DESCRIPTION OF A SADDLE. 113 



The seat is that portion of a saddle which the rider sits 

 upon, and which is covered with leather. The twist or waist 

 is the narrowest part of the seat, and is about midway be- 

 tween the pommel and the cantle. The flaps of the saddle are 

 the leather side-pieces against which the knees of the rider 

 rest. Knee-rolls or knee-pads are placed on the flaps to 

 help in preventing the knees of the rider going unduly 

 forward. They are either built up between the two thick- 



Fig. 124. View of under surface of Saddle Tree, with Bar Plates. 



nesses of leather which compose the flaps used for this purpose, 

 or are separately sewn on to their respective flaps, which in that 

 case are of a single thickness. The skirts are the leather 

 surfaces that cover the bars on which the stirrup leathers are 

 suspended. The sweat flaps are the pieces of leather which 

 are placed under the girth straps on each side to prevent 

 sweat working through, and also to prevent the buckles of 

 the girths from hurting the horse. The point pockets are the 



