STABLE MANAGEMENT 249 



and Assyrian horsemanship do not require any 

 recognition from my pen. According to Professor 

 Sayce, the Assyrians also rode barebacked, though 

 a high saddle is mentioned by Layard on a sculpture 

 at Konyunjik {vide Layard, Nineveh^ ii. chap. iv.). 

 According to Pliny, bridles and saddles for horses 

 were first invented by Pelethonius, a reputed king of 

 the Lapithai, a people of Thessaly. Greek legend, 

 however, ascribes the introduction of the bridle to 

 Athena, and the goddess was worshipped at Corinth 

 as " Athena, the Bridler." 



However, I must divest the question of saddlery 

 of the fabulous element. In regard to the Persians, 

 we are told by Zechariah (xiv. 20) that flowing 

 tassels streamed from the harness, while bells made 

 music from their necks. In my younger days cart- 

 horses in the country made music from their necks 

 with bells. Ezekiel (xxvii. 20) tells us that the 

 richest embroidered cloths covered the horses' sides. 

 We can see that now in state pageants. But even 

 in the Middle Ages knights and ladies were not 

 content to ride out on a plain leather seat. Their 

 saddles were richly embroidered, gilded, carved, 

 painted, and even studded with rare gems and 

 precious stones. Hence the saying, that a knight 

 often wore his castle on his back. I should like to 

 pursue this subject of ancient saddlery, but it does 

 not come within the province of this work. Those 

 of my readers who may wish to pursue it will find 

 an admirable introduction in the " Catalogue of an 



