RIBBED UP^RIDING 



Ribbed Up. — A horse is said to be well ribbed up when 

 his back ribs are long so that the belly is not tucked up and 

 does not give the appearance of a wasp waist. (See Points^ 



Ribs. — A horse has eighteen ribs on each side, eight 

 called true ribs, which are fixed to both the breast bone and 

 vertebrae, and ten back or false ribs, which adhere to the 

 vertebrae only. The middle ones are the longest, and they 

 gradually shorten towards the ends of each row, the true 

 ribs being broader than the false ones. 



Rice Water. — See Restoratives. 



Riding. — Many pages could easily be devoted to the 

 subject of riding, but the objects of this work will be secured 

 if a few elementary hints are given here, as when the pre- 

 liminaries are mastered, experience and advice from practical 

 equestrians will do the rest that is required. 



The first thing to be done is to see that the horse is 

 properly bitted and that the saddle fits him comfortably. 

 This must naturally be the duty of the adviser of the novice, 

 as the latter cannot be expected to understand the matter, 

 but it is remarkable how many men are careless on the 

 subject. The question of bitting is dealt with in other parts 

 of this book, but regarding the fit of the saddle it may be 

 pointed out that it should be padded so as to fit the horse 

 and not press upon the withers, else galls and sore backs 

 are certain to result. The girths should be just tight 

 enough to permit the fingers to be inserted beneath them 

 and the belly of the horse, and it is a wise precaution to 

 take before mounting a strange horse to satisfy oneself that 

 they are tight enough, as some animals possess a trick of 

 blowing themselves out when the girths are being buckled, 

 so that the latter become loose and the saddle is apt to slip. 

 Having seen to the above details and satisfied himself that 

 his stirrup leathers are at all events about the right length, 

 which is, roughly speaking, the length of his arm, the reins 



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