Last month I ventured out to the Firle Vintage Fair with my daughter. Other than being stuck in traffic to get to this very popular event, it was a great day out. What made it particularly special for me was meeting the team from the Side Saddle Association. During the afternoon I watched a lovely display by a team of riders showing off their immaculate outfits for the visitors to see. They also had a great stand at the fair providing a wealth of information about the history of side saddle.
Seeing the association’s display of photographs at the fair reminded me that I had seen an old photograph somewhere of my great grandmother mounted side saddle. I found this old photo in one of my mother’s old albums and here it is above entitled ‘Lexy on Prince’.
After a little more research, I discovered that her full name was Elizabeth Alexandrina Munro and the photograph was taken before her marriage when she lived with her parents at Fairview, Rudyard in Staffordshire, and this is where photograph appears to have been taken. The house is now a hospital, named after her father John Munro. Lexy was born in 1879 and married in 1905 so it would probably have been taken in the early 1900s or perhaps the very end of the 19th century.
I have really enjoyed delving into my family’s equestrian past and would love to photograph side saddle riders in the future so please do get in touch if you ride side saddle.
Last winter, I met this beautifully elegant lady enjoying a stirrup cup before setting off for a day’s hunting with the Coakham Bloodhounds.
One of the reasons I wanted to talk to the side saddle riders at the Firle Vintage Fair was to arrange for someone to come and talk to the members of the East Sussex branch of the British Horse Society, of which I am currently Events Officer. I am pleased to say that they were really keen for this to happen and I look forward to arranging this soon. I would love to see side saddle make more of a come-back as it is such an elegant way to ride.
I would love to photograph some children in gorgeous riding habits with their ponies wearing side saddle so if you know anyone suitable please do let me know.