How to Make Sure Your McClellan Saddle Fits Your Horse
To authentically replicate a cavalry officer during a Civil War reenactment, your horse should be wearing a McClellan saddle. The problem modern-day riders have fitting the McClellan saddle to their horses is the same problem the officers of yesteryear had. The tree (the part of the saddle that stretches across the horse's withers) of the McClellan saddle comes in only one size, while horses and riders come in a wide range of shapes.
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Instructions
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Choose the right horse for the saddle. The reason that so many of the cavalry horses looked alike during the Civil War is because they fit the saddle best. Horses that had a saddle that fit properly were less likely to develop a sore back and a cantankerous personality and to become lame. Horses that are best-suited to wearing the McClellan saddle stand 15 to 15.2 hands tall, are narrow chested, have medium-length backs and have medium to low withers. Horses that don't fit these standards either need a McClellan saddle that is specially made to fit them (this can be very expensive) or must ride through the reenactment with an unauthentic saddle. Your horse's comfort is considerably more important than authenticity.
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Place the saddle in the proper position. The tree should be just behind the horse's withers, and the saddle should sit squarely on your horse's spine.
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Slide your fingers under the saddle's pommel. On a saddle that properly fits your horse, you should be able to easily fit 2 to 3 fingers under the saddle. If you are unable to fit 2 to 3 fingers between the pommel and the horse, the saddle is too wide for your horse. If you can fit more fingers between the horse and the pommel, the saddle is too small for your horse.
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Make sure that no part of the saddle's gullet is pushing on your horse's spine.
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After you mount your horse, the saddle shouldn't rock or slip. A properly fitted saddle won't slip and slide.
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Check the way your saddle fits every couple of months. As your horse puts on or loses weight, its conditioning improves and it matures, the way the saddle fits the horse changes.
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Tips & Warnings
When you are trying to determine how well your McClellan saddle fits your horse, do so without a saddle pad, because the pad can change or hide the way the saddle actually sits on your horse. If you want to purchase a saddle and are worried about getting it dirty, cover your horse's back with a very thin towel.
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Comments
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3rdGeorgiaCav
Nov 22, 2008
In continuation, to use a Civil War specification McClellan Saddle narrow tree on a modern broad backed horse is horse abuse, IMO. If you use one you are asking for your horse to become cantankerous and act up, which is dangerous. Border States Leatherworks does make a reprodcution McClellan saddle with a wider tree which I would recommend for all Union Cavalry reenactors which must use a McClellan. -
3rdGeorgiaCav
Nov 22, 2008
In continuation, to use a Civil War specification McClellan Saddle narrow tree on a modern broad backed horse is horse abuse, IMO. If you use one you are asking for your horse to become cantankerous and act up, which is dangerous. Border States Leatherworks does make a reprodcution McClellan saddle with a wider tree which I would recommend for all Union Cavalry reenactors which must use a McClellan.
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3rdGeorgiaCav
Nov 22, 2008
The problem with civil war type McClellan Saddle trees is they are intended for much smaller, narrow backed horses from the middle 1800's which lost even more weight, while being ridden hard during war campaigns. McClellan Saddle trees will never fit correctly on 95% of today's broad backed Quarter Horses, Tennesse Walking Horses, and Morgans which are usually used in reenactments. These horses are being fed top quality 10% to 14% protein feeds, top quality hay, and provided excellent grazing in pastures with thick grass. Some narrow backed Thoroughbreds can use the narrow tree McClellan Saddles but their high strung, hot, skiddish temperament is not good for cavalry reenacting. I have to use an 1800's type Plantation Saddle on my TWH which is correct for Civil War reenacting. CSA cavalrymen had to supply their own horses and saddles and this saddle was plentiful in the pre-civil war
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3rdGeorgiaCav
Nov 22, 2008
The problem with civil war type McClellan Saddle trees is they are intended for much smaller, narrow backed horses from the middle 1800's which lost even more weight, while being ridden hard during war campaigns. McClellan Saddle trees will never fit correctly on 95% of today's broad backed Quarter Horses, Tennesse Walking Horses, and Morgans which are usually used in reenactments. These horses are being fed top quality 10% to 14% protein feeds, top quality hay, and provided excellent grazing in pastures with thick grass. Some narrow backed Thoroughbreds can use the narrow tree McClellan Saddles but their high strung, hot, skiddish temperament is not good for cavalry reenacting. I have to use an 1800's type Plantation Saddle on my TWH which is correct for Civil War reenacting. CSA cavalrymen had to supply their own horses and saddles and this saddle was plentiful in the pre-civil war
