SADDLES AND SORE BACKS. 1 85 



All the above are aggravated by the weight carried ; the heavier the 

 man — perhaps we should say the heavier the load — the greater the damage 

 inflicted. The more unequal the balance of weight carried the greater 

 the risk of injury ; where the balance of weight is disturbed, the saddle 

 heels over towards the heaviest side ; but for the withers it might com- 

 pletely heel over, as the withers act as a break and in consequence suffer. 



For this reason, if for no other, men should be made to sit in 

 a firm and erect manner in their saddle. Every turn or twist of the 

 body causes the saddle to heel over, and if either 2 or 3 in the above 

 table are in operation it aggravates matters. 



And so with the balance of the kit carried ; if more is being carried on 

 the near than the off side the saddle naturally heels, and if there is a 

 tendency to 2 or 3 it is increased. This matter of the lialance of weight 

 is so important that it will be referred to again. 



What are the remedies for the above sore backs ? Remedies 



No. I is obvious ; the numnah merely requires to be well strapped up for wither 

 in the arch. injuries. 



No. 2 : Here we must reduce the number of folds in the blanket under 

 the arch and increase them under the side bar. This can be readily done 

 by folding the blanket in three in the usual way, laying it over the numnah 

 so that the ends hang down, and then folding up the blanket from each 

 side so as to bring several folds under the side bar but no more under the 

 arch, and if the saddle is still not high enough, to put on numnah pannels. 

 If in the field, straw or long coarse grass may be tied on to the side bars, 

 and straw pannels thus made. The most perfect straw pannel can be 

 made from a bottle protector after dividing the string which ties up the 

 narrow end. These are quite readily kept in position on the side bars by 

 string. 



The methods adopted in dealing with No. 2 are also suitable for No. 3. 

 Loss of back muscle is replaced by pannels of numnah, strips of numnah, 

 extra folds in the blanket under the side bar, but not under the arch, straw 

 pannels, or even straw placed in the folds of the blanket. 



Anything which will raise the saddle to its proper height above the 

 spine, make a soft bed for it to rest on, and so take the place of the natural 

 muscle bed which has wasted away, will prevent further injury to the 

 withers. 



In effecting these alterations they must be seen and inspected. No 

 opinion can be given without seeing the man in the saddle ; he should be 

 made to place both hands on the front arch, and bring his entire weight 

 to bear on it before he can be perfectly assured that no further injury is 

 possible. 



