I guess riding sidesaddle a couple of times is on my bucket list. It looks like it would be incredibly difficult, and how impressive that women at one time foxhunted sidesaddle! It reminds me of the quote about Ginger Rogers doing everything Fred Astaire did backwards and in high heels :-). Here is a lovely sidesaddle dressage test...
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Do you remember Charlotte who boarded at Foxton and had a secondhand sidesaddle? She let me mount in that once. It felt extremely weird to ride around, just in the little paddock beside the barn, in a sidesaddle. I can't imagine being like those neck-or-nothing ladies who did the toughest terrain in fox-hunting in a sidesaddle!
ReplyDeleteWOW.
ReplyDeleteWow that is wonderful. Heres a blog I enjoy reading about a lady learning to ride aside http://ridingaside.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI rode a bit of sidesaddle years ago. The key is to have a well trained horse to start off with. My guy was super off the seat aids. I showed a few times, pinned a few times, but never quite figured out how to jump in the darn thing.
ReplyDeleteYou can actually feel really secure once you learn how to center your seat. I'm not sure either of the Thoroughbreds I have now would make good sidesaddle horses because they tend to be a little too sensitive about saddles etc and have been ridden only in treeless for years.
My younger warmblood, though, even though he was started and ridden in treeless, has the kind of disposition that would work really well.
I started my blog the day that I decided to learn to ride aside. AT that time (Dec 2008) I had neither a sidesaddle or a trained horse for such a dicipline! At the age of (ahem) 40 something .. I now only ride aside! My 3rd show is this weekend.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
Julie
www.ridingaside.blogspot.com
People still do foxhunt sidesaddle! Its a ton of fun and very secure. I occasionally hunt but mostly ride dressage aside. Here's a 3rd level test from this past fall. (totally forgot my canter circle oops)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6A2084aq6E
Stunning!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant and beautiful and a joy to watch.
Janice, I bought my Dehner's from Charlotte -- remember her horse Magi Rumkin? I think he had Ringbone. Charlotte Townsend. I remember the sidesaddle too.
ReplyDeleteJean -- I am thinking there is a sidesaddle type, and I agree warmbloods with their big wide backs might be best.
WOW! Love the blog Riding Aside, I will be visiting you in the future! I added your blog to the post, thanks so much for stopping in :-)
Learning to ride sidesaddle is on my list, too! Such grace...and I love the hat.
ReplyDeleteThere is a very prominent dressage judge and grand prix rider in our area who also rides saddle seat. She teaches a clinic at USET every year the day before the annual liberty side saddle show. It is close enough that you might want to go watch one year. They have tons of different classes including several jumping, the highest about 3'6".
ReplyDeleteThat was so incredible!I actually did not know you could ride dressage with both legs on one side! She and her horse sang a beautiful song together!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for that!
KK
What a lovely test and thanks for the blog link. My horse and I are just starting out sidesaddle (no lateral work for us yet!), but its very rewarding.
ReplyDeleteMy regular instructor says my astride position has improved with sidesaddle lessons and as a bonus, you seem to burn twice as many calories riding sideways and get abs of steel in the process :-)
Does anyone know what kind of horse that is? Arabian? Also, please someone tell how the aids are applied to the off side.
ReplyDeleteAww. I'm super jealous. That looks so fun.
ReplyDeleteThat is very cool! I would love to ride sidesaddle also. I don't have a horse I could do it on now. I also just think that I would be too chicken right now.
ReplyDeleteKitty, your whip is your leg on the off side.
As I understand it (as a learner side saddler), applying aids to the offside seems to be a combination of the rein, bum, thigh and the right leg (you still have one, even if it is in a different place to normal and the right thigh is in an incredibly powerful position). The better you (and your horse) get, the harder it is for an onlooker to see the aid being applied as it is mostly subtle weight shifts.
ReplyDeleteHope this helps 'Kitty Bo'.
Fascinating to watch. Dressage is so much about balance and subtle movements with your body I would think attempting to ride side saddle and do Dressage would be extremely difficult. It is amazing how the rider was still getting lateral movements with both legs on one side. I wonder how you train a horse to do something like that? Lots of practice I'm sure! My mare would be thinking "are you getting on or off" the entire time :).
ReplyDeleteA quick note to let you know how much I love your blog. Always very interesting and fun. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteHope it's not too late to join in, but the horse is a Morgan from an *excellent* breeding program that started in the 1930s. I've actually met her in person at a UNH dressage show where she was ridden astride at 2nd and I think 3rd levels; Ladyhawke is CUTE and friendly and clearly very talented. And just about 14.2 hands on a good day. A great representative of the Morgan breed. I also have a Morgan mare, who's a little taller and not quite as well-bred, and I have to say, the breed is AMAZING and vastly underappreciated in the dressage world.
ReplyDeleteThere was a lovely Morgan at dressage at devon premiere performance (musical freestyle on sat night) -- I was very impressed!
ReplyDeleteWhat are the Morgan bloodlines that are more dressage oriented?
I just all puffed up with pride! Thats my sister and Kennebec Ladyhawke, (Lady is truly the favorite child in the family!)
ReplyDeleteThanks Quietann, thats lovely of you to say, Margaret and Ladyhawke have worked very hard, and shes trained her from the very start. It lovely for it to be recognized, for its not always easy in such a competitive world against warmbloods, with their gifted gaits, but Lady has HEART! and loves what shes doing, but is super smart, sometimes to much for her own good... You should see her do an extended Trot!!!
I do believe that she'd only ridden astride maybe a handful of times on Lady before this demo, so with god training, foundation and a bond with your hrose, you can do anything! Morgans are amazing in there own right, and the Kennebecs have great mind and hearts, and true all rounders. Lady just started Carriage driving, and shes looking to do some competitive events, along with making her do some more eventing with me this summer!
Thanks for such nice words!
check out the MidAtlantic Ladies Aside, lots of members and instructors right in your area! www.MidAtlanticLadiesAside.com
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