Yugolavian Military Saddle with Britsh UP similarities.

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Standtohorse
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:44 am
Last Name: James

I have in my possession a "Yugoslavian Cavalry Saddle" with features similar to a British UP but also very singular to this design. I posted photos and provenance on my facebook profile.
https://www.facebook.com/standtohorse/m ... 341&type=3

Yugoslavian Military Saddle, sidebars swivel to fit horse(s) ...
Updated about 7 months ago · Taken in Palmer Lake, Colorado
Sidebars are hinged to swivel to fit same horse when fit and proud backed and 6months into the campaign when they lean out from exertion and stress. Or just several different sized horses with rider who doesn't want to fit each horse to it's individual saddle. As in "Mounted Patrols" who have several different horses to saddle.
I received a Yugoslavian Military saddle today, a war trophy given to a 1950s GI by a German for helping him with his horses in Germany after the war. Purchased on EBay from Charlotte Dicke Becerra owner of Santa Ynez Saddlery. The side bar hinges to pommel and cantle archs are very sturdy and there is a bar welded to pommel and cantle archs which runs parallel to side bars. Much stronger than 1912 UP set up and I believe this post dates the 1912 so in effect this a later development. skirts are notched to cover front hinge so have to lift asside to show attachment to sidebar. Leatherman will give scale of hinge also. there is a second sling of leather under the main seat piece that is laced to A. the bar connecting archs and B. the skirts. which aren't secured to sidebars at all. stirrup leathers are attached to enlarged footman loop w/roller like UP. Side bars swivel very easily. and have about 66 dgrs. of motion or more....
This saddle was designed to conform to each horses various fitness and conformation changes, It will also fit a number of different horses, allowing the rider to retain his familiar seat and aids with each in turn by using the same saddle for several horses. Both a practical consideration of horsemanship
and an economical one as well.
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This is the Yugoslavian Military Saddle, It's obvious sincere flattery to British UP design is evident, However note hinged sidebar peeking out behind skirt.  That's why I purchased this saddle.
This is the Yugoslavian Military Saddle, It's obvious sincere flattery to British UP design is evident, However note hinged sidebar peeking out behind skirt. That's why I purchased this saddle.
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My U.S. Cavalry Assn. friend Fred Klink's  veteren British UP saddle and kit for comparison purposes with my Unique Yugoslavian Military Saddle.  Fred also has in California a rideable British UP with both Candian and South African service markings for sale.
My U.S. Cavalry Assn. friend Fred Klink's veteren British UP saddle and kit for comparison purposes with my Unique Yugoslavian Military Saddle. Fred also has in California a rideable British UP with both Candian and South African service markings for sale.
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Another obvious difference from British UP, details of underside web sling from pommel arch to cantle arch and lacing similar to other european military saddlery.  This detail is borrowed/ copied from German M26 design.
Another obvious difference from British UP, details of underside web sling from pommel arch to cantle arch and lacing similar to other european military saddlery. This detail is borrowed/ copied from German M26 design.
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View of underside of Numhahs (Felt Pads on Sidebars) and suspension girths! This felt padding allows plugs to be removed should pressure sores develop and then plug replaced to pad after healing. Contemporary accounts of Napoleonic<br />French Cavalry mention their saddle sores as being detectable downwind. — also note billets are &quot;oversize' scaled similar to Australian stock saddles and doubled in thickness.
View of underside of Numhahs (Felt Pads on Sidebars) and suspension girths! This felt padding allows plugs to be removed should pressure sores develop and then plug replaced to pad after healing. Contemporary accounts of Napoleonic
French Cavalry mention their saddle sores as being detectable downwind. — also note billets are "oversize' scaled similar to Australian stock saddles and doubled in thickness.
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Note, side bar Hinge has simple pin and cotter key lock. — in Palmer Lake, Colorado.
Note, side bar Hinge has simple pin and cotter key lock. — in Palmer Lake, Colorado.
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This is front view through the arches. Note how flat the sidebars are in this photo as they are flexed out by saddles weigh on their outside edge as sitting on stand. compare with same saddles' rear view on narrower stand where sidebars are sitting on inside edges.
This is front view through the arches. Note how flat the sidebars are in this photo as they are flexed out by saddles weigh on their outside edge as sitting on stand. compare with same saddles' rear view on narrower stand where sidebars are sitting on inside edges.
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centaurfemale
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue May 26, 2015 9:19 pm
Last Name: Seward

What a beautiful find! I have a swivel tree saddle that saw action in The Boer War, and it is one of my 'daily drivers'. If you ever want to sell it, I'm a saddle hoarder with my favorites being old cavalry stuff.
Standtohorse
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:44 am
Last Name: James

Centaurfemale, Yes I'm glad to hear you are interested in my Yugoslavian Cavalry saddle. You are welcome to pur chase via Pay Pal friends and family, my email is standtohorse@aol.com. Please contact me there. Wasn't able to log into Military Horse due to new website. Sorry I couldn't reply until now. Any questions pls. Ask. No girth with saddle but billets fit Australian stock saddle girths. Offered to www.haggissaddlery.com but no reply as yet.
Thanks for your interest regardless.
Standtohorse
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:44 am
Last Name: James

More recent photos of this saddle . Note the color of the paint. My facebook friend is restoring a British 6pdr. Anti Tank gun with precisely the same color of "Ordinance Green". My UK facebook friend John Morgan insists that this is a British UP from the late 30s' just prior to their dismounting and mechanizing their Cavalry. The British Army horses were then sold to Germany! The welding of the bar from pommel to cantle arch also dates this saddle's tree to the 30s as well.
I originally purchased from consignment sales in CA and have requested written provenance from her.
There is allegedly a bare tree of this pattern in a museum in UK.
I would very much like to get this specimen into a museum or private collection after examination by Haggis Saddlery of ONT.CAN for possible production.
There is a Hollywood Epic just released of U.S.Special Forces mounted operations in Afghanistan. "12 Strong". This saddle is the most modern "Military Production Saddle" and may be a prototype. If U.S. or any other forces needed to deploy personnel and equip it would make sense to use a modern saddle that fit's any horse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... xag9p-63RU
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Standtohorse
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:44 am
Last Name: James

FB friend's 6pdr. AT repainting in progress! note similarity to unique color of my UP saddle's tree and pommel and cantle archs. 1930's British Army Green.
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