Image from Eduardo Amorim
One of the most important elements of horsemanship has to be the saddle. Through the years and cultures shapes and sizes may change but they all fulfill the same basic need…staying on.
Through my many public domain browsing sessions I run across all kinds of fun stuff and today is no exception. Saddles from a variety of places and peoples.
Chilean Saddle
Image from Ealdgyth
Japanese Saddle
Image from Corpse_Reviver
Mongolian Saddle
Image from Yaan
Collegiate Eventer Saddle
Image from Yaan
Australian Half-Breed Saddle
Image from Cgoodwin
Western Saddle
Image from nicoleanjolie
German Side Saddle
Image from Hutschi
Racing Saddle
Image from Eglos
Some Softer Than Others
This is just a taste of horse tack (and horse culture) from around the globe. Each saddle is designed to suit specific needs, but each serves the same overall purpose. Stay tuned for some pics of antique saddles.
I love the Western Saddle the most out of all of them!! lol
Thanks for showing the different saddles but actually I am using English Saddles because these saddles have light weights and were primarily designed to allow the horse freedom of movement, whether jumping, running, or moving quickly across rugged, broken country with fences.
What a wonderful post! Interesting to see the saddles we are familiar with the saddles from different cultures. I love the diversity. I’m fascinated by the Japanese saddle, with the curved…knee rest? they look far too short to be stirrups, but perhaps they are. Anyone know?
Interessing webpage! Concerning japanese saddle, “curved knee rest” is actually an antique pair of stirrups used by samurai and today’s yabusame archers! They are named “abumi”. Thank you! 🙂
The reason that they look like that is so that the warrior’s foot couldn’t get caught in it
It’s interesting that the more ‘cultural’ people’s are very mindful about padding on the horses’ backs. When you look at the western and english the padding is much more basic.
ps. My Jonathan Field western is amazing; wouldn’t trade for anything. There was much thought put into his design.
i think they forgot the mexican….
I make a unique South African saddle. The trees are designed specificallyfor our local horses. The buckles are handmade.