34 SIDE-SADDLES. 



The following are the chief points to be considered 

 about a leaping head : 



1. Its curve should be so arranged that the harder 

 a lady presses against it, the more will her left leg be 

 carried inwards, so that the flat (inside) of her knee 

 may be brought in contact with the flap of the saddle 

 (Fig. 12). An ordinary leaping head is curved, as a 

 rule, in such a manner that when a rider seeks to 

 obtain support from it by the pressure of her left leg, 

 this limb is carried outwards, and she is able to get a 

 point d'appui only at the extreme end of this projec- 

 tion (Fig. 13). It is evident that the closer the left 

 leg is to the saddle, the firmer will be the seat. 

 Besides, the more the left leg is brought outwards, 

 the more weight will be put on the near side, which, 

 as we shall see further on, is the very thing a rider 

 ought to avoid. 



2. The leaping head should be close to the upper 

 crutch (Figs. 12 and 16). The usual plan of putting 

 it much lower down (Fig. 15) tends to bring the 

 weight to the near side, a fact which can be easily 

 tested, especially in trotting, by trying the improve- 

 ment in question, which was suggested to me by Mr. 

 Ford of Rugby, who is a very competent and ex- 

 perienced saddler. 



3. Usually, the leaping head is attached to the tree 

 by means of a screw, which is an arrangement that 

 has the disadvantage of not allowing the leaping head 

 to be placed close to the upper crutch. If the leaping 



