146 HOW TO JUDGE A HORSE. 



with perspiration, it becomes hard, irritating the 

 horse's back, and pi-oducing sores, and then it is 

 ■worse than no cloth. The leather cloth has the dis- 

 advantage of not absorbing the sweat, which, finding 

 no escape, will, and must accumulate as a slimy 

 mass upon the back, irritating the back, and, very 

 likely, producing sores and jjimples. 



l^lie only saddle cloth of real merit is the "Excel- 

 sior," the upper surface of which, is of fine 5-ellow 

 felt, of the color of the saddle. Tho under sur- 

 face, coming in contact with the horse's back, 

 consists of the finest knitted wool, with ridges 

 woven in it, running from front to rear, thereby ad- 

 mitting a free circulation of air. Where there is air, 

 there is no friction. Another feature is, that this 

 fine wool fastens itself in the hair of the horse's 

 back, thereb}- preventing the saddle from slipping 

 forward. This latter fact is quite important for 

 hunting men, and all those, whose horses are inclined 

 to curve up their back after mounting, often- 

 times the result of too tight girthing, or sensitive- 

 ness of the back, thereb}' shifting the saddle and 

 rider forward upon the withers. So, also, with horses 

 of low withers and with plungers. With this saddle 

 cloth, slipping will never happen, and, when the sad- 

 dle is taken off, after a hard ride in warm weather, 

 the horse's back will be found nearly dry, on account 



