Medieval Tack?

[SNORKEY]

Hi,

does anyone have any idea where id get medieval tack? ie, the saddle and bridle?

Ive seen that Black country saddles just made the saddles for the new robin Hood film but i dont think im going to be able to afford one of those!

 

[Little_Miss_1]

Hi,

does anyone have any idea where id get medieval tack? ie, the saddle and bridle?

Ive seen that Black country saddles just made the saddles for the new robin Hood film but i dont think im going to be able to afford one of those!

I dont know but I dont think that they will be cheap.... purely because in the lord of the rings films, they kitted out the main character's horses with 'middle-earth' saddlery but forgot about all of the other horses... when they panned out for a long shot there were definatley Jeffries and Barnsby's around as well as dutch gags and pelhams!! They were a hollwood blockbuster movie and didnt buy them...

Mind you, that was the same scene that features electrical pylones in the background so maybe the directors were just having an off day?!?

 

[Umbongo]

I dont know but I dont think that they will be cheap.... purely because in the lord of the rings films, they kitted out the main character's horses with 'middle-earth' saddlery but forgot about all of the other horses... when they panned out for a long shot there were definatley Jeffries and Barnsby's around as well as dutch gags and pelhams!! They were a hollwood blockbuster movie and didnt buy them...

Mind you, that was the same scene that features electrical pylones in the background so maybe the directors were just having an off day?!?

Never noticed that before! And I have watched the Lord of the Rings films a fair number of times!

 

[Little_Miss_1]

Never noticed that before! And I have watched the Lord of the Rings films a fair number of times!

Yeah, have a look - I cant remember which one it was but my OH is very eagle eyed with these things. And once he'd pointed that out, I noticed the tack - even eagle eye'd boy wouldnt notice that... but then, I'm pretty sure he wouldnt notice if I took up sidesaddle. He appears to be blind to anything horsey!!!!

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

http://www.usfriesianreferral.com/gifts.html

This sort of thing?

 

[Kaylum]

These guys will make you any size any colour.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NDS-REENACTMENT-HAND-MADE-ENGLISH-BRIDLE-BNWT-CELTIC-C-/190402248968?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Horse_Wear_Equipment&var=&hash=item72167fbe86

Or you can just get a browband from them.

 

[Angua2]

Most re-enactment people that I have had dealings with just use a portuguese saddle and a correctly researched period bridle. Dispite the in-authenticity of a snaffle I have still ridden in a snaffle in a norman/ viking battle as this is what is comfortable for the horse.

 

[Aoibhin]

what period?
medieval covers a huge time period, from the 400's right through to about the 1500's.

there are some brilliant saddlers out there & a lot of bad ones, cost depends on how correct you want it & for what period. if you just want the look then there are some out there for a around £100 but it is just a leather facing bolted to a standard saddle & up close looks rubbish.

i am in the process of getting 2 saddles made for me, one is a late 13th early 14th century palfreys saddle (cost is scary & i will be paying for it for some time) & a norman saddle (cost not quite so scary). bridles are already in the making stage.

 

[BBP]

... when they panned out for a long shot there were definatley Jeffries and Barnsby's around as well as dutch gags and pelhams!! They were a hollwood blockbuster movie and didnt buy them...

haha, I doubt very much that there were many Jeffries and Barnsbys in there (must have been one or two posh horses!)- all my horses were kitted out in wintecs and stock saddles, most were farm and pleasure horses so they all brought their own tack!

Sorry, that's not a useful answer!

 

[SNORKEY]

That's helpful thanks peeps, esp. the ebay bridle seller, Legend would look stunning in that.
I think il have to get on contact with some saddlers but I know it would be expensive, the salldes look so much comfier though.

 

[Faro]

Besides Portuguese saddles as Angua mentioned above - many of the re-enactment cavalry groups (who often find themselves being asked to be film extras) also use "UP" (Universal Pattern) saddles. These are the military style saddles and they come up reasonably often on EBay. (Bloomin' uncomfortable things though IMHO) and they pretty much come as one size fits all (but definitely doesn't). English Heritage use these a lot when they put on jousting displays etc at their various historic locations - and many of these UP saddles have had false "period" pommels and cantles added to make them look more like a "knight of old's" saddle (well, to the layman anyway), but personally I think they look Cr**. Another version of the UP saddle is the McLellan saddle, which is the one which has a slot in the middle of the seat.