Saddle, Captain Thomas Everard Hutton, 4th (The Queen's Own) Light Dragoons, 1854 (c)

During the Crimean War (1854-1856) Captain Thomas Everard Hutton, 4th (The Queen's Own) Light Dragoons used this saddle when he rode in the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaklava (1854). Hutton was shot through the right thigh during the advance of the Light Cavalry Brigade and on returning from the guns he was again severely wounded through the left thigh. His horse was wounded in eleven places and had to be destroyed.

This type of saddle, commonly known as the 'Hussar pattern', was first issued to all hussar regiments in 1805. It latter became the pattern for all the light cavalry and continued in use until after the end of the Crimean War. The 'Hussar saddle' was also known as the 'Hungarian saddle' because it was first used by Hungarian cavalry regiments of the Austrian Army.