One of my most prized possessions is my 1920’sish Owen side saddle. I bought if from a dear friend about six years ago and have always thought about what was going on under the “hood” so to speak. Lucky for me I met the owner of Black Diamond Designs at the first Side Saddle race at the Cheshire Point-to-Point in March of 2016, Just so happens that she is one of the best Side Saddle restorers in the Country. Before we met in person, I had the pleasure of interviewing Amy before the first race in that series.
Amy aboard her lovely mare Little Lady, that’s also her taking that timber jump with the astride Jockeys.
Here is the original interview with Amy-
So, Amy, inquiring minds want to know…….
How old are you?
41 years old?
Who are you riding?
I am riding my homebred Little Lady
A 9yo 16.1 bay Hanoverian made by Landkoenig out of a Maronjo X Lemon Park mare.
Where are you coming from?
I am exactly 17 miles from the racecourse. I live in Coatesville, PA (just a skip down the road)
How long have you been riding and when did you start riding sideways?
I started riding in 1987 when I was 12yo at a local riding stable. I come from a non-horsey family and finally convinced them to let me take lessons. My first riding instructor rode aside before I started with her and I always wanted to do it. In 1995 while on vacation, I found a sidesaddle for sale in a small tack shop. Even though I was on a college student budget, I unknowingly purchased what was one of the biggest names in sidesaddles and will be riding in the same saddle at the race. She is an Owen, which was in practically untouched condition when I bought her. I had no idea what I had found, but desperately wanted to ride aside but had no access to a saddle before that.
Are you a Foxhunter? If you are how long have you been hunting and who do you hunt with?
I am new to fox hunting having hunted for the first time this past Thanksgiving on Lady. Hunted aside for the first time for New Years. I am a member of Kimberton Hunt.
I event, and for years friends have tried to convince me to go hunting but never went. This year both my kids are in school, and I decided to give it a try. I am hooked and LOVE it! I just wish it hadn’t taken me so long to give it a try!!!!!
What do you love about sidesaddle?
I love the elegance of riding aside. I always sit a little straighter and smile a little wider when aside. I actually prefer riding aside due to some injuries I sustained in 2001 when a horse reared up and flipped over and landed on me breaking my back in 3 spots, my pelvis, and my left hip. When aside in a near side saddle, your left leg does very little. I have very little strength in my left leg, so it works perfectly!!!!!!
What do you do when you’re not riding?
Currently, I am a mom to a 5 and 7-year-old, run a small boarding barn, help out at my husband’s company and have a small custom leather/sewing shop where I specialize in sidesaddle items. And I am an ER nurse. But not currently working in the hospital due to my young ones.
What part of the weekend are you looking forward to most?
I am looking forward to spending the weekend with my horse. It’s rare I get time to myself and am usually juggling several things at the same time. I plan to have no other things I need to do that whole weekend, and my husband has agreed to entertain the kids, so I get to spend every minute immersed in horses.
Amy Magee aboard her lovely mare Little Lady at the 2016 Pennsylvania Hunt Cup. I had just awarded Amy the Chasing a Fox pillow for best Turned out prize.
Now that you all know Amy, here is a peek inside what she did to my Owen to get her back to pristine condition. I’m so glad she sent me all these pictures and commentary as she was reconditioning her. As you are reading these descriptions, it is Amy writing them.
The D rings I am sewing to the panel tabs. I will sew these snaps onto your black nylon tether piece, and then you can freely snap that tether piece to the D’s on the panel tabs. Will be Brillant!
Billet picture is the old and new balance billets laying next to each other.
Both rivets are out of short point finally! Had to order longer rivets- should be here next week but this is the last billet that needs to be replaced on offside then offside gets closed back up.
No nearside label either 
Long point is in excellent shape!
Offside is done. The panel all is sewn back up tight even though I added quite a bit of flock to the panel!
New billets, new breastplate D as well as a panel D for the air vest. Near side open and will begin getting that all done as well
New billets, new breastplate D as well as a panel D for the air vest. Near side open and will begin getting that all done as well
Panel insides all clean and conditioned. Near panel flocked. I didn’t put any flock up front, just tapered from behind shoulder to the most in the rear panel region. Here is the saddle all flocked. I still have to sew the near panel up, but here is it on the saddle buck.
Near side billets all new- extended safe stitched back into place (I was able to use the exact same holes). Point pocket back on long point! (That’s a biggy). Hoping to stitch up near side panel today. Then doeskin seat clean and Chamois sewn back on balance girth padding. Should be headed back to you end of next week I would think.
The near side panel has been down before (see the two rows of holes?). Probably to add this D-ring pictured as that does not appear to be original to the saddle. I will reuse one of these sets. It amazes me that the saddles didn’t try to reuse holes but punched new ones each time. This is why it can be a challenge to re-sew up panels. Yours are in excellent shape and shouldn’t be an issue. It’s the ones that have been down 8-9 times and new holes each time that are basically shredded and can be challenging.
I use a semi-circular veterinary suture needle to resew my panels. The one size is perfect for this saddle!
Your girth is now two shades darker 🙂
The cover on your balance strap is Chamois cloth. Just ordered some so will replace with Chamois when it comes in.
Everything is done. I stitched in brown to make top stitching less noticeable
Last but certainly not least, she cleaned my doeskin seat. Still, needs to dry and then will fluff up the nap.
So what can I say….She arrived back to me safe and sound, and I took her out for a spin yesterday and today. I no longer feel like I’m going out the back door!! If anyone has anything, they need done to their saddle this gal is top notch. Black Diamond Designs is a small custom leather and cloth sewing shop that specializes in tack and attire for sidesaddle riders. Not only is Amy talented, but she is a lovely person, and I am honored to call her one of my friends. You can find her shop here: https://www.facebook.com/Black-Diamond-Designs-251563565257044/
Thank Goodness there are still people in this world with kind of talent!
XO
That was fascinating! Thank you!