Introduction to the Equestrian Accoutrement Collection

Long before the invention of the saddle man decorated the horse. Woven, knotted, felted and embroidered blankets. Headdresses, poll and neck covers were made with the intention of embellishing this animal so useful to mankind. For the use of the horse had given the hunter gatherer/farmer the ability to move and move fast and so expand his empire.

In the Pazyryk graves (3rd to 6th century BC) in the Altai Mountains, were found the remains of a nomadic tribal leaders burial. It had been plundered, but much was still untouched due to an extraordinary condition in which the perma frost had infiltrated the tombs and cast all the contents into state of perpetual ice forming a natural deep freeze. This find has given us a wealth of material evidence of a highly skilled and artistic people.

Funeral clothing for horses included masks with reindeer antlers provided evidence that the horse was not the first animal to have been used for transport. Perhaps before that time and certainly since the horse has been decorated and paraded and used to fight our wars from the times of Chivalry to modern warfare. Over 4 million horses died in the First World War, uncountable numbers in previous wars, we will never know how many sacrificed themselves in our struggle for power. We owe them a place in our past. This website intends to do just that.