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Sidesaddle riding is a form of equestrianism that uses a type of saddle which allows a rider (usually female) to sit aside rather than astride an equine. Sitting aside dates back to antiquity and developed in European countries in the Middle Ages as a way for women in skirts to ride a horse in a modest fashion while also wearing fine clothing. It has retained a specialty equestrian niche even in the modern world. ==History== The earliest depictions of women riding with both legs on the same side of the horse can be seen in Greek vases, sculptures, and Celtic stones. Medieval depictions show women seated aside with the horse being led by a man, or seated on a small padded seat (a ''pillion'') behind a male rider. Ninth century depictions show a small footrest, or ''planchette'' added to the pillion.〔(georgialadiesaside.com - Georgia Ladies Aside, Sidesaddle History )〕 These designs did not allow a woman to control a horse; she could only be a passenger. In Europe, the sidesaddle developed in part because of cultural norms which considered it unbecoming for a woman to straddle a horse while riding. Further, long skirts were the usual fashion and riding astride in such attire was often impractical, awkward, and could be viewed as immodest. However, women did ride horses and needed to be able to control their own animals, so there was a need for a saddle designed to allow both control of the horse and modesty for the rider. The earliest functional "sidesaddle" was credited to Anne of Bohemia (1366–1394).〔( Strickland, Agnes. ''Berengaria of Navarre. Anne of Bohemia'' Lea & Blanchard, 1841, p. 309 )〕 It was a chair-like affair where the woman sat sideways on the horse with her feet on a small footrest. The design made it difficult for a woman to both stay on and use the reins to control the horse, so the animal was usually led by another rider, sitting astride. The insecure design of the early sidesaddle also contributed to the popularity of the Palfrey, a smaller horse with smooth ambling gaits, as a suitable mount for women. A more practical design, developed in the 16th century, has been attributed to Catherine de' Medici. In her design, the rider sat facing forward, hooking her right leg around the pommel of the saddle with a horn added to the near side of the saddle to secure the rider's right knee. The footrest was replaced with a "slipper stirrup", a leather-covered Stirrup iron into which the rider's left foot was placed.〔 This saddle allowed the rider both to stay on and to control her own horse, at least at slower speeds. However, not all women adopted the sidesaddle at all times. Women such as Diane de Poitiers (mistress to Henry II of France) and Marie Antoinette were known to ride astride. Catherine the Great of Russia went so far as to commission a portrait showing her riding astride wearing a male officer's uniform.〔Fraser, Antonia. ''The Warrior Queens'' Anchor: Reprint edition, 1990 ISBN 978-0-679-72816-0〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「sidesaddle」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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