Many of you have asked why women choose to ride side-saddle? A wonderful question and hopefully you will find the answer.
The second question, how do you remain in the saddle when jumping?
The skirt or apron as it is sometimes referred to is designed for safety and worn over jodhpurs.
Early images of Greek pottery and Celtic stones depict women riding sidesaddle.
The earliest functional "sidesaddle" was credited to Anne of Bohemia (1366–1394) It was a chair-like affair where the woman sat sideways on the horse with her feet on a small footrest. The design made it difficult for a woman to both stay on and use the reins to control the horse, so the animal was usually led by another rider, sitting astride.
A more practical design, developed in the 16th century, has been attributed to Catherine de' Medici. In her design, the rider sat facing forward, hooking her right leg around the pommel of the saddle with a horn added to the near side of the saddle to secure the rider's right knee. The footrest was replaced with a "slipper stirrup", a leather-covered stirrup of iron into which the rider's left foot was placed.
Side Saddle Ireland Publishes upcoming events. Please contact should you wish to join them and seek further knowledge.
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| Susan Oakes (world record for highest jump on sidesaddle) get dressed for event in Jan 2013. |
The beautiful Nadina kindly gave me permission to use her photos from a recent event. She is a woman with extraordinary talents. Her photos and artwork will delight.
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| HRH Queen Elizabeth riding side-saddle in 1986 |
Are you ready to join this group of fun-loving women as they take to the fields?
