Identify This...

..Type of bridle for me if you can. I just love the way it looks, especially in combination with certain period costumes! I want to know if its design is more than just ornamental though. Does it have a 'proper' name?

Just Because...

..it is Winter...

















..and I feel so badly for all of those who have to deal with the huge snow storms..

















..I thought I would do a post of beautiful pictures with talented riders who are so much braver than I...























.. because you see, I won't even ride in the mud .. more or less in the freezing SNOW!


















Okay..Now you are just showing off!! ha ha


















Wow - you guys really impress me!

A Greek Statue..

.. in the Delphi Archaeological Museum depicts a male (verified by the clothing) riding this horse aside. At this angle there does not seem to be a saddle on the horse though. I have searched the Internet for more about this specific piece and come up empty.. but thought it was too interesting not to share it with you!

New French Sidesaddles ~ Part 2

Luxe Model:
• 1ST CHOICE LEATHER
LONDON,DARK BROWN OR BLACK
• wood reinforced steel tree.
• safety stirrup bar
• nubuck or smooth leather seat stitched by hand.
.stitched padding
weight around 10 kg.


















Spanish Vaquera Saddle
• traditional spanish making.
• around 10 kg.
•seat is made of woolen sheep skin.
• delivered with girth stirrup leather and stirrup.

















Modèle Cadalen - This is the one I would love to review!
1450 Euro (approx. $1903.00 USD)
• plastic tree
50 cm seat
• this model is convenient for small and thin ladies.
• the normal model contains three pommels.the third one is small but leave a narrow space for the leg.
the new model has only too pommels.
• brass buckles
• delivered with stirrup leather and second girth



















Meet Oliver.

















..and here is the store front of La sellerie Phoenix














Want to learn more about this saddle maker and his wares? Go to:
http://www.sellerie-phoenix.com/slicea.htm
There is a tab to request English. I could not get it to work though.

A French Made Sidesaddle - Part 1

SELLERIE PHŒNIX
side saddles crafted by Olivier Feron

I wanted to show you a few new designs in sidesaddles!
This one does not have a seat. It does have the horns but instead of a seat, you adjust the pad under the saddle. It is built on a polyester tree. At a price of 435Euro (approx. $571.00 USD) which includes the stirrup leather,stirrup, and girth, it seems very affordable.



















They also make full sidesaddles.
This one with a suede seat is 1140 Euro (approx. $1497.00 USD) and only weighs 6 kg.


















This Victorian design runs 1450 Euro (approx. $1903.00 USD). Just beautiful!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you. For you - my blog is probably a bit of entertainment. For me - it is so much more. I use it as a place to store my dreams, bounce ideas off of others and just have fun. It is a place that I can go when just for a moment, I don't want to think about other things going on in our lives. If you read the Equus Villa blog, you know what I am talking about. You have no idea how much I enjoy your comments and e-mails. I try very hard to answer them all. As most of you know, once I stopped posting on this blog and it was not long before I realized just how much I missed it. It is a kind of therapy for me. I will likely never do that again! If I happen to be missing for a few days and you are wondering what is going on, just head over to the EV blog. Likely, information will be there.

Again - thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I pray that this holiday is filled to the brim with laughter and love for you. I pray that all of our New Years are filled with blessings. I leave you with a few pictures that exude Christmas time to me! (((HUGS)))

Sidesaddle Christmas Gifts???

Does anyone have a sidesaddle ornament on their tree? Here are just 2 that popped up on e-bay recently.

















When I saw the ornaments it made me think of all the times I have received "interesting" any-breed horse type gifts - because I raise and ride Saddlebreds. Usually these types of gifts come from my non-horsey raising friends. Purchased with good intentions though...I wondered what I could find that would fall into the "interesting" category for sidesaddle riders? So here we go...

how about a paper weight..



















Anyone hunt riding aside? (I actually think this is adorable!)

















Umm - any smokers out there??
























How about a Sidesaddle Watch??
























Tee Hee - hope you enjoyed the sidesaddle Chrismas fun!!!

You Tube Movie Time!

Recently some really beautiful sidesaddle videos have been added to You Tube. Take a moment and check them out. You will not be disappointed!

