Pad saddles, as opposed to frame saddles, are made from a bag of soft leather stuffed with grass, buffalo or horse hair, or other soft materials. A girth and stirrups are fastened to a strong leather band which transverses the pad. Pad saddles were used extensively by Métis, Blackfoot, Assiniboine, Cree, Dakota, and Tsuu T´ina (Sarsi) riders, and they could be beautifully decorated with quill or beadwork. The delicate and beautifully laid out floral pattern on this padded saddle is executed with facetted beads.

Infinity of Nations: Art and History in the Collections of the National Museum of the American Indian
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