POSITION OF A SADDLE. 149 



portion to the comparative size of the animal's body behind 

 the girths. The continued infusion of thorough-bred blood 

 among our 'cross-country horses has gradually rendered the 

 use of cruppers obsolete in the hunting field. They are 

 still employed now and then by farmers, and a good deal in 

 the Colonies, where the local buck-jumpers often need some 

 forcible check to prevent them from getting the saddle on 

 their neck, when, by suddenly raising their head, they not 

 unfrequently succeed in breaking the girths and unseating 

 the rider. They are also much used in many mountainous 

 countries, and are of great value in keeping the saddle from 

 working forward when descending hills, &c. In pageants, a 

 crupper is sometimes employed as an attachment for a false 

 tail. 



SURCINGLES 



Are rarely used by hunting men, as they savour too much 

 of the training stable and race-course. They are employed in 

 the Army and a good deal in the Colonies. 



POSITION OF A SADDLE ON A HORSE. 

 From the remarks made on pages 117 and 118, we see that 

 the saddle must not be put so far forward on the horse's back, 

 as to interfere with the play of the shoulder-blade. Taking 

 the length of the weight-bearing surfaces of the back and 

 loins at 22 or 23 inches, and that of the panel of an ordinary 

 hunting saddle at about 18 inches, we have a limit of 4 

 or 5 inches for regulating the position of the saddle. In 

 this task we should be guided by the object we have in 

 view. If we desire the attainment of the highest possible 

 speed, we should, agreeably to the remarks made on pages 

 17 and 19, place the saddle as far forward as we can 

 without interfering with the play of the shoulder-blade. If 

 we require the animal for hunting or other ordinary work, 



