Info from Australia: In about 1915 my grandmother had a saddle she could ride side-saddle or astride, by screwing out the pommel that your right leg goes over. I think she wore a divided skirt, and never really rode much as side saddle. I think the "side saddle" was for appearances/propriety! By 1918 she was wearing jodhpurs or riding breaches, with a knee length coat over the top, and went droving cattle with her brother, and no doubt a team of men. The Australian author, Mary Grant Bruce, wrote a series of books (the "Billabong" books) about a country girl growing up, her family, marriage etc covering the period from 1910 to 1942. In the first book she rode side-saddle, but by the time of WW1 she was riding astride. WW1 was terrible, but did change a lot of things for women.
So much excellent work: Research, costume sewing, learning to ride with those saddles and clothes, very patient and mannered horses. That said, I am again astounded at the lengths society went to hold women back in just about everything. To my great surprise, I find myself getting angrier and angrier as a woman as I move into the last season of my life.
It has never been about holding women back - evident clearly looking at the evolution of the sidesaddle, arriving at the model ( from 1830s onwards) that would mean those who wanted to ride sidesaddle, could do it safely, jumping and galloping as fast and astride riders.
@priorattire I guess I was thinking about the perceived immorality of riding astride, as that meant a woman could not ride the huntas well as the men, the tight laces that constricted breathing and the sheer voluminous clothing that impeded movement. I'm old enough to remember how even a Sunday walk was more challenging for a woman: Uncomfortable shoes, nylons in the heat, tight fitting jackets, carrying that darn purse, hair that should not be mussed from the wind...the men had it so much easier.
Really enjoyed that. How you/they rode with all a material around them, I’ll never know. But I guess if you got dumped, you would be cushioned😂 Anyway well done and informative. And good horses!❤. They deserve their carrots 🥕 🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕
It'd be cool if you did some kind of collab with the Modern History TV guy. He talks a lot of medieval life, how horses were trained, and their saddles. It'd be so interesting to learn about historical horsemanship for women, especially how fashion effected that
@@simplystreeptaculartbh most of the historical re enactors who are in the UK and active on RUclips probably know each other at least in passing...it's still a pretty niche passtime.
Fascinating costumes. I would have liked to see the changes in the saddles also. From the planchet and how the feet were placed to the knee hook and the single stirrup.
Thanks for the video, really fun to watch ☺ I couldn't stop thinking that you must have made every single one of those amazing outfits with your own hands... 😲
Queen Elizabeth II rode side saddle. And at Warwick castle in the UK, they have a saddle believed to have been used by Elizabeth I, but it's a regular saddle. So at least some of the time sgmhe was riding astride.
@@MadamoftheCatHouse I agree , I would prefer to ride astride like the Wife of Bath (Canterbury Tales) as shown than sitting sideways with my feet on a planchette. I do not even like the idea of riding with the more modern sidesaddle - far too precarious 💕💕💕
I'm pretty sure my riding days are well behind me so this was some lovely horsey nostalgia and some lovely outfits! I couldn't do stuff like that with my Twerp, she'd have lost her mind (and then lost me) with a sidesaddle... She had no withers to speak of so saddles didn't stay on her well anyways, I usually rode bareback, she was more comfortable than most saddles. So much horse hair on everything :)
well, I guess I need the Equestrian Dressmaker... I already have The Victorian Dressmaker Vol. 2 and sooo many things I want to make from that (learned to knit to be able to make the vest and I wear it almost daily) but I absolutely need that 1780s habit...
I've wanted to do side-saddle forever it seems. I think I just found my reward when the last of the excess weight comes off. Not the book, just ordered that, but my own side saddle. Maybe two. In the old west there were western side saddles--oh the possibilities for tooled leather.....
@@mt.shasta6097 being ridden is not natural either. If sat correctly in a saddle built correctly, it isn't that much different than astride. If you are dragging to one side--you are doing it wrong.
Quick question: did they have some sort of pants in the earlier styles when they were riding astride? Because I did a bit of riding and remember how sore my thights were after only one hour even with modern riding trousers, I can't even imagine doing it without any protection... I'm also curios as to why at some point someone (most likely a man) decided it would not do for women to ride astride
I’m not sure about earlier styles, but I recall that some ladies in the 18th century would wear black breeches under their skirts for riding astride. Madame de Pompadour had 4 pairs of black riding breeches included in her wardrobe inventory, as well as drawers to be worn under them.
