PANELS. 131 



the seat of the rider from the back of the animal, and thus 

 diminishes the close connection which should exist between 

 the two. Hence, the fitting of the saddle should be accom- 

 plished chiefly by the bars accurately conforming to the 

 shape of the weight-bearing surface of the back, and not by 

 an inordinate amount of stuffing in the panel. It is evident 



Lord Lonsdale's System of Girthing. 



Fig. 132. 



that if the bars do not fit the back, a proportionately large 

 quantity of stuffing will be needed to afford an even bearing. 



There are two kinds of panels, namely, the ordinary panel, 

 and the short (or half) panel. The former extends down 

 nearly as low as the bottom' of the flaps. The latter (Tigs. 

 131 and 132) stops short a little below the points of the 

 trees, and slopes upwards and backwards towards the seat. 



9* 



