Editing Sidesaddle (section)

==Equipment==
[[File:Catalogue_sidesaddle_1.jpg|thumb|Refurbished antique "catalogue" saddle, manufactured circa 1900. These were developed in America and sold to middle class women. Many still exist today.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Types of Side Saddles<!-- Bot generated title -->|url=http://www.sidesaddle.com/reference_pages/saddletype.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626085357/http://www.sidesaddle.com/reference_pages/saddletype.htm#ant|archive-date=2012-06-26|access-date=2012-08-20}}</ref>]]Although sidesaddles are still manufactured today, it is a small niche market, and a new model is quite expensive. Thus, many riders who wish to ride sidesaddle are often found hunting for older saddles at [[antique]] shops, estate sales, attics or [[barn]] lofts. It is difficult to find an antique sidesaddle that not only fits the rider and horse but also is in good condition. Old sidesaddles usually need reconditioning, sometimes even requiring complete removal of the leather and examination of the tree. Antique sidesaddles are frequently a problem to fit, as many are too narrow for modern horses.

Modern sidesaddles are usually based on the Jules Pellier two pommel design. The underlying tree, girthing system, flap or fender design, styling features and type of leather used may differ, however, the structure of the fixed pommel and leaping horn is a consistent design feature across all riding styles. Sidesaddles built on a tree designed for sidesaddle use are properly balanced, but many modern sidesaddles are built on a modified astride tree, which may result in an unbalanced, unridable saddle.<ref>[http://www.sidesaddle.com/reference_pages/sidesaddletrees.htm Side Saddle Trees<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120610055718/http://sidesaddle.com/reference_pages/sidesaddletrees.htm |date=2012-06-10 }}</ref>

[[Historical reenactment]] participants, notably those in [[American Civil War reenactment]]s, also tend to use the two pommel sidesaddle, since the single pommel sidesaddle that was used into mid-19th century is now regarded as creating an insufficiently secure seat for safe riding. Most sidesaddles have a regular girth or cinch, an overgirth that holds the flaps down, and most have either a back cinch or a balancing strap to hold the saddle down in the back and provide additional stability.

A [[breastcollar]] can be added to stabilize the saddle, and, though seen less often, a [[crupper]]. There are few differences in the [[bridle]]s used for sidesaddle and astride riding. Because riders' hands are farther from the horse's mouth as the riders are seated further back than when astride, bridles may require [[rein]]s that are a longer than standard astride reins. This is most often a problem for [[western riding|western-style]] riding with ''[[romal]]'' reins, which are sized for astride riders and sometimes require extensions for use by sidesaddle riders.

===Fitting===

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 | caption1 = Underside of an antique English sidesaddle. Tree must fit the horse.
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 | caption2 = A sidesaddle is measured by length and two width measurements, "neck" and "seat"
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The saddle must fit horse and rider. The sidesaddle tree differs from an astride tree, most notably by the structure of the pommels but also due to a much longer saddle point on the left side of the saddle.<ref>[http://www.sidesaddle.com/reference_pages/tree_types/whippy_tree.htm Whippy Tree<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702202332/http://sidesaddle.com/reference_pages/tree_types/whippy_tree.htm |date=2012-07-02 }}</ref> Horses are fitted in a manner similar to that of a regular saddle; the gullet must clear the [[withers]], and the bars of the saddle should be the proper width to be comfortable on the horse.<ref>http://www.sidesaddle.com/reference_pages/tree_types/fit.htm{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The seat is measured for the rider in three places: Length, from the front of the fixed pommel to the end of the cantle; width across the widest part of the seat; and the distance across the narrowest part of the seat, called the "neck". To determine the correct seat length, which is based on the length of the rider's [[femur]], a person sits on a stool or chair with their back and hips against a wall or flat surface, and the length of a saddle is ideally one inch longer than the distance from the wall to the back of the person's knee. Riders can more easily manage a saddle that is a bit too large than one that is too small, though a too-large saddle may leave the rider with an insecure seat.<ref>[http://www.sidesaddle.com/reference_pages/fit.htm Measuring a rider<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120820124021/http://www.sidesaddle.com/reference_pages/fit.htm |date=2012-08-20 }}</ref>
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