Saddles have been around since at least 1000 years B.C, when man finally realized that there was an alternative to riding bareback.
History of the Saddle
It was during the Late Iron Age that man began using the saddle when riding his horse. It is believed that the custom began with the warring Moors, of North Africa. This first version of the saddle was composed of a padded barrier between the animal and the rider.
Around 700 B.C., the Assyrians who lived in what is today part of Iran, Turkey, Syria and Iraq, took the saddle a step further and added straps – which we now refer to as the girths.
The Scythians, who were nomadic by nature, were the first known group to add stirrups to their saddles. They also decorated their saddles with leather, gold, hair and drawings of animals. It was important to them to ride comfortably due to the large expanse of territory they covered on a daily basis when moving from one place to another. Also, the stirrups gave them more stability, when riding in battle situations.
The Roman Cavalry saddle with its 4 horns. (photo courtesy ofCaerleon.net)
The saddle tree, which is that part of the saddle where the rider sits upon was first seen around 200 B.C., and was first seen in Asia. Word quickly got around that this piece improved the health of the animal and kept it working longer.
The Sarmatians nomads, around 3-5 A.D., are credited with adding the metal spur and stirrup, which they realized helped them stand up on their saddles in battle.
Towards the end of the Roman Empire the Roman Cavalry designed a saddle with 4 horns which they used for stability purposes instead of stirrups. It was held in place with a girth and breast and breech strap, to keep the saddle from moving.
The knights of the Middle Ages were the first Europeans to reintroduce the spur and stirrups.
Parts of the Saddle
(Diagram courtesy of frontrangefrenzy.com)
In general, the seat is used to support the rider and, these come in hard or soft. The choice is yours. The size of the seat is measured from the bottom of the horn to the highest back portion of the seat.
A very important part of the saddle is the cinch, or “cincha”, in Spanish. It holds the saddle on the horse by tigthening it around the animal’s body just behind the front legs. Cinchas come in two version – the single and double-rigged. (cowboy showcase .com)
Because this is the only part which is actually tightened to the horse, you want to ensure that the quality of the material used is of the very best quality, to prevent chaffing and cutting your horse’s underbelly.
5-Star Mohair saddle cinchas come in a variety of vibrant color. Your animal’s comfort is their main goal. (Photo courtesy of barnworld.com)
5-Star Mohair Cinch
This brand of cinchas is considered amongst the best – if not the best, in the market today.
The cord, manufactured out of 8-ply, 100% of the softest Mohair, is hand laced onto flat buckles and rings. Mohair has been known for years to have the same therapeutic and comfort value as 100% wool felt.
Tied vs. Woven: The tied cincha is one layer of mohair cord thick, and will vary in width depending on the number of strands in the one you choose. On the tied cincha, the “bars”, that hold the strands in place midway between the center and the buckles, are made from extra mohair cord.
The woven cinch is 2 layers of mohair cord thick. On the tied cincha, the “bars”, that hold the strands in place midway between the center and the buckles, are made from extra mohair cord. The “bars” are made by a weaving effect with the 2 layers of cord.
Neither is really “better” than the other. The choice is yours for they will both do the job.
The hardware that the 5-star mohair saddle cincha employs uses Bork flat buckle, which comes in the tumble and polished finishes. The Bork Saddlery Hardware Company is the finest and oldest saddle hardware company in the United States. The bronze rings and buckles are made of an alloy offering high tensile strength and corrosion resistance. The FLAT HARDWARE keeps the horse’s flesh from “rolling over” and pinching as with roller and round hardware.
You have 12 colors to pick from the 5-Star cinchas. (photo courtesy of barnworld.com)
Designs and Colors
The 5-Star mohair cinchas come in a vast range of designs and colors. The basic creations come in Natural body and trim (one solid color), Natural Color (body and trim), Solid Colors for both body and trim and Contrasting Colors.
There are also tied cinches with a diamond-shaped design, composed of 19 strands.
Most cinches come with a percentage of mohair. 5-Star cinchas come with 100% mohair and the trim, which is also made of 100% mohair is available in twelve colors which include Hunter Green, Purple, Burgundy and Cherry Sorrel.
The 5-Star 100% mohair cinches come in 6 solid colors and 8 stripped versions. (Photo courtesy of barnworld.com)
The 5-Star cinch cord is also made out of 100% mohair and comes in eight colors to choose from. Two of choices include stripped black/white and red/white/black versions.
Sources
Limebrook.com
Cowboyshowcase.com
Barnworld.com