Riding Side-saddle: who's done it?

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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Was just talking with a friend as we were riding out the other day........ just wondering how it would be if that was the ONLY way that we as "ladies" (ha ha) would have been allowed to ride at one time.

Its not an option for me as I've got a traddie cob who's basically built like a barrel; so mebbe not a good idea:)

So - has anyone on here done it? Either on their own horse, or someone else's??

Anybody showed? Or hunted? I remember someone coming to a meet a while back riding sidesaddle and she just looked so incredibly elegant.
 
I've had a few (probably 6 - 8) lessons in preparation for showing the owner's horses. Was planning on breaking my boy to side saddle, but then he had a field accident and was retired.

I enjoyed it, but as an 'additional' thing to do, couldn't see myself focusing on side saddle. One of the horses I rode was a traditional cob so don't feel there is only a certain type of horse that is suitable :)
 
Mmmm, I had in fact thought of it, BUT the main problem seems to be that side-saddles are not made nowadays, and the only ones available are really really old, and were made for a certain type of horse, i.e. light ladies hack with high withers and NOT barrel shaped. Apparently these old saddles CAN be made to fit, but they have to break them in half and/or radicaly alter them for horses like mine, which then makes them prohibitively expensive.

Also, I have a degree of spinal curvature, so don't want to make this whole thing worse basically.
 
I've had a couple of tries and found it much more secure than I expected, especially when the horse bucked its way into canter. I struggled with the hand position as was told to keep them closer to my stomach than normal (ie with what felt like my elbows behind the vertical) but other than that, enjoyed it.
However, there are far too many other things I want to do with my horse to consider taking it up. It is worth having a go though.
 
There are quite a few large breed M&Ms about which show under both saddles so there must be some wider saddles available :)

Might be worth contacting the Side Saddle Association to see if there is an instructor in your area, it would definitely be worth having a couple of lessons to see if you like it.
 
I tried it a few years ago, always wanted to but found I felt really insecure (you can see how scared I look in the photo below!), to be fair my horse is 17hh and a side saddle seems to sit you even higher and he was a bit sharp that day!

Would like to have another go though, maybe on a schoolmaster!

Arranday4.jpg
 
I've got an old side-saddle which fitted my rather rotund WelshDxTB and I've had lessons on two other cobs, one of which (I wish I could remember his name) had been shown successfully. I think because the underside is serge, rather than leather the horses find them more comfortable. Remember that the horses were chosen as ladies' horses for their temperaments rather than for a particular build.
 
Rode sidesaddle a little as a child. But I hunted, and though several ladies hunted sidesaddle (our Mistress of Hounds included) I never liked the safety angle. If your horse came down, you went too - no options to jump clear. Looking at the photo of Lyndsey&Smartie, I think I was taught to ride with my hands higher than that for sidesaddle - showing, anyway. Then there's a lot less strain on your back too.
 
I rode my previous horse side saddle quite a bit. My ambition was to ride out on the Boxing Day meet side saddle which I did on the last meet before the law changed :)
Went out with the Grafton after meeting at Towcester racecourse, sadly we only hacked round a few fields as the ground was frozen so no proper hunt.
I'll always remember a little boy coming up to me with his mum as he wanted to ask 'where my other leg was' :)

My instructor says I actually ride better side saddle than astride, not sure if that's a compliment or not ;)
 
I have a new side saddle, you can get them. I do a bit with my horse. it does help if they have a wither. although my horse is very broad.
 
I have. I always wanted to try it, and when I did for the first time I LOVED it, felt right at home right away, very secure. I'm on the look out for a new saddle right now, and though she doesnt know it my 2 year old is going to be my Ladies Hunter :D :D


MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Mmmm, I had in fact thought of it, BUT the main problem seems to be that side-saddles are not made nowadays, and the only ones available are really really old, and were made for a certain type of horse, i.e. light ladies hack with high withers and NOT barrel shaped. Apparently these old saddles CAN be made to fit, but they have to break them in half and/or radicaly alter them for horses like mine, which then makes them prohibitively expensive.
Click to expand...

