, etc.

Everything can be fixed on a side saddle, even broken trees so sometimes you have to use your discretion about how much money you will be willing to pump into fixing up a saddle. If it has a broken tree but is a rare sort of saddle like having a tree XXwide tree size, or is an off-side side saddle, etc, then it's worth paying out to get it fixed if the saddle price itself is cheap but otherwise, best to leave it.

Whatever saddle you get, you will need to have it adjusted to your horse as it's impossible to get a good position on a saddle not flocked for your horse. I always replace girth straps on saddles that I buy for myself as well.
 
Thank you so much!

Mick is my own. This was the first time he'd ever done side saddle too and he took to it like he'd been doing it all his life.
Unfortunately he is wide abductions I am short!!!
I have farthing saddlery very close to me where pippa gets everything done so I guess I will also ask her and them to keep an eye out for me.
I would love to do some showing!
Do you find you feel as secure as astride? I felt good but can't imagine jumping or hacking like it. how do you cope with spins or spooks?
 
I ride side saddle 99% of the time and have no problems with sitting spooks, spins or my mare's huge bucks! The main thing is keeping your rib cage up, right toe down and right shoulder back when these things happen. I hate jumping but actually prefer jumping side saddle to normal saddle (although i have since retired my mare from jumping) as i feel more secure. I hacked out side saddle today and was schooling 20m circles at the canter on the grass verge by the road, lol, you can do anything side saddle!

Farthing Saddlery do get side saddles in from time to time. I also have a list of Side Saddle websites on my blog too, there are several UK ones on there but most of the US sites will ship saddles to England and can advise on if a saddle will fit or not with detailed tracings: http://www.sidesaddlegirl.co.uk/

The Zaldi Lady England side saddle is nice (the rest of rubbish design based on old Victorian patterns) but there is some concern over the fixed heads on the Lady England as it is just a piece of metal bolted onto the tree (the photo of the tree is freely available on the Zaldi website to look at). There is concern that this would cause a pressure point on the horse. Older saddles had the fixed heads built up with iron and wood, just metal bolted onto the tree would bend under pressure!

Most new off the peg saddles are rubbish unless you want to spend a couple of thousand pound or more. The exception is a lady in Lancashire, named Sarah, who has developed (and is continuing to develop) a line of affordable well made side saddles. She has all sorts of things planned for the future but it may be worth contacting her as she specializes in wide fit side saddles, she is coming to the Nationals to exhibit her saddlery there too. http://www.bitonthesidesaddle.co.uk/
 
Regarding Zaldi side saddles, I have no personal experience with them but am just echoing the discussion that we had about them on a FB side saddle group we belong too. Personally, I would like to hear from rider reports on them on how they ride before buying one as the Lady England Zaldi ones look like a nice product.
 
The bit on the side saddles look lovely. And what a reasonable price. Hmmm....tempted.....
Can you use a saddle cloth under a side saddle?
 
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