Reagan Knotts from Ohio riding sidesaddle in an Arabian Demonstration at WEG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpXL3v1jKEE

Liz Rogers in a dressage test ridden at Addington Equestrian Center.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVO4IHOvBwo

Beautiful still shots of sidesaddle riding followed by video of Viktoria Bergér - Damensattel klassische Dressur - Sidesaddle Dressage!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAA2wa0u-u8

How a about bridleless sidesaddle demonstration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hExG7b75ti0

..and just for Christmas - here is Jingle Bell Jake!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FF_ZNmhkYk

Thank you Patti for bringing these newest video's to our attention!

Limpet Saddle Pad..

When I first started on my journey of learning to ride sidesaddle, I gathered as much information from some Internet friends as I could about what to buy and what not to buy. One thing that was highly recommended was something called the Impakt Saddle Pad. This is what one of the ladies said about it:

The Impakt saddle pad is made out of some kind of foam. It feels weird, almost sticky. When it heats up from the horse's back it adheres to the back and also the saddle. I should say it adheres to a leather saddle, it wouldn't do the same with linen. After a ride I would carefully peel the saddle off the pad, then the pad off of the horse. The pad was always wet, but Marcel's back was always dry. It held the saddle where I put it without having to tighten the girth as much as you normally would with a sidesaddle. It did well with his wedges too. The felt has a bit of grip to it to hold the saddle and they never budged off the pad.















She also warned me that these saddle pads were quite pricey.. but worth every penny. I found the web sight that sold them and promptly placed my order. About 3 days later I received an e-mail back from the company advising me that they no longer made the pad in this sidesaddle 'form'. I was very disheartened. Even more so when several of my very first lessons were cut short because... you guessed it - my saddle was slipping! After many trial and errors my instructor and I did find a solution.. but I still longed for an Impakt saddle pad.

About 2 months ago, Cheryl, one of my readers sent me an e-mail telling about this saddle pad that she ordered ... called the Impakt pad. My heart sunk. I wrote her back and told her what had happened to me, but asked her to please tell me if they had indeed started selling the sidesaddle pad again.

I was right, Cheryl wrote me again and told me that she had the same experience I did but - the representative she spoke to told her that there was another company making a very similar pad AND that it was even recommended by the American Sidesaddle Assoc. .... but she could not remember the name of it. Poor Cheryl - she must have felt like she was on a roller coaster! Thankfully - the woman contacted Cheryl again because she did remember it and gave her this web address:
http://www.limpetsaddlepad.com/

Although not specifically cut for a sidesaddle - the Limpet saddle pad has the same non-slip qualities and cushioning the Impakt pad has. Sadly though - it also comes with an even higher price tag.. but if it really is worth its weight in gold... maybe it is a deal after all!

Here are 2 versions of the Limpet pad - one for all purpose english riding and the other is for saddle seat. My sidesaddle is cut more like a saddle seat astride saddle, so that is the one I thing would fit best. If any of you already have one of these pads, please send me a note and review it for us!

Kathy Hollick ~ Part 6

July found us in a traffic jam at the Dartford Crossing. The journey to the All England Show jumping Course, Hickstead for the Royal International Horse Show is usually no problem. Road works and an accident delayed us for over an hour.

Ace had his own “accident” in the back of the horse box. As we were going to be staying overnight I had all the essential equipment; mucking out tools, his feed and a bale of hay – which toppled over, split open and scattered all round his feet. Ace is such a baby: “Monster! Dragon! Get it off!” Stamp, snort, kick. So there I was hanging on to a partition raking cuts of hay from under his feet with the handle of my mum’s walking stick! Fortunately we were only doing 5 m.p.h.

I’ve jumped at Hickstead since I was 15 but this was my first top level aside class - the Costume Concours d’elegance, wearing my green velvet Kings Royal Rifles outfit. We were assigned a stable and I settled Ace in.

There is a wooden bridge from the stables to the show ground. After dinner, I rode Ace down to the exercise area. He did not like the bridge. I tried convincing him there were no trolls lurking underneath, but he did not believe me. Fortunately, a security guard came to my aid and led him over.

As everything was quiet I rode him to River Lawn where we would be competing the next day. He eyed a dried-up muddy patch, then shied at a leaf. Sigh.