There are old sidesaddles around to fit larger horses (and larger ladies!, I need a small saddle which are less available :/), and there are sidesaddles made today.
 
I have ridden side saddle with my arab, it was something different to do

This was us in the warmup for a local show with the ss association I was doing a novice class so you didn't need a habit. I had the side saddle on lease it was circa 1900
 
I used to do a bit with my Highland, many years ago. I was lucky that I was lent a saddle as they are about but it is more difficult to find the wider ones.

I did a few show classes with him, including jumping but I was braver then!

I remember him taking off with me in the field and after the initial moments of panic realising that I actually felt very secure.

I think I used to feel happier on the right rein as it felt safer somehow, as if you had the horse between you and falling off if that makes any sense? Whereas on the left rein it felt like I could just step straight off. Perhaps he wasn't very balanced??

We did some show classes but he always felt a bit clumpy alongside all the dainty TBs in the class too.
 
I've done it a few times, had a canter and popped a small cross. Didn't like it, didn't feel like I could fall off easy but certainly didn't feel secure either. Was odd.
 
image_zpsc7a5e0a0.jpg



Sorry about quality and it's so big, it was so long ago before mobile phones or digital cameras so had to take picture of picture.
 
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I have a book by Jack Hance and there is a chapter devoted to side-saddle and whether ladies should ride astride or ss.

He said that if a lady didn't have the time to ride regularly and practice, it was far better to ride side-saddle as she was far more secure and didn't hang on to the horse's mouth and the horses went better. Of course, we are talking about well schooled ladies hacks and hunters. He also said that many a dealer would ride a bucker in a side saddle as it is more secure. This also agrees that it has its downside, for if out hunting, for example, and the horse came down, the side-saddle rider won't be thrown clear.
There are some wonderful photos of Jack Hance's daughters galloping and jumping side saddle.
 
I cant help but think it looks uncomfortable. It just looks like it would give you back ache, as your right leg is so high (currently sitting on the sofa 'side saddle' to see how 'comfortable' it is!!!
 
I'm hopefully going to try it soon if I get my birthday wish! I have sciatica and am interested to see if it will help/hurt more - instinct says hurt, but everyone says not! It looks like you'd have a dead leg after a while?
 
DanceswithCows said:
I'm hopefully going to try it soon if I get my birthday wish! I have sciatica and am interested to see if it will help/hurt more - instinct says hurt, but everyone says not! It looks like you'd have a dead leg after a while?
Click to expand...

Danceswithcows! I've seen a pic of someone sidesaddle on a cow! :D
 
Yes me too, it's a great pic and what gave me the idea, can't wait to try Ted sidesaddle. Of course I have yet to have a custom 'ordinary' saddle made for him so it's a long way back in the pipeline, but no harm in trying before you buy!
 
I only had the opportunity to ride ss once, but absolutely loved it.

My old boss had a photo of the Vale of Aylesbury hunt with a one-legged man hunting side saddle but on the opposite side to normal. The saddle had been made specially for him and apparently he hunted for years like it, on a variety of horses. It was actually before it became the VoA Hunt, but can't remember what it used to be.
 
I rode English sidesaddle a few times about 35 years ago. And fairly recently I've ridden western sidesaddle. I see the lady on the steer above is riding western sidesaddle. It's not a style I would ride all the time, I've really only done it to experience it and it was fine, just not how I'd choose to ride predominantly although I do have a rather nice Hanoverian gelding who I've always thought would make a wonderful side saddle horse and if there were any SS showing classes around then maybe I'd be tempted to buy a SS and enter :smile3:

PS you can buy new sidesaddles.
 
Lots of amputees rode SS after the war. There is a lady on this forum with an offside saddle. I've never ridden on the offside.
 
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I have had 4 lessons and quite enjoyed it, i would love to have a go on my boy, think he'd look fab but he's pretty short backed and i know i'd struggle to find a saddle for him.
My friend has hunted side saddle, done a couple of hunt races side saddle, shows etc, i'd love to be brave enough to do it
 
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