"Every occasion will catch the senses of the vain man and with that... saddle you may ride him."
Sir Philip Sidney, politician
It is unclear when humans first began to domesticate and ride horses—evidence from cave paintings in France suggests that horses might have been bridled as long ago as 15,000 B.C.E. But while early riders had the use of bits, bridles, and harnesses to control their mounts, they sat uncomfortably on little more than folded blankets or cloth, or rode bareback. Asian horsemen created a felt and wood saddle around 300 B.C.E., but it was not until around 100 C.E. that riders gained a saddle that offered genuine comfort. The first padded, framed saddles were-developed in Han Chin sometime between 25 and 220 C.E. They consisted of a wooden frame covered in a stiff material such as leather, padded with cloth and shaped for comfort. To ensure a good ride, the pommel, or front, and the cantle, or rear, of the saddle were raised above the seat. What began as a simple but effective means of sitting on a horse soon became a status symbol, as riders decorated the leather of their saddles with inscribed designs and personal emblems and fashioned them with intricate ivory and other inlays.
Although the saddle had a great effect on horsemanship, its full effect was not at first realized, for the rider still remained insecure perched on his seat. It was not until the invention of the stirrup shortly afterward that the saddle truly came into its own.
