SADDLES AND SADDLINC^. 149 



desirable for all riding saddles, hunting, polo, park, 

 military, ladies', or cliildren's. For ladies, particu- 

 larly in the hunting field, as also for horses having 

 to turn out shortly after feeding, it is simply invalu- 

 able, quite especially for cavalry, doing away 

 with the necessity of very tight girthing at the start, 

 sometimes so dangerous for rider and horse. There 

 is another kind of girth made of braided cord, which 

 is very durable, and prevents the slipping of the sad- 

 dle, as it fastens itself in the hair. 



In stirrups, there is a great variety in shape and 

 weight. Leaving shape as a matter of taste out of 

 consideration, we find three kinds of gentlemen's 

 stirrups, the light, the heavy, and the safety stirrup. 

 The light stirrup should only be used for racing 

 purposes, or by boys ; for gentlemen it is a rather 

 dangerous stirrup, as, on account of its lightness, it 

 is very apt to slip back on the foot, and in case of 

 the rider losing his balance in the saddle, it is very 

 difficult to disengage the foot quick enough, and a 

 serious accident may be the result. Or, the rider 

 holding the stirrup with the ball of the foot, they 

 slip off in front very easily, flying around in all 

 directions, and it is very difficult to re-catch them 

 again. 



Not so the heavy stirrup, which, by its weight, offers 

 ■^ore stability and safety for the foot. It is easily 



