McClellan saddles

[MBlanchrd@aol.com]

Jean,

You wrote:  "The riding style described by one post is wrong in anybodys
saddle "legs pushed forward". What makes anybody think that is correct in a
McClellan."

That's my post. Did you read it? I said that a coworker of mine WHO HAD NEVER
HAD A FORMAL RIDING LESSON IN HIS LIFE had a picture showing him in that
position. I did not advocate riding that way, in fact I said he'd never ridden
in any other saddle, and rode only as part of his Civil War re-enactment
hobby.

Nor do I claim to be an expert on riding in a McClellan saddle. 

 I wrote it primarily to give what little information I had about McClellans,
and stated that I personally had never ridden in one.

I fit saddles and reflock them as a side job. I have yet to see a McClellan
saddle fit any modern horse. I have fitted approximately 250 horses, and while
I cannot say they all had McClellan saddles, I have seen a few of those. I
never saw one that PROPERLY fit a horse. Just looking at the narrow tree tells
me I certainly wouldn't want to inflict it on a horse of modern breeding. 

Lastly, and not in my post...I spent many years in the Army,  and did a lot of
research on the cavalry units. If you discount the number of horses lost in
battle, the number one reason a horse was "discharged" (meaning destroyed) was
due to BACK problems due to poor horsemanship and saddle design. 

The average cavalry horse lasted no more than a season ..meaning a year or so,
if he was being used in patrolling or war. That's why the Government had a
remount system...the average cavalry man went through appx three horses  a
year. The McClellan saddle was designed to 1. provide a man a place to sit on
a horse and 2. Provide a means to carry equipment such as blanket roll, picket
rope and pin, canteen, etc. They were "mass produced" to one form...the army
being the army, everything is uniform..and not built and  fitted to each and
every horse. The only concession given to the horse in the design of the
saddle was the open gullet.

If you like your McClellan and it fits your horse without pain, scarring or
permanent damage, that's fine with me. However, I would appreciate your not
taking my comments out of context. Thank you 

Michelle Blanchard