Up early Sunday morning. Showing and greys are not a good combination. Mum and I had been giggling the night before because I used one of those stretch cover-alls for him. Mum called it his baby-gro batman outfit. Needless to say all the bits that weren’t covered were filthy. Just as well they have facilities for washing horses at Hickstead!

There were about 20 ladies in the class, all looking very elegant and beautiful. Ace behaved himself as we walked, trotted and cantered under the gaze of the judge, then we lined up ready for our individual show. Problem. It was a hot day, River Lawn is called that because it runs beside the river. Rivers = flies. Ace hates flies.

He was fidgeting and fussing, gave a half rear, kicked out. He did a superb individual show, but I was not called out to join the ten who would go forward for final judging. I was terribly disappointed but in the collecting arena the judge apologised and said she would have placed me but couldn’t because Ace had been kicking out. She said how fabulous my costume was, and then told me I probably would have been in the top three. I didn’t know whether to smile or cry! I opted for smiling, and on thinking about it realised that getting a rosette wasn’t everything. The judge had liked me, Ace had done well, so I was content. Shame about the possible prize money though.

One exciting thing finished the shoe nicely; Mum and I bumped into Martin Clunes of Doc Martin fame. He is President of the R.I.H.S. for the next three years. Lovely man!

The following week we were at Addington Manor, Buckinghamshire for the National Side Saddle Show. What a fabulous event!

I entered the historical costume class but made a mess of it. Opting for something Medieval in theme my costume was nowhere near good enough. Still, it was an experience. In the evening we watched the Pas Seul: dressage to music, in costume. I’m doing this next year - good fun!

A quite night despite rain drumming on the horsebox roof. Mum got up early and fed Ace, then all hands on deck to prepare for the same class as the R.I.H.S. Only there were more entrants and the standard was very high. I felt nervous as I rode into the arena. Please, no flies! There was a wasp instead. Ace was getting agitated but the steward called me forward for my individual; phew, crises averted. Ace performed well, bless him. When you think, I had bought him just after Christmas, he had no muscle tone and went with his head stuck in the air. Now, here I was riding aside with him going in a beautiful, relaxed outline. I halted, saluted, and went back into line. I didn’t care about a place. We both looked nice, Ace had gone well and we had enjoyed ourselves at a quality show where top aside riders competed. That’ll do.

I will continue riding aside, learning more as I go along and I will be back at the R.I.H.S. with gallons of fly repellent, and the S.S.A. show next year.

I hope some of you will be encouraged through my diary to have a go at side saddle – it is not as hard as you think! So, farewell and happy riding aside!
Oh, how did I do at Addington Manor in the costume class? I came third. Well done Ace – you’re ace!

The end...(for now anyway!)

Whoops - Sorry ...

..here are the pictures that did not attach to the previous post!

Kathy Hollick ~ Part 5

April 2010

I thought it was about time I started doing some serious side saddle riding, and I needed to get to know other people who were interested in riding aside. The Side Saddle Association's Training Day seemed an ideal opportunity for both.

I had joined the S.S.A. at the outset for I always think it is best to support a riding discipline that takes your interest. The S.S.A. produces a members' handbook which has details of all the areas, rules, guidelines for affiliated classes at various shows, a show diary and general information.

The training day was to be held at Wix E.C. in north Essex, which is rather a trek for us and we arrived with not long to spare before I was due for the first half of my lesson.
A bit of panic to get ready as Mum can't help much, what with her dodgy hip and blurred sight because of a cataract (she'd never trot up sound for a vetting!) I managed to get into the arena by the skin of my teeth.

The first thing the instructor said was that my leg was not straight and the stirrup was not long enough, so he put it down two holes. This was OK but I then felt insecure and off-balance as I am used to riding short for showjumping. I have never been comfortable riding long. Maybe this is why I don't get on with dressage? I personally believe that the length of stirrup is a matter of preference depending on comfort for the rider, although in aside equitation classes, as with dressage, a judge likes to see a long leg and in the case of side saddle the heel well below the habit. Ace and I produced a nice canter, however,which the instructor was pleased with. I wish I could remember who he was; I'm so hopeless with names.

During the break I found a kind lady who showed me how I should fix my hair into a bun correctly. Tip: get loads of hair clips, two bun nets and several gallons of hair gel!

