236 BRIDLES AND SADDLES. 



out that the horse has a longer " rein " and a better 

 shoulder than he really has, often put the saddle three 

 or four inches farther back with this object. Such 

 " coping " dodges can deceive only the veriest tyro. 



The idea that the saddle should be placed in the 

 centre of the back of the horse, regarding him as a sort 

 of four-legged table, betrays strange ignorance of the 

 anatomy of the animal, — for the chief office of the fore 

 legs is to support weight, while that of the hind is to 

 propel it ; hence, when the attainment of speed is our 

 object, the saddle should be placed as far forward as 

 possible without interfering with the working of the 

 shoulder-blades. 



Before girthing up, the groom should, if a saddle cloth 

 be used, bring, with his finger, the front part of it well 

 up into the arch of the gullet plate, in order to prevent 

 it from being pressed down on the withers. 



The front girth is taken up first, and then the hind 

 one. We should avoid tight girthing, and should try 

 to hit off the happy medium between the girths being 

 so loose as to allow of the chance of the saddle slipping, 

 and so tight that it would interfere with the horse's 

 breathing. To lessen the possibility of the latter con- 

 tingency, the girths should be placed well back from 



