To be part of the male-dominated horse-riding culture, did women have to ride on both their sides? This ancient custom was not limited to women, though. Women and men of different cultures had different views about riding. For example, the Greeks feared women who rode on their side. Although the prohibition against women riding astride was in place until the early 20th century, the rules had to be changed by riding schools to keep up with the times. Little girls started lessons on astride at age five and then moved to sidesaddle riding around age eleven or twelve.

One woman who fought to ensure women's suffrage was a horsewoman. She also fought for equal participation to equestrianism, in addition to her fight to get the right to vote. The question is "Why did women ride side-saddle?" has been a topic of much debate. And the answer may not be as difficult as you think. Two-Gun Nan Aspinwall, a Two-Gun, rode a horse from San Francisco, California to New York in 1913. She wore a split skirt, a long, white cape, and a long, white cape.

The saddle with a side is one of the oldest types of saddle that riders use. It was first introduced by the royal court. It was intended to protect a woman's modesty. Side saddles were invented to protect women who rode astride horses and on their backs. They were at risk of injury as their long skirts caught on the horses' legs. Additionally, they could not jump out of the saddle if their horse fell, so the side saddle was a solution.

Although side-saddle riding was prohibited in the nineteenth century, it was revived in recent decades. Lady Mary, an American horse and the Flying Foxes, which are a group made up of women who ride side saddles, have revived interest in this discipline. Michaela Bowling (a side-saddle rider) broke the British sidesaddle high-jump record in the sport in 2011.

While women rode astride just as often as men, the style of riding they adopted was more popular among royal women. Catherine the Great was the first to ride astride. She demanded that all women of her court use astride. This practice soon became in Europe, and only women with strong personalities were allowed to ride astride. Here are some facts for side saddle riding enthusiasts who have strong personalities.

The first side saddle was chair-like. The woman rode her side-saddle with her knees together and her feet on the footrest. Catherine de Medici in the 16th century developed a more functional design. She placed her right leg over the pommel of the saddle. This side saddle enabled a woman to control her horse better and safely trot with ease. The side saddle was also safer.