Learn to Ride Sidesaddle! Part I…

I began riding sidesaddle because of Mr. Paterson.

An elderly man and a good friend of our family’s, he observed my sister and I chuffing around on our ponies with little enthusiasm.  We were squarely-built girls with pig-tails, ragged fingernails and filthy jeans. Worse, Mr. Paterson was concerned about the practice of letting us ride astride, in case it made us… well, you know.

 

“Nobody will want them! They must meet my sister,” he decreed.  My poor mother, faced with the daunting prospect of two horsey spinsters for daughters, wasted no time in heeding Mr. Paterson’s advice.

 

Little did any of us know that ‘the sister’ was the redoubtable Winnie Harvey: wife of a war-hero-turned-Brigadier-General; legendary in her own equestrian exploits; member of the Canadian military team that traveled far and wide competing in jumping competitions; winner of numerous hack championships from Vancouver to Toronto…

 

More to the point, Winnie Harvey did all of this riding sidesaddle. She may have been a tomboy but she looked like a lady while doing it.

By the time we met her, Mrs. Harvey was in her eighties and no longer riding. She had just bid a farewell to ‘Red’, shown above, her thirty-something star of the show ring. Despite retiring, the flame she carried for beautiful, effective horsemanship still burned bright. After meeting her, listening to her stories, reading her books and then, riding her saddle… my sister and I were hooked.

 

It was the 1970s, the time of the first huge sidesaddle revival. Best of all, the Old Guard, the ladies who really lived it, were still alive. They were still teaching, still passing on their wisdom, as well as all of their cherished gear.

 

Our newfound passion segued into lessons with Janet Macdonald and Val Francis.  Then, a trip overseas to watch the newly-formed British Sidesaddle Association Championships. We saw Jennie Loriston-Clarke riding Grand Prix dressage on Dutch Courage. The jumping and equitation in the UK were a revelation to these two prairie girls from western Canada. My sister went so far as to fly home with an Owen sidesaddle on her knee.

 

That was over forty years ago and the unmatched elegance of top-hatted ladies in their bespoke habits stayed with me. Their beautifully schooled and turned-out horses, cantering along with their bits and bradoons clinking, checkerboards brushed into their quarters…  I can see them, still.

 

Times have changed. The Old Guard is gone. Women want to be casually-dressed now. Even on horseback, they wear their lipstick and blingy jeweIs. They want to stand out. They want to have fun. I understand them but still, I long to uphold the traditions. Early on, I was made to promise that whatever my horses and I could do astride, we would strive to do as well sidesaddle. We would respect the women and horses that had blazed the way.

 

I vowed that if ever I had a daughter, she, too, would learn to ride like this.

 

The history of riding sidesaddle is women’s history.

The first recorded woman to ride an actual sidesaddle is Anne of Bohemia in 1382. She was seated sideways on her horse, on a cushioned saddle—a planchette—with a back railing and a little step on which to rest her feet. Before this time, women of means were transported in litters or carriages… or they rode pillion behind their men… or they walked… or they rode astride. I suspect they mainly stayed at home, toiling at their soup pots and embroidery.

 

In The Saddle of Queens, a classic work on sidesaddle history by Lida Fleitmann Bloodgood, the author wrote that until Anne came on the scene, women who rode, did so with a leg on each side. We’ve come full circle, so it would seem. Women who rode astride were independent-minded sorts, called indecent hussies, even though many of them were queens. It was an effort to protect Anne’s virginity on the long journey to her husband, King Richard II, that the sidesaddle was made. Ironically, Anne proved barren until her death at a very young age… So much for the womanly benefits of riding sideways.

 

The raised pommel that graced the offside front of early sidesaddles was the first change from the sideways-facing basket of the planchette. It allowed the rider to sit facing the same direction as her horse. It was a huge step forward, intimating that a woman actually wanted some say in where and how fast she was going.

 

It wasn’t until the 1550s that Catharine de Medici, an Italian noblewoman who became Queen of France, designed the second crutch to give more riding security. Until this time, it is doubtful that any woman could have ridden beyond a walk. A madwoman for hunting, we suspect that Catharine had an ulterior motive when she invented this horn over which to hook her right thigh.  The crutch proved a means of tucking up her long skirts to show off her well-turned legs! And so, we learn that sidesaddle ladies have always had their little vanities.

Thus, the sidesaddle became the saddle of queens. For more than three centuries, it allowed a notable number of royal women to hunt and ride as hard as their men. Many jumped and galloped ’til great old age. As women began to ride effectively, daringly, the saddles themselves began to change.

 

Gone were the little slipper stirrups, to be replaced by the ordinary irons used by men. Gone were the padded, embroidered velvet seats, to be replaced by those of hard leather. These allowed some slippage to prevent galling… of the rider and not of the horse, alas.

 

During this time, women’s fashions on horseback also changed. Long, flowing dresses gradually made way for more substantial, shorter skirts. Many daringly, scandalously, concealed trousers underneath. Women were finally ready to ride. They now carried crops to replace the missing right leg. They were cueing their horses as one would astride. Their saddles were steadied with balance straps, making an effort to spare their horses.

