70 SEATS AND SADDLES. 



at the shoulders than at the midship section, presents, 

 first of all, a concave curve from this to the shoulder, 

 and then a convex one over the shoulder. The former 

 of these has no adaptation whatever to the curve of the 

 rider's thighs, and this he cannot change; to remedy 

 which, the fashion of padding the saddle-flaps was in- 

 troduced. Sir F. Head says it is going out again. 

 The effect of this padding or increased thickness be- 

 tween the rider's leg and the horse's body is, however, 

 to bring the former, from the knee dowmvards, right 

 away from the latter, as any one can see who looks at 

 this kind of rider from the front ; and it is therefore 

 evident that the greatest amount of adhesive surface is 

 obtained by placing the stirrup nearly under the rider, 

 and making the tread on it perpendicular, instead of 

 in an acute angle with the horizon. 



There is another point to be considered. Is there 

 anything gained by the rider's leg from the knee 

 downwards being in close contact with the horse's 

 body at the midship section, or lost by its being just 

 behind the shoulder, whether in or out of contact ? 

 The gain is simply this, that in the first case we can 

 exercise immediately an absolute control over the 

 horse's hind legs, and make him place them as we 

 please and these being the propellers, we have entire 

 mastery; whereas the loss occasioned by the stirrup 

 being far forward consists in our generally coming much 

 too late with our leg, when we have occasion to use it 

 in this way, the horse having swerved right round 

 before we can get at him and compel him to go ahead; 

 in our having to pull right against the stirrup-leather ; 

 and, worst of all, in our being compelled to loosen our 

 whole seat, in consequence of our thigh-bones refusing to 