The second half of the lesson concentrated on transitions especially from trot to halt without losing balance or impulsion. I am lucky as I have a horse that moves well off the leg, I also like my horses to go nicely from walk to canter (even halt to canter) another legacy from my showjumping days - very useful for jump-off against the clock.

It is essential to ensure that riding side saddle you make full use of the cane on the off-side. This is used instead of the leg aid, not to smack but as a gentle "tap" where the heel would be. To turn to the right the cane will come back behind the girth (as your leg would) and the right foot, which is hooked round the fixed head on the near side, will put pressure onto the shoulder. Combined together this will push the horse round.To turn left, the cane goes forward onto the right shoulder, and your left leg acts as usual when riding astride.
Ace is quite responsive so I get a pleasant ride, and leg yielding, half passes etc are no problem.

A week later I was at a S.S.A. area 4 horse show near St Albans in Hertfordshire. Great fun - what a fantastic day we had. I entered the Novice Equitation class first, and the judge made no comment on my shorter length of stirrup which I had put back to where I preferred. To my embarrassment, I have no idea how I managed to put the balance strap on the top of the over girth - which of course, should go on top, hence it being called the 'over' girth! Maybe if I had not messed that up I would have come second not third, but a yellow rosette was quite acceptable.

Then the class which I really want to do as a side saddle rider - the costume concours d'elegance. This is not fancy dress, it is a historical costume class judged on elegance. The judges like a small paragraph describing the outfit - my costume was based on the King's Royal Rifle Corps (most of you who liked the TV drama series Sharpe will know exactly what I mean) My granddad had been in the K.R.R.C. so I was doubly proud to be reproducing a versionof the uniform. The judge was impressed, but the jacket was bunching up slightly between my shoulder blades which spoilt the elegant line when viewed from the rear, so I only got a fourth place. This will be remedied; we found a seamstress who is altering it to fit.

So my next adventure will be going all the way to the top - the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead for this same class; and a week after that, the National Side Saddle Association's own show at Addington Manor, Buckinghamshire.

Wish me luck!

To be continued...

Kathy Hollick ~ Part 4

With the winter snows gone I decided to enter Ace in a Riding Horse class at Brooke Farm, Stapleford Abbotts. Mum was still hobbling around on crutches and it turned out to be a cold, wet day. Dad parked the horsebox and I started getting tacked up. I had owned Ace for about two months but had done little with him because of the icy conditions and I had no idea how he was going to behave in an indoor school in a showing class under side saddle. It ran through my mind that perhaps I was completely bonkers.

On the last occasion when I had ridden aside in a showing class, Izzy had played me up Big Time. The only achievement had been to prove that I could sit a series of bucks while mounted aside. I miss Izzy dreadfully but she never did behave herself in public.

Getting ready took me longer than I had planned. Side saddles have three girths; the main girth, balance strap and the over-girth. The stirrup is attached separately as it does not “run up” and detaches easily as a safety measure. Then the double bridle with a curb chain to secure and my own clothes to sort out.

Side saddle attire is all about elegance. The modern habit consists of a skirt, called an apron, which goes on over jodhs or breeches; a yellow or checked waistcoat showing slightly beneath the cut-away, well fitted jacket; gloves, cream or brown never black. A tie should be worn with a bowler, a stock with a topper (correctly called a ‘silk’ hat)

I used the horsebox steps as a mounting block and realised that because I was wearing a bowler, for the first time ever I was without a hard hat. Obviously it was a correct safety bowler, but it was a little unnerving to be different. When I came off once – I still can’t remember details - the half-inch deep dent could so easily have been damage to my head had I not been wearing a hat.

A bowler is worn riding aside unless in the presence of royalty or after midday, when it is in order to don a silk hat – unless you are wearing a tweed habit. By the way, a side saddle silk hat is slightly taller than those used for dressage.

I had managed to secure my hair in a bun, that in itself was not easy as my hair is long and fine, but half a can of hairspray helped keep the wisps under control, and I had also worked out how to secure the veil over my face. I brushed off a few last minute horse hairs: a grey horse and a blue woollen habit are not a good mix I have discovered. Into the ring we went.

There were quite a few in the class. Ace worked well through the paces on both reins, although he was carrying his head too high and tossing it about. (More schooling needed.) We were pulled in 5th, I think.

