Accoutrements

This highly decorated fly mask is made from leather with coloured panels on the brow band sporting the cross which is the emblem of Mali. It is made by the Bamana people. The purple, yellow and green make it very decorative. The back fixing is plaited and has a decorative toggle which can be undone

This is a delightful neck decoration from Rajasthan, India is of silver. The roses are stamped out from a mould and so the are one-sided and light. They are divided by knots and bound with gold thread. It would have been made for a wedding celebration and placed around the horses neck just behind the

These are a pair of brass girth buckles made in Iran. Louise Firouz gifted these from her collection at Ghara Tepe Stud, Hashtgerd, Iran. Girth buckles without a pin are a standard piece of equipment in Iran. The Girth is knotted round them in much the same way a cinch is done up on a

This is a decoration from India made by the Sind people for the forehead of the horse. It attaches to the bridle. These would have been used in conjunction with a similar saddle blanket and possibly a breast collar. Horses would have been decorated for weddings. Sind work is very fine and highly decorative with

This poll cover is made by the Sind. It is in excellent condition with very little damage even to the edging which is delicate, some bits are missing. The colours are vibrant and the pom poms a lovely decorative touch. These pieces are getting harder to find today. This may well have had a saddle

This is a very typical Turkoman bridle and would be used by Afghani, Turkmen, Teke, Yomud, or Sakar. The leather is covered with red velvet and the silver shell like decoration is stapled through with hooks. The metal used is not pure, but has a degree of silver in it. Cornelian decorates the headpiece, and

This Indian bridle made by the Sind is from the Noori Muslim people. The decoration is embroidered onto cotton, decorated with silver thread and mica. The burgundy tassels offset the deep rich maroon of the cover. The edge is laced with pearls and sequins. It is a truly beautiful piece of embroidery and an exquisite

This bridle was purchased in Turkey and may have been made for a donkey judging by the size. The bitting arrangement is not dissimilar to that used in Mali. Provenance purchased in Turkey in the 1970’s and inherited by Ruth Staines.