224 THE FITTING AND CONSTRUCTION. 



89 the points described above will be more readily under- 

 stood. 



" I will give the reader a hint, by attending to which he will derive con- 

 siderable advantage ; (it is on a trifling difference in the lower flap of a 

 saddle, yet one I never saw attended to by the best judges in such mat- 

 ters;) it is this : 



"I think it must be quite clear that, supposing two men — one five feet 

 three, and another five feet eleven — were both well proportioned, were both 

 to get into their saddles, the leg of the tall man must come lower down on 

 the flap of the saddle than that of the short one. Supposing these were 

 each to order a saddle of an eminent maker, desiring it to be about sixteen 

 or seventeen inches, and with its appendages to weigh twelte or thirteen 

 pounds — about the usual weight of a hunting saddle — the lower flap of each 

 would be stuffed and made alike. What is the consequence ? We should 

 see the calf of the leg of the short man touching — in fact, resting against 

 — the lower part of the saddle flap and he gets a firm hold by it; but the 

 same part of the leg of the tall man coming still lower down, it is just oppo- 

 site to that part of the flap which is the thinnest, and where, in fact, except 

 before the leg, there is no stuffing at all ; consequendy, the same part of his 

 leg will be an inch away from that part of the flap, and not rest on it like 

 the other's (if on occasion it is wanted to do so), to give an additional grip 

 of his horse, unless, indeed, he was bow-legged. A man with a large calf 

 could get this hold ; but suppose, like me, he happens to be one of ' the 

 lean kine,' and what over-calf he carries about with him is anywhere but on 

 his legs, he can only rely on his knees, in a general way." — Charles B rind- 

 ley, ^^ Practical Horsemanship,^'' p. no. 



THE FITTING AND CONSTRUCTION. 



The proper fitting of the saddle used for riding is of even 

 greater importance than that of the collar for driving. The 

 chief reasons are : first, no weight should fall on the horse's 

 spine ; second, all weight should be evenly distributed ; and 

 third, the shape of the saddle should correspond to the lines 

 of the horse's back, so that the saddle will remain in place 



