LEATHERS AND WEBS. 247 



to his boots, which will prevent the irons working too 

 far back on the foot. Most of us doubtless have felt 

 when riding, with ordinary short-heeled boots, and with 

 our feet well " home," the irons sometimes catch on our 

 insteps in this manner. Very light racing boots have 

 no heels. As light stirrups of inferior material are very 

 apt to bend from the rider's weight, and consequently 

 to catch on his feet, great care should be taken that 

 none but those of the very best steel be used. 



For racing saddles, the upper part of the eyes of the 

 stirrup irons should be covered with leather, in order to 

 prevent the iron from cutting the webs. 



Stirrup Leathers and Webs. — For steeplechasing 

 leathers are to be preferred to webs, as they are less 

 liable to break, while, with them, the rider can pick up 

 his stirrup much more readily than if he had webs, 

 which have a great tendency, when loose, to twist and 

 fly about, the moment the rider's foot quits the stirrup 

 iron, when the horse is galloping. 



The best kind of web Is the " circular " one, the 

 material of which is of a double thickness. The single 

 web is apt to break and wear out quickly. With light 

 leathers, the part through which the holes are punched 

 should be strengthened, as is always done with webs, by 



