THE TWO SADDLES 213 



have reasonable methods other than one's own, 

 and that the mere fact that one's critic is an 

 obnoxious bounder does not dispose of all his 

 arguments. I venture to claim that the range 

 horseman has intelligence equal to that which 

 guides British horsemanship, and added to that 

 the deeper intimacy of one who allows no hired 

 hand to touch his horses, who cares for them as 

 a hireling never can, and whose life depends 

 upon his competence. It is from the range 

 point of view that I venture now into the field 

 of criticism. 



To teach a novice to ride with the stock 

 saddle I lead him on to talk about his girl. By 

 the time he forgets that he is exaggerating on 

 horseback he rides quite decently. 



To teach a novice to ride with the English 

 saddle is a matter of long and severe training. 

 In the end he rides in spite of a saddle, which is 

 by no means an aid to horsemanship. 



The difference between straight leg and bent 

 leg riding is not of the slightest consequence 

 to the horse. To ride the stock saddle with 

 comfort the leg must be straight. To ride the 

 Enghsh saddle safely the leg must be bent. 

 The total difference then is one between two 

 saddles, the English model being excellent for 

 sport, but otherwise quite useless ; while the 



