THE SADDLE. 59 



prive them of the requisite power of motion, making 

 you depend on the stirrups and not on your seat for 

 your position in the saddle. The Orientals all ride in 

 the short stirrups in which they can stand resting 

 on the entire sole of their feet on account of the 

 shovel shape and the size of this contrivance ; but 

 their stirrups are hung directly under their seat, and 

 in a very different position from that which they oc- 

 cupy in our saddles (see Plate IV). Short stirrups 

 on an English saddle give quite a different form to the 

 seat in consequence. 



With respect to the upper surface, or seat, of the 

 saddle, we have to remark, that as the under one must 

 be large in proportion to the weight, so this should be 

 roomy in proportion to the bulk of the rider : a heavy 

 man will always require a large under surface, but not 

 equally constantly a large upper one, for it is bone that 

 weighs ; and as, whatever the seat may be, it should be 

 permanent in some one part of the saddle, there is not 

 only no use, but a positive disadvantage, on account of 

 weight, in having it larger above than is absolutely 

 necessary. It is, however, the form of the upper sur- 

 face that decides most as to the permanence of the seat. 

 J what we may call the ridge of the saddle be per- 

 fectly horizontal, the seat will be determined chiefly 

 by the length and position of the stirrup, because the 

 two surfaces, rider and saddle, are in imperfect contact ; 

 and it is therefore usual to dip this ridge at some point 

 and spread it out into a more or less concave surface. 

 Now the form of the seat will depend altogether on 

 the relative position of the lowest point of this dip ; if 

 it be placed far back the rider will remain there, and 

 if it be placed in the centre the seat will be also cen- 



