For the love of sidesaddle! Join my adventures below as I learn from master side saddlers (there are far too few left!), find unique and treasured sidesaddle gems, and share my best practices. If you have a blog topic you would like to see me explore, please reach out! I find the history, tradition, and evolution of riding aside captivating and find great joy in sharing it with others! – Amy
BDD Product Care Card
This is the care card that is sent with each shipment outlining my recommendations for initial care for product longevity. Sedgwick leather really does need to be oiled prior to use and this card outlines my recommended product and guidelines for initial oiling. For those wanting to use the oil I recommend, I do package…
LEATHER COLOR- Australian Nut vs. Havana
Here is a very clear example for those looking for guidance on which color product they would like. Because I recognize color choice is important, I offer both options in all products. I even get many of my product offerings in Black on special request. If looking for a color option outside those listed, please…
Bridle Fitting Guide
Review the measurement chart, photos, and guiding points below when measuring for a BBD bridle. Please reach out with any questions – I am happy to help! The five most important measurements are the The split to split on the current CROWNPIECE (that is the area that goes across the horse’s poll. The split on…
Sidesaddle Terminology
Sidesaddle, like most things, comes with its own terminology and “stuff”. Check out the BRIEF descriptions of commonly used terms below. Saddles, Tack Balance Strap: This leather strap buckles like a girth near the stirrup iron, runs on top of the regular girth (under the horse’s belly) and attaches toward the back of the saddle…
Gloves: USEF Ladies Sidesaddle Appointments
As many of you know, I LOVE educating people on the required appointments for the USEF ladies’ sidesaddle appointments classes. Today I am going to discuss gloves. Here is the exact wording from HU148 11. Gloves: Plain; heavy wash leather or brown leather gloves. 12. Rain Gloves: White or light-colored rain gloves. Should be…
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The Illsley Foam Rubber Seat on a Sidesaddle
Do you have a side-saddle that the seat feels like it is filled with fish tank gravel? (That is the best description I can come up with!) It is/was likely the Illsley Foam Rubber Seat – felt similar to memory foam in its original state. I have a Whippy with a very soft Illsley seat…
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A Wykeham Pad on a Sidessaddle
This pad was patented in 1904 and apparently was rather popular when first introduced. It works really well on the wide flat-backed horses. Unfortunately, it isn’t a great solution for the A-framed-shaped TB types we typically see here in the US. This is why it isn’t an easy answer for a saddle that is missing…
Sidesaddle Stirrup Assembly – Buyer Beware
When things aren’t what they appear… I glanced at this saddle (image below) that was recently on the market and noticed something not quite right about the stirrup assembly. It’s backwards! This is backwards on a near-sided saddle. So if it were my saddle, I would be sure to use a safety iron with it.…
The Blocked Head on a Sidesaddle
This is the fixed head off of a 1908 Champion and Wilton sidesaddle. Sadly this saddle is beyond repair (yes there is such a thing) but I spent the money and bought the remains of it for the example of a blocked head. Per Nick Creaton, the blocked head was developed in 1892 and improved…
The Doeskin Seat on a Sidesaddle
A person reached out to me asking how to care for her doeskin seat that appears to be wanting to crack. She said it does feel dry but didn’t want to put anything on it. I understand this concern!!!!! You don’t want to ruin it, but if it feels like paper, it does need conditioning.…
How do I know what size girth & balance strap I need for my horse?
By far the most frequently asked question I get is: How do I know what size girth and balance strap I need for my horse? You can not just go by your astride girth as side-saddle billets tend to be shorter, have less wiggle room than astride saddles, and don’t typically use elastic. The easiest…
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