Hi there,
My name is Caroline Mosley, I live in Scotland with my hubby John and I am the proud owner of 2 horses. Ellie is a 5yo TB mare and is due her first foal in July next year, by an Irish Draught. My other horse Jack is an Irish Sport Horse who I event (pic attached). As well as eventing I have just taken up side saddle with him. I bought myself a brand new saddle last week (pic attached) and can't wait for the winter to be over so I can get going with him. I hope to compete at the Royal Highland Show next year. the only thing I have to show me doing side saddle is the first time I sat on my friends horse (my second ever go at SS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoGVwosaQug
Ps - also FYI, there has been a programme on the BBC in the UK called Downton Abbey featuring a hunting party with the ladies riding side saddle,


I asked Caroline about her beautiful saddle and this is what she told me:
I bought my side saddle from a master saddler in Wales, he made it on a new side saddle wide tree and for a competition a few years ago. Since then it sat in his workshop on display until he decided that he should sell it.
Anyway it was on ebay and I bought it probably for half what it is worth! It fits my horse really well (bit of flocking movement required) and the only thing I need is a stirrup leather making up (it has an owen stirrup fitting). I am very excited about it as I only thought about trying side saddle when I watched the class at the royal highland show last year and i remembered that I'd always wanted to try it - so I bought a lesson for my birthday and since then I've just caught the bug!
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Yeah Caroline!!! I am so excited for you!! .. but sad that you have to wait until next Spring to really get started riding aside.
That's great! Lovely saddle too. Will she be jumping aside?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if we can get that show Downtown Abbey on the internet somehow?
Yay! That's a gorgeous saddle. Hopefully Caroline will have a chance to try it out sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteYou can watch past episodes on the ITV website but they only keep episodes on there for a certain amount of time before they delete them from the site:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.itv.com/dramapremieres/downtonabbey/
With all these new riders doing side saddle and a lack of antique saddles (and new custom saddles costing an arm and a leg), I think the established manufacturers like Barnsby, Jeffries, etc are going to have to pull their finger out and start making side saddles. Barnsby used to make them, I wish they would again!
Hello all
ReplyDeleteNo jumping aside, just pretty flatwork! thank you for liking my saddle, I can't wait to try it out!
Sadly - you can only view :
ReplyDeletehttp://www.itv.com/dramapremieres/downtonabbey/
this web media if you live in the United Kingdom.
Well, it looks like you'll have to move over here then to watch it ;-)
ReplyDelete