So ladies did ride astride back then? Was there a different kind of riding habit for astride riding? How did you keep your skirts from bunching up? Thanks, great video
there wasn't really any riding habits till about the 16th century, yes women did ride astride in the medieval period it wasn't until later a side saddle was invented but there are early references to women sitting side saddle as well.
@@MadamoftheCatHouse how are they dangerous? If you're wearing a long skirt you learn to keep it out of the way of things, and barring an enormous ruff I don't see what else would cause issues.
Loved, Loved, loved this video! It was awesome! Loved the whole concept and the music compositions you chosed. I am quite familiar with some of them. This is probably a stupid question, but do you own any of the horses? They are beautiful as well as the riding habits. Thank you!
Beautiful - beautiful gowns, beautiful horses. I love side saddle, it always looks so elegant. Would ladies have ridden astride? Genuine question - I always assumed they rode side saddle. Thank you for another wonderful video.
Not at all- just a question of muscle. Corset helps with the back and of course you don’t so 6 hours in the saddle without training first, for both your and the horses benefit. For people with bad knees, ankles and hips, sidesaddle is often much more comfortable. More muscular work but easier on the joints
I know, you have to work with what you have. So you use the planchette side saddle long after it was superceded by the flat bow, one knee forward saddle. Check the Tres Riches Heures calendar where it's heavily in use. So you are stuck using the modern trotting horse when the medieval palfrey either paced or ambled. But there is no excuse for a woman to twist her torso ninety degrees to put her arms around a man when she is riding pillion. He is supposed to have a sturdy belt on for her to hold with her right hand to keep her balance. When I was researching medieval riding for women, I found out, based just on the frequency in art, that women travelling or hawking rode astride more often than not. But it was used to set up character, too, like the Prioress rides aside while the Wife of Bath not only rides astride but wears something like hugely wide hip waders over her skirts.
The saddle we used for later planchette is actually a replica of queen Elizabeth’s saddle- still used in England in the 17th century. It does have a high pommel around which you can hook your leg though. Pillion- yes? Ideally you have a nice pillion seat and a belt/ but since we did only about 5 min of pillion on ad hoc basis, that was what we could do
Astride medieval- also yes, that is why it is shown too. - I do explain all of that in the book at more detail of course, what you see here is just a glimpse, random footage we occasionally recorded during the photoshoot
Those were some big horseys! You must have been exausted from changing into and out of so many outfits.🙃 First time in months you popped up in my feed. RUclips playing games again.
Not very big horse at all- apart from one. The footage was created across 3 years as I was making the clothing for the book/ so not in one photoshoot, thankfully! Different places , all over England and abroad too!
I'm sure the women of the past would be just as uncomfortable in our scandalous skin tight breeches and jodphurs!! The head gear looks less than practical. I know I have schooled some horses for "special occasions" attire. One bride wore a huge bridal gown to the altar and it was magnificent!!! One day I might make some sort of attempt at side saddle, but at my age it seems a bit less likely!! Kudos to you!
I see no reason to invest heavily into Polish specific costume when I haven’t lived in the country for over 20 years and I have no work for the style. If you woeful like to commission a video ( research, cost of fabric, making, shooting , editing etc) we can negotiate… I would like to make a 16th century court outfit in Polish style- but that is a good 2k investment in fabrics and jewellery alone, and no work to wear it!
@ that’s not what I meant. The notion that “polite” women were prohibited from riding astride, because a young woman’s hymen could rupture, and thus her “bridal price” called into question, is yet again another historic note, on how a woman’s status was relegated to bearing an heir, and being owned/controled by a male relative. Pretty f**ked up if you ask me.
Not very instructive. There is the planchette saddle, but it's hard to see whats going on because of all the fabric. And is "aside" mean 'side-saddle?' Think showing the sales, as well as a model showing the body instead of a bunch of fabric, would have been instructive. As it stands, just looks like a bunch of creative anacreonists to me.
@@WobblesandBean I'm gonna assume you're saying gaited breeds are bad, in which case I gotta say... you miiiiight just be operating under some serious misinformation.
Info from Australia: In about 1915 my grandmother had a saddle she could ride side-saddle or astride, by screwing out the pommel that your right leg goes over. I think she wore a divided skirt, and never really rode much as side saddle. I think the "side saddle" was for appearances/propriety!
By 1918 she was wearing jodhpurs or riding breaches, with a knee length coat over the top, and went droving cattle with her brother, and no doubt a team of men.
