SADDLES AND SORE BACKS. 



191 



The service girth of leather appears to be the only one calculated to The 



stand the necessary wear and tear. It gets hard from sweat, and looks regulation 



a very unpromising thing when used in this condition, but, as a matter of g»i"th. 



fact, little or no trouble arises from a leather girth, and this is due to the 



fact that it is kept well-dressed with the grease from the horse's skin, 



and though rigid when put on it soon softens under the warmth of the 



skin. 



Fig. 37. 



rirth. 



The most troublesome of all girth-galls is that which arises from How to 

 malformation, viz., the shallow brisket and arched ribs, and if such keep back 

 horses are used for riding purposes, the only way to keep the saddle in »^ 

 its place is by strapping the girth back ; this is carried out as follows : — 



The surcingle is placed under the seat towards the rear arch, and 

 passed obliquely under the belly and buckled, the buckle being under 

 the shoe case ; the saddle girth being loose, the centre cloak strap is 

 taken and passed between the girth and the skin covering the brisket, 



