My problem is research, or lack of it. The earliest mostly complete war saddle I know of is Henry V's saddle, but I have no primary references to earlier saddles, complete or partial. A lot can be infered from illuminations and other surviving pieces of tack, but I want to work from the best research available today. My biggest problem is that I live in New Zealand so can't just pop down to the museum, so I am reliant on books.

I have a saddler lined up to do it (Irish family, third generation saddler, his father worked for the British royal family), now I have a year to research and sort out a design.

I have never seen a monograph on the Henry V saddle. There is some curiosity as to whether it was actually used or whether it was simply part of the funerary accoutrements for the King.

There is a similar saddle in the Royal Armouries in Madrid. It is a current area of study for me, so I will see what I can dig up in my materials that might actually be of some use. Perhaps Jeff H has some info too.

Cheers,

Jenn

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I hope to have mine ready for the January 2004 International and like Peter will try to be as historically accurate as possible with the proviso that the safety and comfort of my horses comes first.

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URL=http://www.jousting.co.nz

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There is one in the Kunsthistoriches museum that is little more decorative and graceful in form. It isn't as "square" in form as the 1450s one linked to in the previous post.

The design could probably be used as a general purpose riding saddle if leather was used as a covering instead of bone/horn. It also depends on the geographic location. I *think* the issue with the princely saddle is that it is Germanic/Central European in design rather than saddles that would be used by those portraying English or French horsemen.

The Kunsthistoricshes also has a Hussari field saddle (not pictured) on the web site that is plainer in design but has the same lobed cantle and graceful pommel sweep. It is red leather with gilt accents.

I don't know if either would really be suitable for jousting, although Philip the Bold did make mention of the strange, flat, saddles that the Germans used.

It is a really nice saddle.

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These images are none-to-good. A friend scanned them, but I will have to rescan them later. You can see the basic shapes.

Hussari saddle 1450 + (Red leather, gilt decoration) German/Hungarian

Prunksattel: early 15th, bears resemblance to many French saddles seen in the joust. Looks a little more substantial than most decorated saddles of this type.

Last Decade of XVe early 16th German saddle for the "tilt yard". The cantle is missing. The pommel (flat fan shape) is similar to many early 16th saddles in the Churburg collection.

These last two I think are 14th possibly earlier and I can't for the life of me remember where I found them. It might be the York Archaeological Trust site.

Jenn

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Cheers
Joram

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OT: 16th C.

Arik, I think this one might be more in line with what you are looking for:

It supposedly dates from the "Tudor" reign, but most tend to forget that this started in 1485 and not with Henry VIII. This saddle is located in the Museum of London. They credit it as being Tudor.

So you could probably get away with it.

Most of the saddles pictured in the other posts are definitely 14 and 15th c German/Hungarian in origin and would most likely not be suited for your Reiver impression.

It is not my area of concentration so I cannot say with 100% certainty.

Hope this helps.

Jenn

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Are they appropriate for a 16th c border reiver? In a word:

No.

Jenn

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As for Stirrups and other accessories, I will have to see what I can find. Roughly what year are you looking at? I might be able to focus my search, or perhaps Andy (Donnachaidh ) can assist.

Jenn

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There is a Tournament-Saddle of the 15th Century at the 'Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt'. Its wooden-construction is well preserved, but the leather is gone!
Unfortunately i do not have a picture of it...
The Saddle has a 'Front-Armour' Made of wood and Linnen (similar construction to shields and pavises) that is connected to the Saddle-tree!
It's 'curved' like the Targe that is preserved at the 'Schlossmuseum Marburg' or like the Targe pictured on a tournament scene in the Medieval Housebook 'Mars and Venus'
Looks like Cloth in the wind...
Very difficult to describe for me....

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