Norman saddle information request -- myArmoury.com

Leo Todeschini · Industry Professional

Hi Guys,

I have been comissioned to make a late Norman circa 1180 saddle.

I have found some guidance pictures from the Norman Knight Osprey book, but have no other corroborating pictures or sources.

Does anybody out there have any information about the construction or otherwise is the Osprey book correct?

Any help would be very welcome.

Regards

Tod

Chuck Russell · Posted: Wed 15 Apr, 2009 4:38 am Post subject:

hello,

you need to contact jesse bailey. I'm not sure if he is on myArmoury or not. he has made i think the only period Norman saddles in the western hemisphere. he was working with the vikingsNA also. i havent talked to him in over a year but i do know he is still in GA.

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

Chuck Russell · Posted: Wed 15 Apr, 2009 7:03 am Post subject:

here are some pictures of the saddles he did.

http://www.historiclife.com/images/Normans/Co...0_0995.jpg
http://www.historiclife.com/images/Normans/Co...0_0922.jpg
http://www.historiclife.com/images/Normans/Co...0_0896.jpg
http://www.historiclife.com/images/Normans/Co...0_0894.jpg

Leo Todeschini · Industry Professional

Thanks very much for that, it will be very useful

Tod

Jeffrey Hedgecock · Industry Professional

You would be very well served to contact the treasury at Westminster to get copies of the conservation photos of Henry V's saddle. It's a bit of a different pommel and cantle design, but I believe many of the configuration and construction details are applicable to earlier saddles.

Norman saddles should not be clunky or cartoonlike. They should be very elegant and refined, even though they are not as sophisticated as later saddles. They should definitely not be considered "primitive". Let's face it, even Roman saddles aren't "primitive", they were just designed for a different type of riding and did that job very well.

I wish we could get together sometime to discuss stuff like this. I think we would have much to talk about.

Leo Todeschini · Industry Professional

Thanks for the hints Jeffrey and I think you are right, we would have a lot to discuss and I suspect that one day we wil, perhaps at TORM. If my kids weren't at such awkward ages I think I would be heading to your side of the pond more often.

Tod