Finding a sidesaddle that fits a widebacked Icelandic was extremely challenging. You definitely don't want to get one off of ebay. Most sidesaddles you find online are older sidesaddles built for horses from long ago when they were much narrower than today's horses. Or...you may find a saddle that is not balanced or even downright dangerous. Fit is even more crucial for a sidesaddle than an astride saddle. I know, I know - fit is important for any saddle, but with an aside saddle, slippage can be a real problem.
It took less than five minutes for my gelding to get used to a sidesaddle. Not having any leg on the offside was the only issue - he wasn't sure that I meant go forward when I was just using my left leg. After we worked that out - it was great. What was really interesting was how easy we could do our leg yields and side passing. I think that was because my posture and seat bones were all in a good position. Your hips need to be pointing straightforward when you ride. Do a google search for Marti and Hundred Oaks. This is where I bought my sidesaddle. Marti is extremely helpful. I bought an Elan which is an english style saddle that Marti has made to her specification in Pakistan. I had to buy and XX wide. Marti said that it was the widest sidesaddle she had ever seen in her life. Learning to ride in a sidesaddle is not that difficult - you do feel pretty secure with the two horns and it does wonders for your posture. I am much more fearful of trying to figure out how to sew one of those sidesaddle aprons that the aside ladies wear. They use aprons instead of skirts. I bought a pattern for the apron and I am terrified of even pulling it out of the package. I haven't sewed anything since 7th grade Home Ec. Cindy
