524 BROWN LEATHER AND SADDLES. 



ency of the weather and the lustre is longer retained. 

 Liquid polish should never be used, as it eats the heart out 

 of the leather. 



The patent leather parts must not be touched with a 

 brush, but merely sponged over, dried with a chamois, a little 

 meltonian cream applied, and then the surface polished with 

 a soft cloth. 



BROWN LEATHER AND SADDLES. 



Brown or russet leather, of which the reins, head-collars, 

 saddles, bridles, and frequently harness are made, is cleaned 

 in the same manner as black harness, but instead of "compo " 

 being used the leather should be gone over with some Pro- 

 pet's saddle soap applied with a sponge. When dry the 

 leather may be polished with a cloth, and the glazed surfaces 

 given additional polish by the use of a little beeswax. The 

 latter should not be put on with the same brush used for 

 the black harness, as the brown leather would be stained. 

 Lemon juice will lighten such parts of russet leather as be- 

 come too dark, but when once applied the leather never regains 

 its original shade. In addition to what has been said above, 

 riding saddles should have all metal parts kept bright, and 

 the cloth lining dried before the fire or in the sunshine. 

 The rack used for this purpose is shown in Fig 232. 



Stirrup leathers and numnahs should be sponged off after 

 use, and kept soft with Propet's saddle soap. If the panel 

 of the saddle, i. e., the part which comes in contact with the 

 horse's back, is of leather it should be given the same care 

 as the numnah. As new saddles are very hard and uncom- 

 fortable, both to rider and the horse, the leather should be 

 softened by the application of a little mutton kidney fat, 



