Hundred Oaks, Inc.

Please Note:   The saddles shown on these pages are NOT for sale, with the exception of the Steele Equitation.   These are not in-stock saddles, but rather are photos from our files.

Sidesaddle Overview - Form = Function

Sidesaddles tend to fall into one of two styles, although there are exceptions.   If you're looking for general information on types and what to use for your riding discipline, this page is a must.

We're going to show you the foundation of the saddle - the "tree" first, then group saddles under that heading.   This should increase your understanding of the different types of sidesaddles and their uses..

AMERICAN SIDESADDLES

This tree is a Ruwart tree, very commonly used in antique sidesaddles once sold by the big catalogue companies like Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward.      The Morgan tree looks very similar but varies a bit in the measurements.   Note the western bars, just like those on a western stock saddle.   This tree isn't intended for jumping.  Several patents on these types of trees were filed between 1867 - 1900.    Seats generally measure between 17 - 20" and the tree is narrow.

Some examples of the American sidesaddle-

The leaping horn was added to this saddle by Lillian Chaudhary.   The quilted leather seat is original.

 Here's a pretty ladies' saddle without the leaping horn.   Note the tooled designs.   This was not considered a western sidesaddle.  It was made for the eastern market and has English -style billets

 This rebuilt Gathright Eclipse was built on a Morgan tree.   Note the graceful lines.

An Original Gathright Eclipse is shown below:

 This Hoop saddle was commissioned by Jere Whitson Hardware, Cookeville, TN.   The hoop was a carryover from a very old European design.

Contrast the saddles at the top with this Goodnight Style western, built around 1890 on a rawhide covered Ruwart tree.    This is a much heavier, more durable saddle than its eastern counterparts

It's easy to see the relationship between this Steele tree and the Ruwart tree at the top of the page.

Steele sidesaddles were invented in 1983 by Wayne Steele of Tennessee.    They have become favorites on the Arabian circuit

The Steele Western below and the Steele English Pleasure are both built on the tree shown above

updated 5/13/2010

Selling your saddle?   We take selected sidesaddles on consignment, and in some cases we will purchase your sidesaddle in good condition outright.    Send photos and description to HundredOaksInc@aol.com.

• European Saddles

Here's an Early Sidesaddle tree.   Note how much higher the front is than the cantle, and look carefully at the narrow angle between the front points.   This saddle will fit only a very narrow horse.

 The Early Style sidesaddle is quite common in the United States.    Similar saddles can also be found in British museums, since the design originated in England.    This saddle is sometimes referred to as a "cowhorn" because the right leg brace is nearly as high as the upper pommel.   We don't have a tree photo to show you, but it's a primitive version of the hunt tree above, but with points of equal length.    .

The important feature of this saddle isn't the horns however - it's the shape of the seat.   Note the distinct upsweep in the seat, which places the rider in a position that's down and back from the vertical.   Popular wisdom at the time this saddle was made dictated this "backwards" seat seat, which has since been disproven.

 Now note that the seat slopes to either side, like an astride saddle.  Contrast it with the flat Ruwart tree shown to the left.      The Early style provides little to no support for the rider's left hip.

Finally, very few Early saddles have a leaping horn.    The leaping horn is essential to the safety of the rider.   Factor in the small seat and narrow tree, and we generally recommend these saddles  not be ridden.    They're authentic to the Civil War era, by the way, since the design was manufactured between 1750 and 1870.   They fell out of popularity when the Ruwart and Morgan trees were developed.

 Civil War reenactors often purchase one of these Early saddles for "show and tell" but the saddles they actually ride on  are of more modern vintage, with safety features.

The Somerset below was built on a tree similar to this one.    You can begin to see a transition to the modern tree at the top of the page. 

Earlier English sidesaddles were ornate, like this Somerset, which was built in England for export to the US market.     These saddles are found in the old Sears and Montgomery Ward catalogs.   It was built on the forerunner of the modern hunt tree.     Many Somersets are in current use, but they must be fitted carefully.   They tend to run very narrow.

This is a modern hunt style sidesaddle tree.     Compare it to the American tree at left.   Note the long point which extends down the left shoulder

English sidesaddles on the whole tend to work better on horses with high withers.    They also tend to place the rider high up off the back of the horse - a situation that dismays many new riders

On the pro side, Hunt sidesaddles  are heavily padded for jumping and do offer comfort over long distances.    

As the hunt sidesaddle evolved it lost the oranamentation and became very utilitarian, like this Champion & Wilton, which had innovative safety features.

Hunt sidesaddles lost the right leg brace almost immediately.   The leaping horn and upper pommel were made broader for comfort, and the balance strap was added.     This Champion & Wilton was made just before the dawn of the era of forward seat riding.   Notice that it still retains something of the "backwards seat" discussed under the description of the Early sidesaddle.

 Mayhew produced another popular English sidesaddle.   This Lissadell model was produced about 1925.   Note the very flat seat, which came into vogue with the forward seat era.    This saddle placed the rider up and forward for jumping.

While the hunt saddles were becoming heavier and more padded, the American market was riding saddleseat on Park saddles.   Here's a good example.   Note the much thinner padding on this 1930's Barnsby, which also features a narrower right side flap, and a "sweepy" seat.   This saddle was built on a Mayhew tree.

 This Swain was built about 1988 in Walsall, UK.     Note the extremely heavy padding, which is necessary for use on horses with very high withers, but does not suit many North American breeds. many of which have lower, broader withers.

The Elan is a modern sidesaddle that is produced in Pakistan under our US Patent.    It has the English style tree and the same general design features as the saddles above.  It is reinforced for jumping

Not all English sidesaddles are on the same tree however.    Look at this Steele Equitation tree with the movable horns.   The finished product below looks much like the saddles at the top of this page, but it's an entirely different species!       This saddle is truly an American product, and it should not be flocked or altered.

Still have questions?  

See our Services and Accessories Pages for more sidesaddle links.    You can contact us

Contact the American Sidesaddle Association for answers to your showing needs.;

We will appraise your saddle for a fee of $25.   Clear color photos of top, bottom, each side, front and back must be submitted.