I was at an expo this weekend where they had a mounted cavalry and I noticed the saddles had three slots in the cantle. Does anyone know what was attached there?
A rolled up military wool blanket?
Guilherme will know, he is into reenacting and cavalry stuff.
1 Like
I believe that leather straps went through the slots to hold e.g. a rolled up coat or bedroll.
@sorrelf
If they were slots in artillery saddles I would think they were for the breeching of the harness, but you said cavalry. This shows WWI artillery saddles that were part of the harness of horses pulling the caissons/gun carriages (by WWII the photos in my dad’s Field Artillery manual show the breeching attached to rings on the saddle panel behind the cantle and no slots in the cantle itself) This is the WWI harness (scroll down)
Bingo.
1918 McClellan saddle: (1904 pattern) http://www.icollector.com/Saddle-1904-Pattern-U-S-McClellan-Cavalry-Saddle-stamped-Hotze-Sons-1918-J-B-S-11-seat-comp_i9442966
Yup, coat straps!!!
G.
That’s really cool. I knew something got strapped there! I need some of those on my saddle LOL. Thanks guys - I knew you would know.