The Australian author, Mary Grant Bruce, wrote a series of books (the "Billabong" books) about a country girl growing up, her family, marriage etc covering the period from 1910 to 1942. In the first book she rode side-saddle, but by the time of WW1 she was riding astride. WW1 was terrible, but did change a lot of things for women.
So much excellent work: Research, costume sewing, learning to ride with those saddles and clothes, very patient and mannered horses. That said, I am again astounded at the lengths society went to hold women back in just about everything. To my great surprise, I find myself getting angrier and angrier as a woman as I move into the last season of my life.
It has never been about holding women back - evident clearly looking at the evolution of the sidesaddle, arriving at the model ( from 1830s onwards) that would mean those who wanted to ride sidesaddle, could do it safely, jumping and galloping as fast and astride riders.
@priorattire I guess I was thinking about the perceived immorality of riding astride, as that meant a woman could not ride the huntas well as the men, the tight laces that constricted breathing and the sheer voluminous clothing that impeded movement. I'm old enough to remember how even a Sunday walk was more challenging for a woman: Uncomfortable shoes, nylons in the heat, tight fitting jackets, carrying that darn purse, hair that should not be mussed from the wind...the men had it so much easier.
3:02 - nice levade! Very impressive to have accomplished aside! Beautiful costumes, gorgeous horses, excellent equitation...and a history lesson!
Really appreciated all the research and the presentation of so many different eras. Wonderful work, thank you.
Really enjoyed that. How you/they rode with all a material around them, I’ll never know. But I guess if you got dumped, you would be cushioned😂 Anyway well done and informative. And good horses!❤. They deserve their carrots 🥕 🥕🥕🥕🥕🥕
It'd be cool if you did some kind of collab with the Modern History TV guy. He talks a lot of medieval life, how horses were trained, and their saddles. It'd be so interesting to learn about historical horsemanship for women, especially how fashion effected that
You mean Jason? I do know him, made some stuff for him ages ago as we used to live nearby. He is a great chap!
@@priorattire Today we all learned Izabela is connected to every other bit of HistoryTube!!
@@simplystreeptaculartbh most of the historical re enactors who are in the UK and active on RUclips probably know each other at least in passing...it's still a pretty niche passtime.
Fascinating costumes. I would have liked to see the changes in the saddles also. From the planchet and how the feet were placed to the knee hook and the single stirrup.
I did include that in the book!
Absolutely!!!
7:24 1850s habit is my favorite one. The red has a great pop to it and the skirt of it has a great reactive flow as it moves.
I really love the stills where we also get to see the saddle, and what the riding gown looks like when you are on the ground. Cheers
Thanks for the video, really fun to watch ☺ I couldn't stop thinking that you must have made every single one of those amazing outfits with your own hands... 😲
That I did- plus many more, all for the book. Took about 5 years
Queen Elizabeth II rode side saddle. And at Warwick castle in the UK, they have a saddle believed to have been used by Elizabeth I, but it's a regular saddle. So at least some of the time sgmhe was riding astride.
Wonderful! I love how they all stay so calm despite the flowing skirts and all.
As a fellow costumer and side saddle enthusiast myself - I absolutely love and appreciate this video so much!
Isn't it dangerous? Astride is safer.
@@MadamoftheCatHouse I agree , I would prefer to ride astride like the Wife of Bath (Canterbury Tales) as shown than sitting sideways with my feet on a planchette. I do not even like the idea of riding with the more modern sidesaddle - far too precarious 💕💕💕
Lovely and interesting. I was able to figure out what was meant by aside and astride.
I'm pretty sure my riding days are well behind me so this was some lovely horsey nostalgia and some lovely outfits!
I couldn't do stuff like that with my Twerp, she'd have lost her mind (and then lost me) with a sidesaddle... She had no withers to speak of so saddles didn't stay on her well anyways, I usually rode bareback, she was more comfortable than most saddles. So much horse hair on everything :)
You're a graceful rider. I enjoyed every minute of this.
well, I guess I need the Equestrian Dressmaker... I already have The Victorian Dressmaker Vol. 2 and sooo many things I want to make from that (learned to knit to be able to make the vest and I wear it almost daily) but I absolutely need that 1780s habit...
typo. 1760s I mean. The green summer habit
It is for sale…
@@priorattire thank you for letting me know! If I had the money (college student...) I would absolutely buy it, it's stunning
These were all so beautiful! ❤️
Just gorgeous,the ladies and the horses,😁👏👏I enjoyed that!!
