Re: 1st century Auxiliary cavalry

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Hello!!

I think by now only two ways are proposed: saddle with wooden tree versus saddle treelees.

I really think there are another way: a saddle with a tree made of a combination of hard pieces who give stenght (the two "bridges") joined in a substructure of a semi rigid material. I'm thinking in straw or a similar material, what is the material used traditionally in making the spanish saddles.

For the horns, i think is out of doubt is the most breakable piece of the saddle. I think there have to be made in a flexible material, like compressed straw between layers of leather. To give the form of the horn, the bronze covers are used, and such way explains the presence of the sewing holes in the border of the bronze covers.

Of course, all of these have to be tested... ;-)

I would agree that rigidity can be given without using wood and I would also agree that it is going to be a lot of trial and error.

I am hoping to have a proto type ready by the middle of next month but my horse is off the road (good timing on her part LOL!). I am aiming at treeless (or "pad" if you prefer) and then building on that. Each saddle will have rigourous tests which I will document so they are the same for each desgin but I plan to test the basic design on an advanced dressage simulator to make sure I can use my seat before it goes anywhere near a horse.

(And by the way I have an expert saddler to guide me to ensure correct proportions/distribution for a horse's back).

My saddler has also mentioned that the horns could be strongly packed with feathers which would give strength without brittleness.

Any thoughts?