Over to Mum seated in the gallery:
Kathy looked elegant and confident as I sat watching (having dropped my crutches twice and feeling wretched at not being able to do more to help.) Considering Ace had no top line when Kathy had bought him and still needed more muscle-tone, he was looking good and behaving well.
“Any minute now,” I thought, “he’ll do an Izzy and buck.” He didn’t. He behaved like a perfect gentleman.

Kathy was called into line and everyone dismounted; I assumed to strip off saddles. How was Kathy going to mount again? Side saddle needs a leg up! I hobbled down to the front of the gallery with a vague intention of wondering whether I could manage to walk across the arena on crutches. As usual, for me, I started talking to a lady who was taking photographs. Writing is a solitary occupation and I therefore talk to anybody and everybody. I voiced my worry about Kathy mounting and she very kindly offered to nip in and boost her up if necessary. But then to my embarrassment and feeling of doom I realised the judge was intending to ride each horse. Of course! This was a Riding Horse class, how stupid - we had not taken along an ordinary saddle!

I was mortified but couldn’t get into the ring to confer with Kathy. I should have known she had already sorted the situation though; the judge knew how to ride aside. Phew!
Lesson learnt, however. If there is a possibility that a judge will ride – take an ordinary saddle with you. We’ll not make that mistake again!

Kathy came fourth and I had a good chat with the photographer about the pleasure of learning to ride aside.

..too be continued..

Kathy Hollick ~ Part 3

First Ride Aside on Ace.

December 2009
The run-up to Christmas was a gloomy time for us. I’d lost Izzy, my Mum was laid up in bed with a leg injury and my 91 year old grandmother was in the hospital. Life went on, however. It had to with two other horses to look after. Rosie is a dun Welsh section C, rising 21 (behaves like a 2 year old) and Lexie – full name Shinglehall Casino, was almost 2 – behaving like a 21 year old regarding manners and sense! Lexie was bred locally near Epping by Karen Phillips; Shinglehall Senator is her sire. I bought her as a young foal with the main intention of eventually competing her under side saddle; the more she grows (16.2 already!) the more I am certain she will look magnificent as a lady’s hunter. While Lexie is lovely, I needed a horse to ride, so the hunt was on to find one.

Mum was stuck in bed but she could still use the telephone, so while I did the search through Horse & Hound she did the “Hello, I believe you have a horse for sale?” routine.

I found a nice looking 13 y.o. 16.2. grey. Mum phoned – not too far away, close to Patchetts near Watford.

Another problem. Snow – the bets were on for a white Christmas. Fortunately, the roads were clear, so Dad and I went to see Split the Aces. I liked him. I bought him – subject to vetting.

On Christmas Eve Mum was finally able to get out of bed, albeit with the aid of crutches. She went to see Nan in hospital in the afternoon but Nan passed away in the early hours of Christmas morning, so our day was not very cheerful. A sad end to a bad month. We were, I have to say, glad to see the back of December.

January 2010
The snow eased between Christmas and New Year, Ace passed his vetting, so again Dad and I went to Watford, this time with the horsebox.

The one thing I hadn’t tried was the side saddle. I had intended to go back and ride Ace again before finalising the deal, the second time with the side saddle, but the weather had been so appalling, and what with funerals and such to arrange, I did not have chance.

I let Ace settle in for a few days, then Mum groaned her way into the car and hobbled across the yard to the ménage while I saddled Ace for the first time in my nice Champion and Wilton Saddle – which fitted him fine. I mounted from the mounting block and put him through his paces. I believe ‘like a duck to water’ is the expression. He was a little uncertain for the first ten minutes, but riding aside is not all that different to astride. The leg aids on the off side are indicated by a long riding cane or schooling whip. Trot, canter, both were fine. He was willing and I think, enjoying himself, we even popped over a small jump.

All I had to do was to get some muscle tone on my new boy, as he had very little top line: no good for the show ring.

Problem. Remember all that snow just after Christmas? The frost, the ice? How it lingered and lingered. For weeks the ménage was frozen, as were the Forest paths. For a few days the horses had to stay in, it was impossible to get them to the fields. Bang went my planned fitness regime. January had turned to February by the time I could start riding properly, astride and aside.