Quel travail de recherche et de confection, bravo !
Thanks ❤❤❤
Imagine all the time needed,so we can enjoy,awesome,appreciate the love you must have to share it
Good work guys. Very impressive
I've wanted to do side-saddle forever it seems. I think I just found my reward when the last of the excess weight comes off. Not the book, just ordered that, but my own side saddle. Maybe two. In the old west there were western side saddles--oh the possibilities for tooled leather.....
Not all horses like being ridden side saddle. Better investigate first. It's unnatural for them, as is is for most women.
@@mt.shasta6097 being ridden is not natural either. If sat correctly in a saddle built correctly, it isn't that much different than astride. If you are dragging to one side--you are doing it wrong.
Quick question: did they have some sort of pants in the earlier styles when they were riding astride? Because I did a bit of riding and remember how sore my thights were after only one hour even with modern riding trousers, I can't even imagine doing it without any protection... I'm also curios as to why at some point someone (most likely a man) decided it would not do for women to ride astride
I’m not sure about earlier styles, but I recall that some ladies in the 18th century would wear black breeches under their skirts for riding astride. Madame de Pompadour had 4 pairs of black riding breeches included in her wardrobe inventory, as well as drawers to be worn under them.
Answers in the book…
Gorgeous outfits and horse
I can imagine all the the costume charges. Brilliant video!
Costumes charges?
@@priorattire costume changes, sorry ;)
All filmed in different places across 3 years!
Burgundian women's fashion particularly reminds me of Kievan Rus women's clothing.
So ladies did ride astride back then? Was there a different kind of riding habit for astride riding? How did you keep your skirts from bunching up? Thanks, great video
there wasn't really any riding habits till about the 16th century, yes women did ride astride in the medieval period it wasn't until later a side saddle was invented but there are early references to women sitting side saddle as well.
@@lisawillis8227 men rode sidesaddle too originally. It only later became purely female
Answers in the book…
Thank you so much, I loved this video.
Very well done! ❤❤❤❤
Thank you, Izabela!
You all look smashing!
Friend, it looks like you hare most comfortable, and experienced with, the Victorian style side saddle... 🐎
Absolutely. The safest model- and one I use often
These women, dresses, hats,horses and backgrounds are STUNNING! Women dress very boring nowadays.
Do you realise how dangerous those clothes would be today? On public transport or in cars.
@@MadamoftheCatHouse how are they dangerous? If you're wearing a long skirt you learn to keep it out of the way of things, and barring an enormous ruff I don't see what else would cause issues.
Loved, Loved, loved this video! It was awesome! Loved the whole concept and the music compositions you chosed. I am quite familiar with some of them. This is probably a stupid question, but do you own any of the horses? They are beautiful as well as the riding habits. Thank you!
Gosh, no- see the credits!
Love this! Thanks so much!
Beautiful - beautiful gowns, beautiful horses. I love side saddle, it always looks so elegant. Would ladies have ridden astride? Genuine question - I always assumed they rode side saddle. Thank you for another wonderful video.
All the answers in the book- but women did ride either way, depending on status, purpose, era etc
I bet the horses would have loved you guys!
What a Run!! ■ Thank you!! M
Awesome! Do You know when the new book will be sent out to we who did pre order it? (Take the time You need with it i just curious) 🙂
This book was published a year ago, available now. Next book scheduled for jahuary
All the updates are on the website anyway ;-)
@@priorattire Awesome!!
Is it right ? not all women were riding with a side saddle..I found some portraits of women from 1650 to 1800 riding the "normal" saddle. ..
Some of the examples shown were using normal saddles too - basically all tge ones listed as "astride"
More details on the history of riding in the book alongside the habit making..
What is a safety skirt?
A specially designed skirt forbsidesaddle ridinf
What makes the safety skirt different ?
The cut
Interesting that it became all astride around tudor times
Aside ..
Doesn't your back (lumbar) hurt when you are rotated? Legs to to the side, torso forward 😅👀
No, I am straight- medieval side saddles completely side and then just parading
Extended sessions with a side saddle must be rather hard on hips and back
Not at all- just a question of muscle. Corset helps with the back and of course you don’t so 6 hours in the saddle without training first, for both your and the horses benefit. For people with bad knees, ankles and hips, sidesaddle is often much more comfortable. More muscular work but easier on the joints
@@priorattire Ahhh ok
Absolutely lovely!
