Cavalry Saddles

[1stOVIGuard]

I am an Infantry 1st Sgt. and just bought a horse. I am thinking about joining Cav. but would like to know if the 1859 McClellan is the only option I have for a saddle. I would greatly appreciate any input on this or any other Cav. equipment.

Thanks!
Shawn
1st OVI Co. A
Lancaster Guards

[J.H.Berger]

Re: Cavalry Saddles

Depending on which unit you portray another option would be the Grimsley dragoon saddle and even the Jennifer saddle although I know of no US version being made at the moment.

[John E. Tobey]

Re: Cavalry Saddles

If you're doing Federal, you could consider a unit in which the enlisted men supplied their own saddles. Some examples would be Co. F, 12th Ill., Co. K, 15th Ill., Co. C, 16th Ill, the whole 1st Iowa, quite a few men in the Missouri regiments, etc etc.. For these, pick a civilian style, examples of which can be found in Howard Crouch, "Horse Equipment of the Civil War Era."

The only caveats for these units is they were primarily in the west, and the civilian saddle would gradually have been replaced as the men were in the field. For example, Co. B of the 8th Missouri (SM) was a company who supplied its own saddles, and spent most of its time chasing guerillas. By the end of the 1863, a quarter of the men in this company were riding government saddles.

John Tobey

[T.Kern]

Re: Cavalry Saddles

depending if you're doing a specific reg, but You could do a Grimsley, a ranger saddle (texas tree mac rigged), Jenifer, or anything else if it's private purchase by an officer.
Todd Kern