WOMEN'S SADDLES. 233 



Mrs. Annie Blood-Smyth, writing under the pseudonym 

 of Mrs. Henry Allbutt, says in "Hints to Horse-women," p. 19 : 



" Saddles are now sometimes made weighing as little as fourteen or 

 fifteen pounds, but such very light ones are a mistake, what you gain in one 

 way you lose in another, and the saving of weight is effected at the expense 

 of the tree, which ought, of course, to be as strong as possible. The best 

 saddle I ever rode in weighed, when new, eighteen pounds ; but a saddle, after 

 a year or two of wear, will become a little heavier. This is the right weight 

 for a really good, strong saddle. The average length of a modern saddle is 

 perhaps nineteen inches, and they are made up to twenty-two, so it will 

 easily be understood that every woman should, if possible, have her saddle 

 made for her, giving when she orders it her length from hip to knee, and if 

 she goes to a man who understands his business the result will be a very 

 comfortable saddle. 



" Again, saddles should only be made of thoroughly well seasoned 

 leather, and this, naturally, one is most certain to obtain from a firm who 

 do a large business and who can afford to store the leather until it is fit 

 for use, and rest assured that a cheap saddle, though it costs less to begin 

 with, will always be dearest in the end and is apt to try one's temper sorely 

 as it becomes daily more and more unsatisfactory. If you ride the same 

 horse regularly it is a wise precaution to get your saddle specially stuffed to 

 fit him. Always have your saddle lined with strong, unbleached linen, brown 

 Holland, I believe it is usually called. This is by far the best stuff to use and 

 in every way infinitely superior to the thick warm serge generally employed. 

 Nowadays an air channel is a sine qua noti in any well built side saddle. 

 The cutting away of the flaps on the near side gives the rider a flatter seat 

 and is essentially a step in the right direction. It always admits of better 

 ventilation, and to keep a horse's back cool goes a long way towards keeping 

 it sound. 



" The leaping head is a subject that requires some attention, for unless it 

 catches you in the right place it is useless and gives no grip whatever. It 

 ought, when you press against it, to catch you just above the knee, but if you 

 are tall it won't do this unless you have it specially so arranged. Usually any 

 saddle except my own catches me higher up, which is useless. And it makes 

 a vast difference whether you can catch a grip or whether your leg slips 



