Champion and Wilton

A well used and much loved saddle.
Note the cutback at the throat. Unlike the Martin & Martin saddles above, this saddle has an overgirth to secure the flap on the off side. Compare the wider pommels on this C&W with the medium pommels of the saddle below. The width of the pommels was often based on the preference of the person ordering the saddle. Although not pictured here, C&W also produced a blocked head in the early 1900's and left the cutback head open "for closer contact". The blocked head allowed additional purchase when getting forward over the fences. For the most part, this option for a blocked head disappeared by 1910.

Champion and Wilton (second saddle)

A very nice example of the Champion & Wilon saddles from pre-1910.
Many different styles were made by Champion and Wilton. The flap over the stirrup hanger engages a portion of the break-away assembly. The extension over the safe allows the rider's foot to keep the assembly from disengaging prematurely. This saddle was retro-fitted with a Wykham pad in the 1920's. The pad takes the place of the panels and a variety of pads allowed one saddle to fit several horses. Note the sam brown stud on the stirrup flap - to keep the flap down when carrying the saddle. This keeps the stirrup from inadvertently falling off the breakaway assembly. One would disengage the stud when riding.

Cross

Note the padded safe, medium pommels (compared to the C&W above) leather panels and seat. The saddle has a fixed stirrup hanger rather than break-away assembly, requiring the use of a safety stirrup. There is a small slit pocket on the offside flap

Eldonian

Eldonian's are more recently made saddles on vintage trees. The saddle will vary depending on the type of tree available when it was built. This saddle has an outside girth on the off side, allowing easy access for the lady when mounted.

Owen

Owens are highly sought after for their quality. Models came with both medium and wide pommels as found on this saddle. This saddle would stand up to the rigors of the hunt field or show ring.

Hermes

Note the forward sweep of the upright head and the beautiful lines of this piece. This saddle has leather seat and panels. Many old name saddles have serge and linen panels to facilitate reflocking.

Knoud

This Knoud saddle is an example of a "Park" saddle
used for flat work. Unlike many old saddles of it's era, it is NOT reinforced for jumping and would be ruined should the tree break under the stress of jumping. Many park saddles had narrow off side flaps to show off the horse.

Knoud (hunting saddle)

This Knoud saddle is reinforced for hunting. The panels are serge and linen covered. The off side has a hinged flap, avoiding the need for an overgirth.

Roche

This beautiful saddle has an outside girthing system and leather seat. The nameplate on the offside flap would indicate the owner. The style is reminiscent of a Whippy.

Mayhew

Note the outside girthing system and the curvature of the leaping head. Called a Houbulon head, it allows for more forward placement over fences. Mayhew was a very typical old-name hunting saddle.

Mayhew Lissadell

Victorian Hunting Saddle

A much-loved Victorian era saddle that was retro-fitted with an elastic convenience tab on the overgirth (rather than a fixed over girth) and a Mayhew break away assembly (rather than a roller bar) for safety, sometime in the 1920's. The saddle has a quilted seat and safe, an expensive option in English side saddles from that era.

ELAN

These Asian made saddles are modern versions of the English side saddle and are still being built. They serve as an entry level saddle for a rider who may be experimenting with side saddle for the first time. While not of the same quality as an "old name" side saddle, they are certainly rideable. The same cannot be said for all Asian made side saddles.

Steele Equitation

This saddle differs from the other English saddles in that it is made on bars similar to a Western saddle rather than points and flocked panels. The bars allow a fit to a wide variety of horses. These are currently being built by The Side Saddlery.

Goodnight Style Off-Side Western

This saddle is a recently restored Goodnight-style western off-side side saddle. The tree is raw-hide covered.
The saddle has full double rigging and the rigging rings are leather covered to prevent the cold iron in the rings from rotting the leather. The seat and pommels were recovered in doeskin, true to the original saddle.
The square skirts have typical border tooling as well as atypical fan-like tooling in the corners of the skirt that helps to date the saddle to the middle of the 1890's. The saddle was recently restored by The Side Saddlery and added to Linda Flemmer's collection of antique western side saddles.

Steele Western Pleasure

A modern Western Side Saddle, built on a Steele tree by The Side Saddlery. The unique leaping head has a bolt passing through the fixed pommel. The bolt is recessed so that it does not interfere with the rider's leg. Steele Western side saddles are some of the few that are wide enough for modern horses.

Steele Trail Saddle

Unique features of this saddle include the adjustable upright and leaping heads, buckle on saddle bags and a very comfortable, padded seat. The tree design permits a good fit on many horses.

Goodnight

Charles Goodnight developed this sturdy saddle for his wife so she could accompany him on cattle drives. The leather, skirting and rigging is designed to make this a durable, hardworking saddle. Note the grab handle on the right side near the knee. This offers security when the horse cuts cattle!

Lillian Chaudhary Saddle

The handwork and craftsmanship on this Western side saddle is outstanding. These saddles are handmade, one at a time. You will rarely find one for resale since once someone owns one, they won't easily part company with it.

2010 Western Show saddle -

built on a Steele tree by The Side Saddlery. Hand carved Sheridan-style tooling, quilted seat and safe, bars lined with real shearling. Rounded skirts for shorter-backed horses like Arabians and Morgans.

Common American Catalog Saddles

Antique Catalog Saddle

The antique catalog saddles were mass produced for the evolving middle class in America - people with money to spend on a specialty saddle for the lady of the house. The saddles were ordered from catalogs or purchased at local hardware stores. This saddle has doe skin seat and safe and skirts. Note the third horn on the right side for security. Many catalog saddles lacked a leaping head, an added expense!

Antique Catalog Saddle

This saddle would have been built between 1890 and 1905 by L.D. Stone & Co of San Francisco.

1890- L.D. Stone and Co. was listed as a San Francisco business - importers and manufacturers of saddlery and harness as well as dealers in saddlery hardware. In1905, L.D. Stone merged with the pioneering San Francisco saddlery of Main and Winchester. Photos courtesy of Susan Ploughman of Winnepeg, ON Canada.

Antique Hoop Saddle

The hoops were an added safety feature on many side saddles from the Appalachian region of the US. In many cases, the hoops could be buckled into place. On some hoops, there was fanciful fringe. On this saddle, leather was placed between the seat and hoop to make a full bowl shape. This saddle shows beautiful embossing on the safe and a stitched seat.

Some hoop saddles have been found in South America. Around the time of the Civil War, people from the Southern states moved to South America and may have taken some of their saddle ideas and preferences with them.