Vigo County Historical Society
Historical Treasure Article
January 10, 1988
By Susie Dewey
Vigo County Historical Society
Some mounted campaign for sidesaddle
A glance at the sidesaddle on display at the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley will corroborate the slogan, “You’ve come a long way, baby.”
The leatherwork of the saddle is meticulously crafted and decorated. The seat is covered with a tightly woven carpet material of red and black yarn. The leather is tooled with leaves and garlands, appropriate for the outdoor use of the saddle.
Many museum visitors are unfamiliar with the sidesaddle and are curious about its use and history. The most common use of the saddle today is seen when Queen Elizabeth II uses it for formal occasions. At the observance of her birthday each June, the Queen inspects her troops from a sidesaddle. She wears a long, sweeping skirt appropriate to the saddle and to the occasion.
The rider of the sidesaddle sat on the carpet-covered seat with her right leg hooked over the narrow horn. The was facing west as the horse headed north. In the early-19th century, additional horns or crutches curved downward over the left thigh. If the horse fell, the rider was unable to escape and the horns could impale her. The long skirt of the riding habit also made it difficult for the rider to escape any accident.
Women rode this way over the rough ground and hazards of the hunting fields, though rivers and streams, and in fast-moving cavalcades. Riders of the Victorian era had no lack of courage.
Actually, the sidesaddle is a 19th-century phenomenon. In the Middle Ages, women rode astride or on a pillion behind a man. Pictures of the Crusaders show women riding astride after hawks or hounds.
Queen Anne introduced the sidesaddle in 1382. It was a heavy, cumbersome, padded platform with a footboard, and was used for formal occasions. It did not have horns or safety devices.
One story says that Queen Elizabeth I used a sidesaddle to hide her crooked legs beneath her heavy, long skirts. With her power to set styles, she made the practice of riding astride indecent, and by 1600 no lady rode any way except sidesaddle.
Various additions and changes were made to improve the safety of the saddle. Back rests, foot rails and guard rails appeared and disappeared. By 1750 the saddles were lighter and more comfortable, so more women began hunting and riding. Of course, by this time, many pioneer women in America were riding astride as they performed the necessary duties in a new country. American women continued to ride astride for everyday functions, but ladies in cities rode sidesaddle for social functions, picnics and rides in the park.
Isabella Bird, an explorer of the Rockies, rode a Mexican saddle astride. Women who daringly tried the method praised the comfort and control of being different.
The dress for riding astride was similar to the bathing suits of the time. Loose drawers gathered below the knee were fastened over the boots at the ankle. The usual jacket was a loose tunic to the knee with a cape added to the costume. The costume was far less bulky than the prescribed sidesaddle habit.
Newspapers and pulpits of the day took sides on the issue. Some doctors declared that the aside position twisted women’s backs and deformed their spines. Others were as vehement about the dangers of the astride position to the delicate female constitution.
A brief flurry of interest in the sidesaddle occurred in the 1970s. An international association of sidesaddle riders was formed, and a search for old saddles began in barns, garages, attics and antique shops. The habits were colorful, graceful and feminine. Clubs appeared at rodeos and state fairs.
The old sidesaddle in the museum evokes many memories and much history. Horsewomen, historians and feminists (as well as anti-feminists) all have an opinion about this device. Children can’t believe it ever was used, and the explanation opens the door to 19th- and early-20th century thoughts and philosophies about women.
The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.