| Going on horseback riding requires the rider and | | | | The Sela Portuguesa is the traditional |
| the horse to be one in order to get into the feel | | | | Portuguese saddle that has its direct roots to the |
| and a natural control over the horse. A saddle is | | | | 18th century baroque saddle designs. |
| meant to create this intimacy between man and | | | | The Portuguese Equitation saddle has the |
| best and the Portuguese saddle has been doing | | | | required design structure that complies with |
| just that for centuries. One of the best known | | | | equitation standards for the right riding posture in |
| horse saddles among horse breeders and | | | | horse show equitation and equestrian |
| equestrian sport lovers come from the Iberian | | | | tournaments. |
| Peninsula and Portugal has made a name for itself | | | | The Ribatejo is a more contemporary |
| as having one of the finest saddles in the market. | | | | Portuguese saddle with a liberal intermediate |
| The country’s rich historic traditions of | | | | design between the Portuguesa and the Relvas |
| military cavalry and a cultural fondness for | | | | saddles and is as they are marketed today, can |
| equestrian sports among its population guaranteed | | | | be among the most expensive saddles in the |
| a thriving industry for horse saddles and other | | | | market. |
| accessories for breeding and training of horses, | | | | The Relvas is among the best known |
| especially its world-famous Lusitano thoroughbred. | | | | traditional Portuguese saddle that inherits a unique |
| Going on horseback riding requires the rider and | | | | design that can be traced back in time to Carlos |
| the horse to be one in order to get into the feel | | | | Relvas, hence, the name. He was a 19th century |
| and a natural control over the horse. A saddle is | | | | aristocrat, sportsman, horse lover and bullfighter |
| meant to create this intimacy between man and | | | | whose design allows the saddle to be used for |
| best and the Portuguese saddle has been doing | | | | either horseback riding or bullfighting. |
| just that for centuries. But not much is known | | | | The Mista is an evolved Portuguese saddle |
| about its craft until around the close of the 18th | | | | combining the traditional look, material and crafting |
| century when a 1790 print of the book entitled | | | | technique behind a Portuguese saddle with the |
| Luz da Liberal, e Nobre Arte da Cavallaria | | | | Relvas design. |
| from a Portuguese author Manoel Carlos de | | | | The D. Dinis is a modern Portuguese saddle |
| Andrade shows an illustration of the first known | | | | that creates a unique mix of innovative |
| image of the traditional Portuguese saddle used at | | | | saddle-making techniques with the traditional |
| that time. | | | | Portuguese equitation saddle design. |
| Modern Saddle Models | | | | The D.Dominguez saddle carries a |
| Today, Portuguese saddles have evolved into | | | | contemporary multipurpose design and |
| various designs that have grown from the same | | | | construction which blends the distinct Portuguese |
| basic concept as illustrated in the 1790 book but | | | | Relvas saddle with English equestrian saddles. It |
| carrying innovative design and construction | | | | uses an all-leather material from the frame to the |
| technique as well as more flexible materials that | | | | seats while harnessing the flexibility and strength |
| make the rider and the horse more comfortable | | | | of marine plywood for its saddle tree that gets |
| with each other. | | | | steel reinforcement. |