This is a Universal Pattern saddle, possibly from 1865 or 1890. It has steel or iron arches holding the side bars in place. I can see no points. The cantle is spoon-shaped with no metal trimming. There is no numnah pad present. It is finished in black - which may indicate that it was used by the Household Cavalry. This may have been a ceremonial saddle - around the saddle flaps and on the saddle bags there are well cast silver badges (two are missing). Each badge depicts a lion and an oak branch. The badges would have made riding in the saddle very uncomfortable. There is a tradition at military funerals where a horse is led behind the coffin with the dead officer's boots pointing backwards in the stirrups - could this saddle have been used for this purpose? Ref : saddle012 |
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