鞍，是人类骑马匹、骆驼及驴的用具，有时会被用作运货。马鞍是在远古时期，人类以马作为重要的代步工具之一，为提高骑马的稳定性与舒适感而发明的工具。。马鞍是马具的其中之一，其目的是为了方便骑马人的舒适，所以形状尤其特别如一张圆形纸向两边弯曲所形成的，刚好置入马的背上，两腿分插。 早期的马鞍是没有脚蹬的，直到汉朝以后才有的脚蹬。所以早期的骑兵以弓骑为主。 马鞍最早在西方被发明是大约公元前800年，由于其行事并非特定而且无考古可定，所以详细的发明家和过程并不为人所知。

The saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures. It is not known precisely when riders first began to use some sort of padding or protection, but a blanket attached by some form of surcingle or girth was probably the first "saddle," followed later by more elaborate padded designs. The solid tree was a later invention, and though early stirrup designs predated the invention of the solid tree, the paired stirrup, which attached to the tree, was the last element of the saddle to reach the basic form that is still used today. Today, modern saddles come in a wide variety of styles, each designed for a specific equestrianism discipline, and require careful fit to both the rider and the horse. Proper saddle care can extend the useful life of a saddle, often for decades.