McClellan Saddles as Kura

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

So does this (McClellan saddle)


search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZundersaddleQQhtZ-1


equal this (kura)?


www.hataya.co.jp/bagu.html


What's the chance of finding abumi for my size 10 feet?

[Saionji Shonagon]

A few tassels and nobody'll know! No idea what the make of that saddle is - if you're serious about bidding, email the seller and see if they can tell you. Saddles from India tend to be very cheap and the quality can be iffy.

I spent a week on horseback in France about ten years ago averaging 25 miles a day in a McClellan. The high pommel and cantle give you a very secure seat, which is highly desirable over varied terrain, games on horseback or, gee, battle. My horse, a green baby of three, got frightened and took off with me - it took six or seven bucks to get me off when my average in a regular English saddle was about three. However, that interesting slotted seat has no cushioning whatsoever - you must sit squarely on your seat bones or it's going to be ugly.

Come to think of it, the one I rode in didn't have those nice flaps covering the tops of the stirrup buckles, or fenders - I had some rather interesting bruises that week.

Then again, the McClellan wasn't designed for the female pelvis.

S.

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

makiwara said:

No idea what the make of that saddle is - if you're serious about bidding, email the seller and see if they can tell you.

The McClellan saddles I've looked at come in different sizes ... 14", 16.5". I don't even know what that size means. I assume that saddles are a compromise between the shape of the horse's back and the shape of the rider's butt. I don't have a clue as to what types of horses I might be riding. So it's probably too soon for me to actually buy a saddle.

[Saionji Shonagon]

This guy's heels are hanging over the back of his abumi.

In a Western stirrup, your weight can be as far back as the arch of the foot. In an English one, it's more on the ball of the foot.
Either way, you'd be more likely to be using the front part of the foot to balance on, not your heel.

S.

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

makiwara said:

Then again, the McClellan wasn't designed for the female pelvis.

Or maybe anyone.

In fact, it’s been said of this saddle’s designer that he loved horses and hated men.
www.endurance.pl/artykuly/aerc_riderhandbook.pdf

[Saionji Shonagon]

The McClellan saddles I've looked at come in different sizes ... 14", 16.5". I don't even know what that size means. I assume that saddles are a compromise between the shape of the horse's back and the shape of the rider's butt. I don't have a clue as to what types of horses I might be riding. So it's probably too soon for me to actually buy a saddle.

Saddle sizes are usually based on the size of the seat, and of course this is measured differently for English and Western saddles.
www.equusite.com/articles/basics/basicsWesternSaddle.shtml
www.thetackguide.com/saddlefitting.html
Remember, part of that measurement will have to do with the length of your leg from knee to pelvis too.

I should think a 16" McClellan is measured more like a Western stock saddle. I can comfortably ride in a 15"- 16" Western saddle and my English saddle was a 17" - and those are average seat sizes, which would probably be just fine for you.

Fit for the horse will also vary based on the shape of the underside of the saddle tree. While some of the variation can be dealt with by putting a good saddle pad or blanket on your horse, some horses are just plain gonna need a saddle built to fit around unusually high withers or whatever.

When you get to the point where you want to shop seriously, go visit a local tack shop. They should be able to measure you and may let you try sitting in some of the saddles they have on display.

Great, now you've got me wanting to look up trail rides in the Yellow Pages when I should be washing my tent tomorrow.

S.

[Saionji Shonagon]

In fact, it’s been said of this saddle’s designer that he loved horses and hated men.

However, that high pommel and cantle are aces for security. I felt like a peg in its peg hole, which extremely reassuring when you're galloping 1400 pounds of excited three year old down a beach in the Camargue and hoping he'll stop eventually.

I was looking at Jo's Soma Noma oi shots - the racers ride with very short stirrups, not surprisingly. The yabusame guys ride a bit longer. Longer stirrups give you a deeper, secure center. Shorter stirrups will allow you to get up and forward over the horse's center for speed, jumping, etc.

[Otagiri Tatsuzou]

Lots of McClellan info, given the number of Civil War reenactors. 1904 is better than 1859. There aren't any 16" McClellan's. These latter may be built off a standard Western tree. In general, McClellans fit narrower horses better than broader ones. So goes the general wisdom.

9thvirginia.com/fitting.htm
www.classicalfencing.com/mcrider.shtml

[Saionji Shonagon]

Lots of McClellan info, given the number of Civil War reenactors.

Lots of extant period saddles kicking around too, often in surprisingly good condition. I recall one stamped "San Antonio Arsenal" came into the possession of the trainer I used to ride with. I can't remember what the result was when he got it authenticated, but '04 sounds about right.

Whatever it was I rode in on the Provence trip (McClellan or McClellan derived design), it did not appear to pose fit problems for the horse I rode - Aldo was a big broad backed 17 hands and clearly had draft horse blood.
We were clocking 10-14 hours a day in the saddle - I suffered all the bruises and chafing, the horse did not.

S.

[Saionji Shonagon]

Ahah, found it. A possible alternative to a traditional McClellan and I know for the fact that the maker is reputable because my Mom used to have a lovely Smith Worthington saddle:

www.smithworthington.com/saddles/TrailEndurance/conquest/conquest.htm

The stirrup attachment is like that on an English saddle and is hidden under the flap at the front of the seat.