Aside World Magazine
Spring 2022 Issue 

Member Spotlight: Barbara Drogo

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How long have you been riding aside?

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I’ve been riding astride over 60 years and aside for four years. I began riding at age four at a “backyard” riding stable. Lessons were Western and consisted of ring work and a walk/trot trail ride up and down hills and wooded paths. I was usually on Cheyenne, a darling bay Shetland. He and I were in cahoots – when the big horses were trotting, we had to canter to keep up. And when they stepped sedately over the log in the path, we had to hop over it. (Shhhhh, don’t tell! We weren’t supposed to be doing that.)  My dream was to one day ride English and go fox hunting. I have no idea how that got in my head. No one I knew rode to hounds and I did not come from a horsey family.

 

When I was 13, my uncle got horses for his kids, so of course I was drawn to their barn like a magnet. It was still Western riding though, so I started taking the saddle off and riding bareback so I could jump. A few years later, a riding academy opened up and I was able to finally take proper hunt seat lessons. I got my first horse when I was 16 and did local and 4-H  shows on her for a couple of years. But I still wanted to go fox hunting. That did not happen until 1982 when I was in my twenties. I hunted for about 10 years astride, but wanted another challenge, so I borrowed a friend’s Mayhew that had belonged to her grandmother and taught myself to ride aside (using books and every resource I could find.) I hunted a few times aside but knew better than to try jumping.

 

A few years later, I started a farmer pack of fox hounds so gave up on riding aside while I was busy hunting them. After some years of doing that, then folding the pack, then hardly riding, then not riding when the last horse died – fast forward to the year 2018. I got the horse bug again but wanted to do something different. I remembered how much I had enjoyed riding aside (even though I didn’t know what I was doing and the saddle was continuously slipping). I knew that if I took lessons, I could learn to do it properly and enjoy it even more. I found out about ISSO and attended a mounted clinic at their mid-winter meeting. I was hooked and have been riding aside periodically since then.

 

What first interested you in side side?

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At the hunt I belonged to, a young woman occasionally rode aside in a saddle and habit that had belonged to one of our primary landowners. The saddle and habit must have been from the 30s. The whole picture was so elegant, I desperately wanted to try it myself. And, like I said, I was ready for another challenge.

 

What disciplines do you like to ride?

 

Fox hunting is my first love, so everything I’ve done has been targeted toward that. That means ring work and elementary dressage, as well as riding miles and miles of trails and cross country on the flat and over fences --  conditioning and training my horses to handle the demands of the hunt field. Just recently, I’ve gotten back into some low-level hunter showing.  I’m also embarking into historic reenacting.

 

What is your favorite thing to do aside?

 

Just riding my mare aside and working on our progress. I love it when we have that occasional moment of being completely in sync.

 

Please tell us about your aside partner/s.

 

My mare, Kiara is half Friesian, half Standardbred. She was Amish-bred, had a good solid start, and was trained to drive. She was then bought by a family who used her for trail riding. They also bred her and she had a foal when she was four. When I got her, she had just turned five (she’s now nine) and had been spoiled. All she wanted to do was “eat” her way through a slow trail ride with a rider who left her to her own devices. But I saw qualities in her that I liked very much, and I knew she had potential. My goal was to ride her aside and do some low level showing. So, here we were -- a green horse and a person who was not only out of shape but was transitioning late in life to a different discipline. With the help of good trainers, supportive riding friends, ground training, and hours in the saddle -- both ring work and cross country -- we’re getting there. As far as riding aside, attending Camp Leaping Horn each summer has been an enormous help. And I just love this horse. She has become a real partner and has a good work ethic now, besides being sensitive, intelligent, and trainable.

 

What do you find most challenging aside?

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Cantering in a circle. I’m fine cross country but I have a heck of a time doing it in the ring or arena. Especially on Kiara. She has a big stride, and when I canter aside in a circle I’m all over the place. I think that when she and I become more comfortable going aside cross country, I will find cantering in a straight line easier, and then we can begin working gradually from larger to smaller circles. I did that when teaching her to gain balance and confidence cantering (astride), and it worked well.

 

What is your proudest moment aside?

 

The first time I rode aside cross-country at a clinic in Virginia. My hireling (Lady Bug) was lovely, my Whippy fit her perfectly,  and I’m much more used to riding cross country than in a ring – it felt so natural I almost forgot I was aside. Another proud moment was that same weekend fox hunting in the non-jumping field, when the Field Master said “Uh oh, I forgot there’s a creek up ahead we’ll have to jump.” Again, Lady Bug came through. All I had to do was drum up my courage, keep my head up, point my left shoulder toward her right shoulder, give her plenty of rein, and use that leaping head. We did it!

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What advice would you give someone first starting out side saddle?

 

If you’re able, go to a clinic or a “have a go” session. See if you like it before you dive in too deep. If you cannot do that, do some research and find an instructor. Be prepared to travel, it will be well worth the time and trouble. If you have to do it on your own, go online and read/watch everything you can find from reputable resources. There are also plenty of books available. Join some Facebook groups, ask questions, you may be able to find someone near your area to get you started.

 

Also, the fit of the saddle is imperative to both the horse and rider. There’s a quote out there that says something to the effect of, “Riding aside can either be like the perfect dream or your worst nightmare, depending on the fit and quality of the saddle.”

 

When I got back into riding aside in 2018, I did not have a horse. I first spent some time on Facebook groups, learning from what others were posting. The most common challenge seemed to be finding a saddle that fit both the rider and the horse. Think about it, there are more good horses out there than there are good side saddles. So, I decided to reduce one of the variables in the equation by finding a saddle to fit me, and then looking for a horse that fit that saddle. At first, I thought it was a crazy idea, so I broached the question on a Facebook group. The experienced riders said, YES. That’s the best way to do it.

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What do you still want to accomplish aside that you have not done yet?

 

I have a dream of being able to do everything I can do astride, aside. I want to feel confident riding cross country and accomplished doing low-level showing.  I’d love to hunt Kiara aside, but we’ll see. (She’s been on just one hunt so far but did very well.) I’ll also be taking her to some Civil War reenactments this year. She’s fine with gunfire and had a successful introduction to cannon fire. She absolutely thrives on attention, especially from pre-teen and teenage girls. I suspect she’s going to be in her element at reenactments. Hopefully, she and I will be good ambassadors of side saddle and can get others involved.

 

What do you like to do when not riding?

 

I’m very involved with my congregation. I also enjoy studying history and following current events. In addition, I recently sold my small farm (of 34 years) in New York State. Kiara and I are now living on a horse farm in central Kentucky. This past year has been one of downsizing, cleaning out, realtors, lawyers, moving companies, boxes, boxes, and more boxes, etc.  I enjoy interior design and decorating so am looking forward to doing more of that as I continue to get settled here in Kentucky.

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Thank you Barb for taking the time to answer these questions and

congratulations on your appointment to the Board!

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If you would like to be considered for an upcoming issue please email AsideWorld@sidesaddle.com

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