SADDLES AXD SADDUNG. 145 



horse's spine, wLich alone will reach tlie haiinclies 

 of the horse. With tlie okl satlille she sits too high 

 above her liorse, which produces a feeling of in- 

 security, anil the pull on the reins does not reach the 

 horse's hind quarters, but goes upward into the air, 

 one reason for the helplessness of a woman when her 

 horse gets fractious. 



Nothing can be said about the shape of the upper 

 surface of gentlemen's saddles, as that depends 

 wholly upon the size of the rider ; the same is the 

 case with the covering — buckskin or hogskin — 

 kneeputt's, or none, these things being mere matters 

 of taste, though buckskin, on account of its rough 

 surface, aflt'ords the rider a firmer hold on the saddle, 

 and for riding green or fractious horses, it may be 

 of advantage. 



Saddle chtfhs are now very seldom in use, though 

 ■wrongly. The reason may be that those in pi-esent 

 use never gave, nor could they give any satisfaction. 

 Tlie object of the saddle cloth is, to protect the stuff- 

 ing of the saddle from becoming hard and lumpj' 

 from the perspiration of the horse, and, to save the 

 iron parts inside the saddle from rusting and break- 

 ing. They are usually made of felt or leather. The 

 felt cloth, as long as it is new, fills its purpose pretty 

 well, as it forms a soft layer between the horse's 

 back and the saddle, but, as soon as it gets soaked 