I know, you have to work with what you have. So you use the planchette side saddle long after it was superceded by the flat bow, one knee forward saddle. Check the Tres Riches Heures calendar where it's heavily in use. So you are stuck using the modern trotting horse when the medieval palfrey either paced or ambled.
But there is no excuse for a woman to twist her torso ninety degrees to put her arms around a man when she is riding pillion. He is supposed to have a sturdy belt on for her to hold with her right hand to keep her balance.
When I was researching medieval riding for women, I found out, based just on the frequency in art, that women travelling or hawking rode astride more often than not. But it was used to set up character, too, like the Prioress rides aside while the Wife of Bath not only rides astride but wears something like hugely wide hip waders over her skirts.
The saddle we used for later planchette is actually a replica of queen Elizabeth’s saddle- still used in England in the 17th century. It does have a high pommel around which you can hook your leg though. Pillion- yes? Ideally you have a nice pillion seat and a belt/ but since we did only about 5 min of pillion on ad hoc basis, that was what we could do
Astride medieval- also yes, that is why it is shown too. - I do explain all of that in the book at more detail of course, what you see here is just a glimpse, random footage we occasionally recorded during the photoshoot
Wish this book was available in the Netherlands ❤ Huge fan of your work Izabela #IfYouLoveBaroqueHorses
It is……
Those were some big horseys! You must have been exausted from changing into and out of so many outfits.🙃 First time in months you popped up in my feed. RUclips playing games again.
Not very big horse at all- apart from one. The footage was created across 3 years as I was making the clothing for the book/ so not in one photoshoot, thankfully! Different places , all over England and abroad too!
Cool!
IS THAT KATHY HIPPERSON????? 😍😍
Yup. She is a good friend and often models for us :1)
@@priorattire [muffled fangirl screaming]
Yup.
I'm sure the women of the past would be just as uncomfortable in our scandalous skin tight breeches and jodphurs!! The head gear looks less than practical. I know I have schooled some horses for "special occasions" attire. One bride wore a huge bridal gown to the altar and it was magnificent!!! One day I might make some sort of attempt at side saddle, but at my age it seems a bit less likely!! Kudos to you!
Pillion looks so uncomfortable!
I wonder why Isabella so rarely makes/models traditional Polish clothing.
You missed my video on kashubian outfit. Also even here or if the Elizabethan gowns is based on the ‘Polish dress! Of the queen Bess:-)
@@priorattire Oh, I did watch that one. But those were pretty much the only two.
I see no reason to invest heavily into Polish specific costume when I haven’t lived in the country for over 20 years and I have no work for the style. If you woeful like to commission a video ( research, cost of fabric, making, shooting , editing etc) we can negotiate… I would like to make a 16th century court outfit in Polish style- but that is a good 2k investment in fabrics and jewellery alone, and no work to wear it!
@@priorattire Nah.
Interesting how the earliest depictions, women had the option to ride astride, and not again until the 20th century.
Because 19th century sidesaddles were far more safer aside than any earlier sidesaddles.
@ that’s not what I meant. The notion that “polite” women were prohibited from riding astride, because a young woman’s hymen could rupture, and thus her “bridal price” called into question, is yet again another historic note, on how a woman’s status was relegated to bearing an heir, and being owned/controled by a male relative. Pretty f**ked up if you ask me.
@@critterkarma it's not a common occurrence, if at all, for a hymen to rupture while riding astride.
Most of them look like nurses.
By centuries women's ride on withe horses
For Gods sake we have to make this dei!
Not very instructive. There is the planchette saddle, but it's hard to see whats going on because of all the fabric. And is "aside" mean 'side-saddle?' Think showing the sales, as well as a model showing the body instead of a bunch of fabric, would have been instructive. As it stands, just looks like a bunch of creative anacreonists to me.
That is why the details are in the book…..
Ooph. Not hard to see why gaited horses got so popular! 🩷
@@WobblesandBean I'm gonna assume you're saying gaited breeds are bad, in which case I gotta say... you miiiiight just be operating under some serious misinformation.
@sans-seraph, that was my first thought.
(And the horses in the video look like they fully agree- still sweet and nice, but not too comfortable. 😅).
A lady definitely would have been mounted on her soft-gaited palfrey or jennet. ( Ya know that just had to be better before people rose to the trot!)