Horse tack
Rabat, Morocco
Museum of the Udayas
Late Hegira 13th / AD 19th century
D 4347
Wood, leather, serge and felt, gold embroidery, trim, damascened iron.
Height 89 cm, length 100 cm
Alawid
Fez, Morocco.
This full set of horse tack includes a saddle, cloth, bridle, collar, stirrups, saddlebags and girths. These elements, which used numerous different materials and trades in their manufacture, were the work of many craftsmen and women employed by the master saddler.
The wooden tree (the frame of the saddle) is covered with a camel-skin shabraque (saddle-cloth). It differs from European saddles with its two very high arches. The saddle cloth, which was placed on top of the shabraque, brow band, visor, collar, girth and breast strap that kept the saddle on the horse's back, as well as the two saddlebags attached with a strap, were made of leather and black serge embroidered with gold thread. These items were further embellished with trim, thick braids and fringes in black and yellow silk. The breast strap is embellished with two large oval leather studs decorated with floral motifs in champlevé enamel. The iron stirrups are damascened in gold.
The decoration on the saddle uses vegetal and plant motifs, foliage, palms and fleurons arranged within compartments framed by the foliage. Intertwined plant designs are used on the backs of the high arches of the saddle, as is the five-pointed star, which is stamped on the front of the saddlebags. The gold-thread decoration on the harness would have been designed by the saddlers and embroidered by women, who would also have woven the silk cords and braids at home.
This type of sumptuous saddle would have adorned horses in the town and in the country during festival days and parades, in particular for the fantasias that took place on certain important religious or national occasions.
This type of luxury harness and saddle was worn by horses on feast days and parades, in particular the fantasia tournaments that were held on certain important religious or national events. The saddle is different from European saddles as it has a tree with two high arches.
By the type of embroidery used.
Purchased.
The town of Fez was reputed for its saddlery.
Sefriou, A., "Les métiers traditionnels", La grande encyclopédie du Maroc, Vol. 6, Rabat, 1987, pp.125–6.
Naima El Khatib-Boujibar "Horse tack" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2025.
https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;ma;Mus01_B;49;en
MWNF Working Number: MO 74
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