SADDLES AND SORE BACKS. 109 



necessarily referring to, but rather to one which is permanent and 

 constant in its action, while the above are irregular and intermittent. 

 A sword and shoe case on the near side of the saddle will not balance 

 the rifle on the opposite side. A nosebag and feed added to the weight 

 of the sword will help matters, but when the feed is eaten the rifle again 

 causes the saddle to heel over, and to press the side bar more deeply 

 into the back. 



There are few things which require more attention than the question 

 of the balance of weight, pound for pound, ounce for ounce. There 

 should be the same weight on the off side as on the near. In fact, to 

 secure this adjustment it would even be better to add weight to the light 

 side to bring matters into equilibrium, so important is it that the weight 

 on a horse's back should be equal on either side of the spine. 



The proper adjustment of weight is not a difficult matter, but the 

 patching up of a back injured as we have described is far more difficult. 

 In pannelled saddles a chamber can be made (p. 200), and the sore 

 accommodated ; in those saddles possessing only a blanket, this cannot 

 be done, and short folding of the blanket becomes necessary. 



When a chamber is made in a pannelled saddle it is essential that 

 nothing (such as a numnah) should be worn between the back and the 

 chamber, or else the injury is aggravated. 



In determining side bar injuries and how caused, the bare tree How to 

 should be placed on the back, but held at such a height above it as will examine 

 correspond to the thickness of the numnah and blanket. If this |J°^ ^^"^ 

 precaution be not adopted, the side bars will occupy a lower position on injuries 

 the back than they did when the blanket and numnah were beneath, 

 and our localisation of the cause of the trouble will be wholly wrong. 

 For example, suppose we are examining a back injured by the upper 

 edge of the side bar, and place the bare tree on the back, it will be found 

 that the upper edge of the bar is an inch below the injury on the back ; 

 but if we raise the tree at a sufficient height to allow for the thickness of 

 blanket and numnah, the upper edge of the side bar will then correspond 

 with the wound. 



The fans of the side bar capable of inflicting injury on the loins, Injuries 

 the result of friction. The rolling action of the loins, previously ^^^^ ^^"• 

 described (p. 169), causes friction between them and the side bar. Very 

 little contact suffices ; the hair, as the result of friction, is shaved off as 

 closely as if done by a razor, and over a patch the size of the palm of the 

 hand. 



Occasionally the matter ends there ; the oval-shorn patch remains, 

 but undergoes no further change ; if, however, the rear fans press on the 