 

The biggest change of all was the invention of the ‘leaping head’, the third horn, by a French riding master in 1830. The leaping head was said to give a woman a certain moral courage, allowing her to ride as well as any man. Eventually, the offside ‘horn’ on the far right disappeared entirely, leaving us with the fixed pommel and the screw-in leaping head as we know them. It is this pommel, the one curving down over the left thigh, that is still responsible for the security of the sidesaddle.

 

Who wants to ride aside?

Let me change that. Why would any sane modern woman want to? Our reasons are varied: from growing weary of doing the same old grind to wanting to encourage versatility in one’s horse; from having an interest in women’s history to wanting to ride pain-free; from wishing to have a more secure seat on ‘strong’ horses to wanting to be centre in the attentions of men… It is well-known that all comely women look even more beautiful when riding sidesaddle.

 

Obviously, then, we want to get started. Many current riders began when faced with a crusty old saddle found in an attic. Others, like myself, were blessed to be in the hands of mentors. Know that wherever you live, there is probably a sidesaddle group or an accredited teacher nearby. With the help of google, if not the mysterious sidesaddle riders’ grapevine, we can find them.

 

Most organizations are only too happy to offer ‘give it a go’ days, where intrigued women can show up dressed in ordinary riding clothes. After a brief bit of classroom study, quiet horses are paired with suitable saddles. Newcomers can safely try a short lesson with a knowledgeable coach. Finding the right teacher is key. As with all endeavours, learning good technique is preferable to years of schooling to overcome bad habits. The art relies on correctly riding well-fitted saddles to not come at a cost to one’s horse.

 

Let’s talk about the saddles.

Like riding astride, there are different types of saddles to suit, depending on where they were made, where we live and our current interests. The very old, very pretty saddles of our great-grandmothers’ era are lovely to look at. They should be preserved but they are not ideal for modern riding. Why? Their seats are often built uphill from back to front, making them very hard to sit correctly. Worse, they are from a time of smaller, less well-fed women and horses. These saddles are usually too narrow to comfortably fit the horses we ride today. Many of them were made without the leaping head that gives us security… but their workmanship is still above and beyond all reckoning.

That means we’re looking for modern, workmanlike sidesaddles, built from anytime after the first world war. While this seems very old by saddlery standards, if they were well-designed… if they’ve been maintained… if they’ve not been in a wreck… they can be made to serve faithfully. The best of these sidesaddles have level seats from front to back, when viewed from the side. They support the left hip, so the seat rides level when viewed from behind.

 

Sidesaddles come in English and Western styles. The most highly regarded of these come from England. Mayhew, Owen, Champion & Wilton and Whippy are the old names for which to look. Most riders prefer doeskin seats and pommels to avoid slipping while cantering and jumping. Happily, old pigskin hunting saddles are equally good if they are kept well-soaped and if the rider wears modern sticky seat breeches. Look for wider, triangular pommels unless your conformation favours the narrower, old-fashioned type. Most importantly, you are looking to fit your horse with a saddle that has a perfectly level seat.

Western sidesaddles come to us from the pioneers. Those of us who ride stock type horses often feel more at home on these saddles than when perched on a hunting saddle with a top hat. While many ‘western’ looking saddles appeared in catalogues from the 1880s on, the best western saddles were custom built by real saddle makers. These usually have a stamp marking their origins.

 

Best among these are the saddles made by S.C. Gallup and later on, his partner, R.T. Frazier of Pueblo, Colorado. In 1870, Samuel Gallup was given the job of making a trail-worthy sidesaddle for Mary Ann, bride of the cattle baron Charles Goodnight. This unique saddle was designed using a rawhide-covered tree and meticulous workmanship. The saddles S.C. Gallup made afterward became known as ‘Goodnights’ in deference to his first. They are matchless rides, even now.

The sidesaddles of the western plains have a huge variance in correctness and quality. Some, like the Gallups, make riding effortless, while others are impossible to ride well. It takes a knowledgeable eye and often, actual trial time on a horse, before one can say whether their saddle is one or the other. As a rule, the old name English sidesaddles are preferable when it comes to learning correct equitation. Simply put, as long as they are flocked well, they’ll sit you straight.

 

Most sidesaddles are built with the rider’s legs to the nearside of the horse. We occasionally come across offside saddles that were built for riders with a particular need, such as scoliosis, a bad hip or an amputated leg. Very wealthy families had both near- and off-side saddles to alternate from day to day… thus ensuring the daughters of the house grew desirably straight.

 

Additionally, there are saddles for ‘park’ use that are not meant for jumping, tiny ‘pilches’ made for young children on softly padded ponies, charra saddles for the Mexican escaramuza, Asian-made imported saddles available on eBay, as well as some name-brand saddles in modern production. Not all are created equal. Not all are meant for serious riding. Generally speaking, if they are under $500 or if they are made of black leather, they are not worthy of your horse.

 

A good sidesaddle is going to cost you the same money that a quality, used, astride saddle will.

 

Is it time to buy?

