SADDLES AND SADDLING. 151 



We all know how desirable, and necessary it is, for 

 the comfort and safety of the rider, that the horse 

 should have a well-shaped and oblique shoulder 

 and high withers. This, combined with moderately 

 long and oblique pasterns, will secure an elastic 

 and free action. 



Now let us examine how the shoulder-blades are 

 attached to the body. They are fastened to the 

 chest by powerful muscles and the skin, moving 

 in an up and down direction, around an axis 

 situated about four fingers below the top of the 

 shoulder, so that, if the horse lifts his fore leg, 

 the short part above that axis moves back and down- 

 ward, whilst the part below that axis moves forward 

 and upward, as we can easily feel by putting our 

 hand to the upper end of the shoulder-blade. 

 The reverse takes place if the horse puts his foot 

 down, and shifts the burden forward. That shows 

 us, that, if we place the saddle right close behind the 

 shoulders (the horse standing still), and the girths 

 are tightened, the saddle must interfere with the 

 free action of the muscles when the horse is in mo- 

 tion. The result being short, stiff, and unsafe steps 

 to the ruin of the horse's fore legs, and the safety of 

 the rider. Therefore, tlte saddle should he ^j?ace(^ 

 about the width of two fingers behind the rear end 

 of shoulder-blade, so as to secure a free and safe 



