58 SIDE-SADDLES. 



stuffed, is often a valuable makeshift when necessity 

 gives no other choice. The employment of an 

 ordinary saddle-cloth is accompanied by the slight 

 disadvantage, that the middle line of the back which is 

 covered by the saddle is deprived of the benefit of 

 air circulating along it, by the fact of the saddle-cloth 

 resting on it. An attempt to remedy this objection 

 is sometimes made by cutting a longitudinal piece 

 out of the centre of the saddle-cloth. Here the cure 

 is worse than the complaint, because injurious pressure 

 will be exerted by the edges of the aperture thus 

 made, especially if the edges are bound with tape, to 

 preserve them from fraying out. 



" A saddle-cloth should extend about two inches 

 beyond the bearing surfaces of the saddle, so that its 

 edges may not give rise to unequal pressure on the 

 back, which would occur if the saddle-cloth was shorter 

 than the tree. 



" Saddle-cloths made of one thickness of leather 

 admirably answer the purpose of saving the panel from 

 injury ; but for hunting and other long-continued work 

 they have the objection of retaining perspiration, 

 instead of soaking it up, as felt ones do. It is a 

 good plan before using a new saddle-cloth, to rub a 

 little neat's-foot oil into its rough (upper) surface, 

 which is much more absorbent than its smooth side. 

 If neat's-foot oil is not at hand, cod liver oil or castor 

 oil may be used. The oily application can be repeated, 

 according as the leather gets dry." 



As a substitute for a panel, Messrs. Champion and 