Whatever saddle we may find, the most important aspect is how well it will fit our horse. As riders, we are always waiting for the stars to align. It’s a constant shuffle, finding the saddles that allow us to sit correctly, ride with joy and do no harm to our four-footed friends.

 

This might be the place to mention that most often, we see a saddle put too far forward on the horse. It can be difficult to gauge where a sidesaddle should sit from the near side, as the safe covers up much of the shoulder. Once the saddle is on and the girths buckled, go ‘round to the offside and nudge the saddle, English or Western, back to the indent just behind the shoulder. Only then, girth up.

 

We think that by putting the saddle well ahead, it will be more stable on the withers but this is not true! Placing the saddle on the horse’s shoulder impedes his movement, causes him great discomfort and also raises the front of our saddle higher than the seat. We must develop our eye to recognize when a sidesaddle—or any saddle—is in the right place.

 

I recommend that you do not buy your own sidesaddle until you have had a few lessons. You must find that you love it well enough to put forth the cash outlay and that your horse is amenable to your plans. While most horses take to it like ducks to water, so many riders think they will love it, only to be surprised that it’s hard work. That there is more core conditioning needed than they’d imagined. That they’re just not that into it. Once you find that you’re among the amazones, you can start looking for your own saddle.

 

Shopping for a saddle means that you’ll need to know your measurements. Sidesaddles are unlike astride saddles because the seat size is based on how long the thigh is, in inches, how wide the seat is, in inches, and the height of the fixed head. 

We can get our seat length by sitting on a bench and pulling ourselves slightly forward by hooking our right knee over the edge. A helper can place a heavy book against the small of our back and then we will measure from the forward edge of the book to the edge of the bench. This is the first number given when describing the size of a saddle. The width measurement is taken by sitting on a tape measure upon the bench, clenching one’s glutes and measuring straight across. Avoid too much ‘overhang’. This is the second number you’ll need. An average sidesaddle measures 21” x 12”.

 

The fixed pommel needs to be at least as tall as the height of your right leg where it wraps around. Check also that this pommel is far enough to the right to have your right thigh placed overtop your horse’s spine. If it allows your leg to shift left, you will always be struggling to stay in the middle of your horse. This failing, both in height and width, is common among antique westerns.

 

To further complicate matters, in the UK sidesaddles are measured from the back of the fixed head to the centre of the cantle. In North America, sidesaddles are measured from the front of the fixed head to the centre of the cantle. This is just one more thing to be aware of when we shop.

 

Where do we find sidesaddles? The internet has made the pool of available saddles a huge one. I have found my best saddles close to home, however, a blessing because I can see and feel what I buy. I can actually ride the saddle and try the fit on my own horse. When we buy online, we must always remember that it is buyer beware.

 

Let’s talk about the horses.

What kind of a horse do I need? The good news is, almost any kind of horse that is safe and enjoyable astride will be happy to carry a sidesaddle. I do not use horses under four years old, as I feel that younger horses need to learn to move straight and have time to build up their top-lines. A senior horse, maybe one past his competitive prime, can be a brilliant sidesaddle partner. Such a horse is always delighted to be back in service. Horses that are stoic under their regular saddles will surprise us by how proudly they carry us aside.

 

I have a preference for smooth-movers, along with horses that have good withers and uphill builds. That said, my favourite sidesaddle horse was built like a bleach bottle. What made her so lovely to ride was that my safety always came first.

 

I will go so far as to say that if you have any doubts about your horse, if you have any moments of nervousness or fear, this is not the time to introduce a sidesaddle. Put more years on, more mileage, get him better trained. A horse that is known to rear should never carry a sidesaddle. One of the dangers of riding this way is that it’s so secure, it is very hard to step off and get out of trouble should a horse fall or rear over backwards.

 

This does not mean that we need to ride deadheads! Indeed, the beautiful picture of our amazon floating serenely on her horse is made more so with a spirited horse responding to her merest thoughts.

Thoroughbred types make lovely sidesaddle horses because of their flat, level paces. It’s hard to be the picture of elegance when one’s bosom is slapping one under the chin. More to the point, Thoroughbreds are among the few modern horses narrow enough to carry many of the older saddles. That means that the hardest beasts to shop for are our lovely round ponies, draft crosses and modern warmbloods.  Just know that with a bit of luck, we can look the part on all sizes, on all kinds.

 

If I’m presented with a kind, quiet, honest horse, I will consider him as a sidesaddle mount if he moves happily forward with little urging… if he goes straight… if he has an understanding of softness and working roundly. Any horse that is used to wearing a turnout rug will think nothing of carrying a rider in an apron. In all my years of riding sidesaddle, I have owned only one horse who absolutely did not want this job!

 

In the end, I am looking for the horse who walks, trots and canters at my slightest whim. I am looking for the horse who goes lightly in my hand, the horse who graciously stands still. Whatever his size or breed, this horse, I know, will make my riding joyful.

 

 

To be continued. If you enjoyed this blog post, please be sure to check in next week for Part II. I invite you to subscribe to Keystone Equine with the red button on our blog’s home page. Thanks everyone.  Meanwhile, sweet dreams of fine horses, rare sidesaddles and only good habits!