What is Sidesaddle?
[[Image:SideSaddle class horse show 2.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Woman riding in a modern English sidesaddle class.]] Riding '''sidesaddle''' is a type of [[Equestrianism|horseback riding]]. Sidesaddle riding uses a special [[saddle]]. This saddle allows the rider to sit 'aside' rather than 'astride' a horse. Astride means the rider's legs are opened with one leg on each side of the horse. In sidesaddle, the rider's legs are basically closed and both legs are on the same side of the horse. Girls and women mostly ride sidesaddle. Riding sidesaddle allows them to use a [[modesty|modest]] posture while showing off their nicest [[riding habit]]s. There are two categories for competition, Junior and Senior classes. == In history == [[File:Catherine03.jpg|thumb|upright=1|[[Catherine the Great]] riding sidesaddle by Georg Christoph Grooth (1716–49)|left]] Women sitting aside a horse to ride began in [[ancient history]]. It later became popular in [[Europe]]an countries in the [[Middle Ages]]. This gave women wearing skirts a way to ride a horse in a [[modesty|modest]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sidesaddleassociation.co.uk/history.asp|title=The Side Saddle Association|website=sidesaddleassociation.co.uk|access-date=2019-04-15}}</ref> way while also wearing their [[wikt:fancy|fancy]] clothes. It is still popular <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-surprising-resurgence-of-side-saddle|title=The Surprising Resurgence of Side Saddle|last=Morton|first=Ella|date=2016-03-09|website=Atlas Obscura|language=en|access-date=2019-04-15}}</ref> with some modern riders. ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Horse tack and equipment]]