88 THE SADDLE AND SIDE-SADDLE. [CHAP. 



will tend downwards to the right, the lower limbs 

 upwards to the left. Nothing can counteract this hut 

 the hearing afforded by the leaping-horn. This ten- 

 dency to over-balance to the right causes so many ladies 

 to guard themselves against it by hanging off their 

 saddles to the left. The leaping-horn is also of infinite 

 use with a hard puller, or in riding down steep places ; 

 without it, in either case, there is nothing to prevent the 

 lady from sliding forward. It has also the advantage that, 

 should one rider like it, and another not, it is easily 

 screwed on or taken off. 



The saddle should be kept in its place by the elastic 

 webbing girths, and . not, as the common error is 

 probably from the facility of tightening it by the hard, 

 Surcingle, unyielding, leather surcingle. The use of this surcingle 

 is to prevent the small flap on the off side from turning 

 up, and the large flap on the off side from being blown 

 about with wind ; and it should not be drawn tighter 

 than is sufficient for these purposes. The part coming 

 from the near side should not be attached, as at present^ 



