Saddle
Today, modern saddles come in a wide variety of styles, each designed for a specific equestrianism discipline, and require careful fit to both the rider and the horse.
There is evidence, though disputed, that humans first began riding the horse not long after domestication, possibly as early as 4000 BC.
[5] The earliest saddle known thus far was discovered inside a woman's tomb in the Turpan basin, in what is now Xinjiang, China, dating to between 727–396 BC.
To show off an individual's wealth and status, embellishments were added to saddles, including elaborate sewing and leather work, precious metals such as gold, carvings of wood and horn, and other ornamentation.
[8] Though they had neither a solid tree nor stirrups, these early treeless saddles and pads provided protection and comfort to the rider, with a slight increase in security.
Chinese saddles are depicted among the cavalry horses in the Terracotta Army of the Qin dynasty, completed by 206 BC.
[8] One of the earliest solid-treed saddles in the Western world was the "four horn" design, first used by the Romans as early as the 1st century BC.
[8] Recent archeological finds in Mongolia (e.g. Urd Ulaan Uneet site) suggest that the Mongolic Rouran tribes had sophisticated, wooden frame saddles as early as the 3rd century AD.
[16] Without a solid tree, the rider's weight in the stirrups creates abnormal pressure points and makes the horse's back sore.
Thermography studies on "treeless" and flexible tree saddle designs have found that there is considerable friction across the center line of a horse's back.
The first stirrup-like object was invented in India in the 2nd century BC, and consisted of a simple leather strap in which the rider's toe was placed.
Other saddles, derived from earlier, treeless designs, sometimes added solid trees to support stirrups, but were kept light for use by messengers and for horse racing.
Due to this fact, Guérinière's saddle design which included a low pommel and cantle and allowed for more freedom of movement for both horse and rider, became increasingly popular throughout northern Europe.
These saddles were adapted to suit the needs of vaqueros and cowboys of Mexico, Texas and California, including the addition of a horn that allowed a lariat to be tied or dallied for the purpose of holding cattle and other livestock.
The major distinguishing feature of an English saddle is its flatter appearance, the lack of a horn, and the self-padding design of the panels: a pair of pads attached to the underside of the seat and filled with wool, foam, or air.
Traditionally, the tree of an English saddle is built of laminated layers of high quality wood reinforced with spring steel along its length, with a riveted gullet plate.
More recently, saddle manufacturers are using various materials to replace wood and create a synthetic molded tree (some with the integrated spring steel and gullet plate, some without).
British Universal Pattern military saddles were used by the mounted forces from Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
This girthing system could be moved forward or back to obtain an optimum fit on a wide range of horses.
From 1902 the Universal Military Saddle was manufactured with a fixed tree, broad panels to spread the load, and initially a front arch in three sizes.
[22] [better source needed] Military saddles were fitted with metal staples and dees to carry a sword, spare horse shoes and other equipment.
The basic design that inspired McClellan saw use by military units in several other nations, including Rhodesia and Mexico, and even to a degree by the British in the Boer War.
Modern Asian saddles can be divided into two groups: those from nomadic Eurasia, which have a prominent horn and leather covering, and those from East Asia, which have a high pommel and cantle.
The horn comes in particular good use during the rough horseback sport of buskashi, played throughout Central Asia, which involves two teams of riders wrestling over a decapitated goat's carcass.
Some of the largest examples of a saddle, elaborate howdah were used in warfare outfitted with weaponry, and alternatively for monarchs, maharajahs, and sultans.
Tibetan saddles typically employ iron covers inlaid with precious metals on the pommel and cantle and universally come with padding.
Saddles from ethnic minority groups in China's southwest, such as in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, have colorful lacquer work over a leather covering.
Early samurai warfare was conducted primarily on horseback and the kura provided a rugged, stable, comfortable platform for shooting arrows, but it was not well suited for speed or distance.
In the Edo period horses were no longer needed for warfare and Japanese saddles became quite elaborate and were decorated with mother of pearl inlays, gold leaf, and designs in colored lacquer.
[35] The strikes against the saddle's horn compress the pelvic ring, which can lead to further complications such as pubic symphysis or injury to the sacroiliac joint.
