15/02/2024
I've been riding since I was six years old ( a loooong time ago!) so my bum has spent a vast amount of hours and countless kilometers in the saddle!
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From Ba****ck, to English style, Western to Australian Stock, Traditional Ethiopian Goat Skin and Wooden creations to saddles made and designed from the softest premium Peruvian Leather.......there's not many saddles I haven't had the pleasure of sitting in but one style always comes top of my list for long distance comfort for rider and especially the horse.........🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴🐴.
Many of our modern day saddles have been fashioned with the historic military saddles in mind as time and again the saddlery used by the mounted forces has been proven to be exceedingly compatible for strenuous riding over long distances.
The McClellan Military Saddle was first designed for military use by George B. McClellan of the US Army. Assigned with the task of developing new cavalry equipment, he produced the first design of his now infamous saddle in 1857 which he claimed to be a revised version of the Hungarian models used in the Prussian Services.............this however is still occasionally questioned as the saddle he created had a distinctly Spanish -type saddle tree resembling that which was found extensively in Mexico during this era.
However, after a number of adjustments, it became the official military saddle for the USA in 1859 largely due to its simplistic, light weight design which was comfortable on the backs of the cavalry horse whilst at the same time sturdy enough for rider support and additional gear.
It reigned supreme as the exclusive American Cavalry Saddle until the last mounted military force was disbanded.
This style of saddle was also found in countries such as Mexico, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and even utilised by the British during the Boer War.
Although not without its critics, the McClellan style of saddle has had continued use today, and has since been repeatedly remodeled and used largely for endurance riding.
Why do I like this style of saddle?
Well for starters it is designed for maximum horse and rider comfort over long distances and varying terrain. Think about it, mounted military clocked up hundreds of kms in the saddle, riding day and night......you need a pretty damn good saddle design to withstand that usage and not cause any adverse affects to the horse.
I particularly am fond of the high wither clearance. Of course it's important to have a saddle that fits your horse correctly, and today's designs are made to measure......but such luxuries were not available back then, one saddle had to fit a number of horses and having high wither clearance ensured no pressure on one of the most sensitive and delicate areas of the horses anatomy.
Pictured is a Leon Liversage Trailrider, designed for hardwork and effective trail rider, specifically developed for comfort over long distance and varying terrain and closely resembles the military saddles of old..........the only partner for a Globetrotting Cowgirl 🤠
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Varden Horse Riding Safaris - Ride Zimbabwe
Trailrider Custom Handmade Horse Saddles