1 52 SADDLERY. 



try to hit off the happy medium between the girths being so 

 loose as to allow of the possibility of the saddle slipping 

 either backwards or forwards, or so tight that they would 

 interfere with the horse's breathing. To prevent the girths 

 slipping, they should be placed well back from the animal's 

 elbows (Fig. 151) when girthing up. In order to obtain 

 uniform pressure, it is well to do about half of the tightening 

 on one side and the remainder on the other side. If the 

 groom, as is the usual stable custom, takes up the girths 

 only from the near side, he should at first do little more 

 than take up the slack of the girths, and should then 

 run his fingers between them and the skin, from the near 

 side to the off, so as to smooth out any wrinkles. Finally, 

 he tightens the girths to the required extent. 



Some horses swell themselves out on being saddled and 

 consequently need to be walked about for a short time, 

 after which the girths will have to be taken up afresh, before 

 the rider can mount without incurring the risk of the saddle 

 shifting its position. 



For safety's sake, the spring bars of a saddle should be 

 kept always open, or at least well oiled, if closed while being 

 used. When they are open, there is not the slightest chance 

 of the stirrup leathers coming out, as long as the rider 

 remains in the saddle, unless he puts his weight on the 

 stirrups, and happens to perform in a very hilly country, or 

 to scramble up a steep bank. 



The following is a useful plan for causing a stirrup iron 

 to remain at right angles to the side of a horse, in case the 

 rider's foot comes out, so that he may readily pick up the 

 iron again : Twist the leather in the direction the hands of 

 a clock proceed, if on the near side, and vice versd, until it 

 is shortened to about two-thirds of its original length ; pull 

 it hard down (Fig. 152); and let it go. On regaining its 

 usual position, the leather will be found to have received a 



