THE HORSE. 61 



and although he had had the saddle several times under 

 his hands, he had not been able to alter it, so as to make 

 it fit for more than one or two days' work. Happening 

 to be present on the last occasion on which he brought 

 back the saddle, and knowing how repeatedly he had 

 failed to make it fit, I made some remarks which excited 

 his anger, and he declared that no one could succeed 

 better than he had done, and defied any one to make a 

 lady's saddle that would not hurt the mare. I there- 

 fore altered the saddle myself, and successfully ; for, 

 during several subsequent years in which my friend 

 kept and used the mare, she never went lame, never 

 had a sore back, and never made one single stumble. 



How often has it fallen to my lot to see good horses 

 sacrificed needlessly, through the use of insufficient or 

 inappropriate tackle, and apparently becoming lame and 

 weakened ! 



Bearing-Kein. 



Amongst the many advantages of dispensing with 

 the bearing-rein, not the least is that of doing away 

 with the nut which fastens the hook in the saddle, as 

 this not uncommonly hurts the horse's back, producing, 

 if not broken knees and fistula, at least a troublesome 

 sore on the withers. 



Whether such a result be the smallest pimple or the 

 largest wen, the merest abrasion or the foulest ulcer, 

 the horse is, in any case UNSOUND. 



