I 4 8 SADDLERY. 



to unequal pressure on the back, which it would do if 

 it were shorter than the tree. The use of an ordinary 

 saddle-cloth is accompanied by the slight disadvantage, that 

 the middle line of the back which is covered by the saddle 

 is deprived of the benefit of air circulating along it by 

 the fact of the numnah resting on it. An attempt to remedy 

 this objection is sometimes made by cutting a longitudinal 

 piece out of the centre of the saddle-cloth. Here, the cure 

 is worse than the complaint ; because injurious pressure will 

 be exerted by the edges of the aperture thus made, especially 

 if the edges be bound with tape, to preserve them from 

 fraying out. 



Saddle-cloths made of one thickness of leather, admirably 

 answer the purpose of saving the panel from injury ; but 

 for hunting and other long continued work, they have the 

 objection of retaining perspiration, instead of soaking it up 

 as felt ones would do, and when dry are hard and un- 

 yielding. It is a good plan, before using a new leather 

 saddle-cloth, to rub into it a little cod-liver oil, which 

 will keep it soft for a long time. 



BREAST-PLATES. 



There is only one form of breast-plate (Fig. 103). It is 

 attached at one end to the girth or girths, and at the other 

 end to the staples of the saddle. Its use is to prevent 

 the saddle shifting backwards, as it might do if the girths 

 were slack, especially if the animal was one of the " herring- 

 gutted " sort. Even with a well-shaped horse, a breast-plate 

 often comes in useful on a long day and in a hilly country. It 

 is much employed out hunting. 



CRUPPERS. 



The object of a crupper is to prevent the saddle going 

 forward, which it would be naturally inclined to do in pro- 



