VIIL] THE SADDLE AND SIDE-SADDLE. 91 



lady sits only by the saddle. The girths should always be 

 felt after the weight of the rider is in the saddle. The 

 girths of a man's saddle should never be tight. The 

 inner girth only should loosely hold the saddle; the 

 outer girth is merely a safety girth, in case of the inner 

 one giving. This is of consequence for the horse's 

 breathing in galloping, since his ribs must expand every 

 time he inhales, or draws breath. 



I think that one holder on each side of a man's saddle To avoid 



buckles of 



should be placed as far forward, and one on each side as g irths - 

 far backward, as possible without showing beyond the 

 outside stirrup flap. This separates the buckles of the 

 girths, and makes a smooth flat bearing for the thigh of 

 the rider. The girths must cross from the front holder 

 on one side to the back holder on the other ; or they may 

 be passed through a loose loop below to prevent their 

 separating. The double-stirrup leather and the riding 

 exactly on the buckles of the girths, are great abo- 

 minations. I go farther in this way myself, and cut off 

 the inside girth flap immediately below the tree of the 



