40 



SIDE-SADDLES. 



safety stirrup, in order to make " doubly sure." It 

 is usually fitted with a thick flap (Fig. 15), which 

 prevents the left leg from being brought close to the 

 saddle ; but this objection can be removed by the 

 adoption of Mr. Ford's plan of greatly reducing the 



Fig. 15. Leaping head too low down. 



size of the flap of the bar, and making it fit into 

 an opening cut out of the near flap of the saddle 

 (Fig. 1 6). I have found this arrangement a great 

 improvement on the old clumsy flap, the lower edge 

 of which is unpleasantly apt to catch on the rider's 

 boot, especially when trotting. I shall discuss the 

 failings of safety stirrups further on. 



