Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Model 1904 McClellan Saddle

In Military and Wartime > World War One > Show & Tell and Sporting Goods > Saddles > Show & Tell.
Samovar88's loves1 of 42Militaria CollectionMy Little Oil Lamp/Heater.
7
Love it
1
Like it

Samovar88Samovar88 loves this.
officialfuelofficialfuel loves this.
tlmbarantlmbaran likes this.
miKKoChristmas11miKKoChristmas11 loves this.
blunderbuss2blunderbuss2 loves this.
pw-collectorpw-collector loves this.
vetraio50vetraio50 loves this.
packrat-placepackrat-place loves this.
See 6 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 11 years ago

    Chrisnp
    (310 items)

    The McClellan Saddle was designed by the same George B. McClellan who would later rise to command the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. McClellan said he based his design on military saddles he studied as an observer in the Crimean war; however, it most closely resembles the Spanish tree saddle commonly used in Mexico. McClellan had also served in Mexico, and may have been influenced by what he saw there. His saddle design was adopted by the US Army in 1859, and various models of the McClellan have been used from the Civil War through the end of the horse Cavalry.

    The McClellan saddle I’ve posted is the Model 1904. Although the Army produced a new pack saddle in 1913, and a special War contract saddle in 1917 (both based on the McClellan design) It was the Model 1904 that most American military horsemen were using through WWI. The signature hole in the middle made the rig lighter and also made it more comfortable for the horse. My saddle still has the straps for the cincha and the stirrup straps, as well as the iron stirrups.

    This particular saddle had been slowly rotting away in a barn in central Texas, when a friend of a friend found it in the 1980s. The friend was also a collector, and he traded it to me. At the time, leather was dried and cracking, some of it rotted away on the underside. The stitching had also rotted away and the adjoining leather had peeled back and shrunk. It was in no condition to put on display, so with little money at the time, I opted to go for restoring it the best I could. It took a lot of time and a LOT of Lexol leather conditioner to get the leather pliable. No new leather was added, and the stitching was done with waxed cotton thread (no fluorescing under black light). I needed the expertise and equipment of a shoe repair guy I knew who had an interest in old leather items. As you can see in the close-ups, the repair work is far from perfect, but it’s about the best I could get done

    logo
    World War One
    See all
    World War 1 WW1 dog tags with custom stamping
    World War 1 WW1 dog tags with custo...
    $20
    WWI Kerr N0-Buckl Sling for M1903 Springfield
    WWI Kerr N0-Buckl Sling for M1903 S...
    $25
    Trench Art WW1 German Memorabilia Battle Relics Authentic Collection
    Trench Art WW1 German Memorabilia B...
    $38
    WW1 WW2 GERMAN M1916 CAMO HELMET SIZE 64 War Military
    WW1 WW2 GERMAN M1916 CAMO HELMET SI...
    $690
    logo
    World War 1 WW1 dog tags with custom stamping
    World War 1 WW1 dog tags with custo...
    $20
    See all

    Comments

    1. Chrisnp Chrisnp, 11 years ago
      The blanket beneath is also WWI, but a soldier's blanket, not a horse blanket. It's itchy feeling enough to be a horse blanket though.
    2. Chrisnp Chrisnp, 11 years ago
      Thanks for the love, miKKoChristmas11, blunderbuss2, petey, AR8Jason, pw-collector, vetraio50 and packrat-place.

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.