February
At last. The thaw. Jo came to give me a lesson. immediately liked Ace and could see why I had bought him. We had a good lesson. I have two faults. One I keep looking down which then rounds my shoulders and spoils my position and I ride short. I always have done, possibly because I have one leg shorter than the other.

Jo convinced me to have a go at a local show, so the end of February saw me at Brooke Farm, Stapleford Abbotts, riding aside in the Riding Horse Class. It turned out to be a most eventful day!




















Ace in Febuary 2010 - All Muscled Up!
too be continued...

Kathy Hollick ~ Part 2

Feeling brave I hacked Izzy out a couple of times – riding aside. I stable in Chingford, and ride in Epping Forest. I found hacking side saddle not much different from astride; Izzy still leapt about, pretending goblins and ghosts lurked behind bushes and fallen logs. My one concern was should I take a tumble it is impossible to mount side saddle without a leg-up or a mounting block. The stirrup is designed to come away as soon as weight is put into it, a safety feature. Not that it mattered. Mum insisted that I did not hack out alone “just in case”. And I didn’t part company anyway!
The next adventure was a showing show at Longwood E.C., Basildon. I entered the Riding Club Horse and the Ridden Coloureds. I’m not going to say much because it was an embarrassing disaster. Izzy never was one for behaving herself at shows. If there was a prize for Naughtiest Horse or Most Talented Bucker I would have dozens of red rosettes. Suffice to say we were beautifully turned out, her plaits were not gold balls for once, and I looked and felt elegant. However, I can now categorically state that it is perfectly possible to sit a series of leaping bucks while aside. Although I would rather not have proven this in the middle of a showing class.
A few weeks later we tried a different tactic. Dressage at Harold’s Park Farm. Now Izzy is not a dressage horse – I used to show jump her and she’s the type of horse who hated going slow when fast was better. I practised the test at home and under the watchful eye of Jo, my side-saddle trainer. “Sit up, you keep looking down and that’s rounding your shoulders. Good. Now, left leg back a little, Kathy. Trot – lovely!”

















Izzy had impulsion, rhythm, balance. Good transitions, was bending into the corners. A nice walk on a loose rein, near perfect straight line from A to X. Great. Couldn’t you just scream when they are perfect at home and utter demon’s as soon as the judge’s bell goes “ting”? Suffice to say it is not a good when your horse bucks during a dressage test. Still, we obviously entertained the judge for I had an amusing comment on my sheet. “Elegantly ridden. The half pass across the arena was beautifully executed. A pity it was not included in this test.”
My only saving grace; we were not last. Someone else was eliminated. We were second to last. Oh well, that’s horses for you. I was determined not to give up, though; maybe I could try jumping side saddle?
December. Izzy went lame again. She had been unsound earlier in the year, which is why I had given up show jumping, but that had been a hock injury, this was in her off-hind foot. I called the vet and it seemed Izzy possibly had an abscess deep beneath the frog. I applied a poultice, rested her, led her out to graze. Christian, my farrier took off the shoe but couldn’t find anything obvious, so I arranged a trip to Oak Equine in Ongar. Mum was laid up in bed with a leg injury and could hardly move. My Nan was gravely ill in hospital (she passed away on Christmas morning) Things were bad and became worse. I thought the X-rays would reveal something wrong with the pedal bone. What none of us had expected was the awful truth. The tendon had somehow been scraping against the navicular bone and had literally been wearing it away, rubbing across it like a cheese grater. The damage was so bad there was nothing left to repair. I had no choice. Izzy, eight years old, was put down on December 10th 2009. One of the saddest days of my life.

Kathy Hollick - Chapter 1

As I told you last week, I have a wonderful story to tell you about a young lady and her adventures of learning how to ride sidesaddle. I will post a chapter a day. Please let both Kathy and I know if you enjoy her story!!!



















