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Topic: Henry V saddle repro

Caroline
New Member
Member # 929

posted 01-26-2006 08:32 AM

Hi everyone,

Incredible work indeed! Can't wait to see the final result and most of all, reading about the riding commentaries with this type of saddle.

Steve (De Croy), I have at home a CD full of pictures of saddles and harnesses, one of them is an authentic from about 1450. If you have some time to come and see, maybe it will help

Registered: Oct 2005 | IP: Logged

Peter Lyon
Member
Member # 232

posted 01-26-2006 12:55 PM

Thanks Caroline. I won't be riding it much, if at all, over the next few weeks as I have a tournament coming up that I am concentrating on, then recovery. The only detail to sort out still are the saddle pad bags, which will point to the side plates. But I am in less of a hurry now. I still hope to use it at another tournament in April, but I have only just started to learn about riding it.

Registered: Oct 2001 | IP: Logged

Peter Lyon
Member
Member # 232

posted 07-07-2006 05:42 PM

I think I have sorted out my saddle pad issues, and should be riding the saddle again from today, so hopefully I will be able to post new photos soon.

No other progress yet, I have been waiting for my saddler to finish his other personal projects (this one is a free job so I can't put much pressure on him). The most important thing, as long as the saddle pads are good, is to get the stronger period girth in place so I can ride armoured with some confidence that the current temporary girth won't self-destruct!

Registered: Oct 2001 | IP: Logged

Peter Lyon
Member
Member # 232

posted 08-12-2006 06:04 AM

I've spent the last month making some modifications to my saddle, but they hugely improved it. I've reduced the angle of the side plates so it fits on Cara's curves better, rather than the outside edges pressing down on her, and it is much more stable; also reduced the padding in the saddle pads, and made a new seat pad that is bigger and much more padded, so I can grip it with my inner thighs. She obviously appreciated it, and was moving freely for the first time under the saddle. It is only the sixth time I have used the saddle, but I was able to get more adventurous, and it bodes well for the future.

I have put up a couple of pictures over at the Armour Archive: http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=53917

The weather was grotty, chilly, windy, and wet, but it was a good ride. First pic is Cara deciding she isn't ready to jump quite yet thankyou, so we're circling back for another go and trying to not run over my photographer/wife Helen (BAD move to do that!)

The second photo is more interesting. I've wondered what this type of saddle would be like to jump in, and thought it would be aweful at best, and possibly dangerous. After practising over really low jumps, here we are clearing 50cm (20") - surprisingly fairly comfortable, as long as I brace against the cantle on takeoff, and don't hit the front bow on landing (ouch!). As you can see, Cara is comfortable too and stretching nicely. I'm going to try more of this in future, maybe up to 90cm if I feel really adventurous and it doesn't hurt! I know they hunted using similar saddles in the middle ages, and they may have been more practical for jumping logs etc than has been generally assumed.

I'm learning more every time I use the saddle, it should get really interesting when I start riding in harness and jousting with it. I'm looking forward to it now, finally this is a working saddle rather than a research project, though there is still a lot of work before it is finished - it still has the temporary girthing points, no breastplate or crupper, no covering and no saddle steels - give me a year or so at the rate I'm going.

Registered: Oct 2001 | IP: Logged

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