Three things you didn't know about the history of the horse saddle

 
Saddle up and learn about the history of the horse saddle
Lets face it if you havent got a saddle youre unlikely to travel very far on a horse. Riding bareback needs exquisite balance and a high pain threshold and usually isnt much fun for the horse or for the rider over long periods. Several thousand years ago our ancestors worked out that a saddle of sorts would provide greater comfort and stability during travel work and warfare.
1. Rudimentary saddles
History tells us that it was the Assyrian cavalry back in 700 BC who first began to use pads and cloths fixed to the horses back with a combination of girths surcingles breast straps and cruppers. Prior to this it seems that riders went bareback or sat on a piece of cloth or animal skin. Imagine the skill of Alexander the Great mounted on his beautiful black horse Bucephalus leading his army to battle all with no saddle or stirrups today he would be a social media sensation!

The more ornate the saddle the wealthier and more important the rider was perceived to be. Leather precious metals jewels cow hide felt and hair were used as decorations. The combination of showy horse and saddle was the equivalent status symbol of todays flashy car.
2. The first trees
Around 500 years later in 200 BC its thought that a basic saddle tree was devised in Asia. It helped to distribute the weight across the horses back more evenly keeping the riders weight off the horses spine improving comfort for both horse and rider and prolonging its working life.
The Romans used a saddle based on a wooden tree with a four horn design two at the front and two at the back secured with a girth breast strap and crupper. It didnt have any stirrups and