When my horse, Elswyth (stable name Izzy) injured her hock I decided to give up show jumping and learn a new discipline. Side saddle. A few people said I was barking mad, others muttered it would not be safe, and a couple confessed they had never even seen a side saddle. I have developed a love of history and historical re-enactments from my writer Mum, so the anticipation of donning a habit and re-creating a riding style from a bygone era was irresistible. And I have always enjoyed a challenge.
First step. Find someone to teach me. I am dyslexic, even as an adult reading and writing are still a problem (Mum is helping me write this.) Starting lessons with a new coach is always apprehensive for me. You’d be surprised at how many trainers become impatient when clients cannot remember left from right or a string of instructions.
Mum telephoned the Side Saddle Association for a list of local trainers and found Jo. A lovely lady who rides side saddle and knows her stuff. That was one of the first things I learnt: when you ride ‘aside’ you are not a ‘woman’ but a ‘lady’. A gentleman should always approach from the off-side, and of course helps the lady mount and dismount.
There is a lot of traditional etiquette involved in side saddle.
I had bought a saddle from e-bay but on closer inspection from Jo it slipped a little – it was a foreign make and she advised me to sell it and buy an English saddle instead. I found a beautiful Champion and Wilton made around 1920–30. It has a “saddler to the King” metal plate on it. The quality is superb, but as I have now learnt, get an expert to help you fit any saddle.
Izzy took to it straight away, in fact she went better than when I rode her astride – even leg yielding when I asked! It felt a little strange riding with both legs on one side, but all the things I had thought would be uncomfortable were fine. I felt perfectly balanced, there was no sensation of toppling sideways, and using my schooling whip as a substitute for my leg I had no problem making the aids on the near side. The trot is a sitting trot, Izzy has an nice even pace so no problem there, though a short choppy stride could be hard on la derrière!
As with astride, it is important to sit straight and square and not have one hip or shoulder sagging to the side. Hooked around the top of the two pommels the muscles along my right thigh ached after a while, and it was strange having to hold my hands slightly higher and wider than I was used to, but I was perfectly safe and secure. Within ten minutes of my first lesson I knew I was going to love riding aside; by the third I was cantering, and I ventured a small jump on the fourth. Another week and I was ready to buy myself a habit and attempt some adventures: to hack out side saddle, ride a dressage test and enter a local show. I had no worries about riding side saddle, but Izzy could occasionally have a mind of her own…

An Old Fashioned Christmas...

is a Hallmark movie that is on tonight. Wonderful wonderful sidesaddle scenes all throughout this historical story set in Ireland. Hope you can catch it!

Stay Tuned!!!

Next week I am please to introduce you to a young lady named Kathy Hollick. Her Mother Helen, is an author of several books and has so graciously allowed me to reprint Kathy's adventures of leaning how to ride aside!!!

Kathy aside Izzy.

















Kathy and her Mom (or should I say Mum!) Helen at a Book Launch - dressing the part!
















How did I find them you ask.. Well - they actually found my blog and presented me with this award!!!

For Those Who Hunt & Ride Aside..

There is an antique sandwich case with a flask being offered on E-bay right now. It is one of the nicest ones I have ever seen.. but the opening bid represents it's condition at a whopping $399.00!

















I am not sure why there is not at least one saddle repair specialist that does not make modern versions of something like this. It seems simple enough and even at half the price, it would be profitable. Even though I do not hunt, I would consider having one just because I love to trail ride!

Thank You So Much!!

For your prayers and well wishes! Don had his biopsy yesterday. More details are on the Equus Villa Blog if you would like to read about it. We will not get the results until next week though... Oh goodie .. you know how I just love to wait !!

Cigar Labels!

The romance and elegance of sidesaddle was used in a lot of Victorian Era print ads. I just found it interesting that one of the products that used that image was for Cigar labels... something that back then was NOT marketed for women! Any who... Enjoy these antique creative works of art!
















Hey - wait just a dag blasted minute!!! What is that in her mouth???!!!

No Post Tomorrow...

.. :0(

I will be at the hospital with my husband. He is having a liver biopsy. Would be so appreciative if you would stop and say a prayer for Don.

((((((hugs to all)))))

Tombstone

Plot: A successful lawman's plans to retire anonymously in Tombstone, Arizona, are disrupted by the kind of outlaws he was famous for eliminating.

Director: George P. Cosmatos
Writer: Kevin Jarre
Stars:Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer and Sam Elliott

ahh - Sam Elliott... just who (of the female gender) could not just sit and listen to that voice of his!!!
























Anyway - not only is this a well rated movie, there just happens to be a scene or 2 with a young lady riding aside!