92 HOESES AXD EIDIXG. 



both, hands at the stirrup leather, counting to see if 

 he has got them the same length, while his horse is 

 dancing about with impatience, and losing his temper 

 during the process ? But this seems to be the usual 

 method of proceeding. 



While on the subject of saddles I may say that 

 anyone who wishes to get a saddle such as I have 

 described and drawn, may have some diiBculty in 

 doing so, as they are not generally made, but he can 

 obtain them of Messrs. Urch, in Long Acre, London, 

 by asking for a cut pommel saddle. 



To proceed. Saddles are made either with the flaps 

 stuffed or padded in front of the stirrup leather or 

 else made of plain leather. The plain leather flaps 

 bave no advantage over the stufPed ones, except that 

 they are said to last longer ; while the stufPed flaps 

 are more comfortable and more easy to ride in — that 

 is, anyone who can ride in a plain flapped saddle can 

 ride in a stuffed one ; but it does not at all follow 

 that because you can ride in a stuffed saddle you 

 can therefore ride in a plain one. 



I should, therefore, always buy a saddle with 

 stuffing in the flaps. 



We now come to the stirrups. Here again there 

 are several patterns, the greater part of them faulty. 

 The great things to pay attention to are, first, that 

 they should be the right size, not very large nor too 

 tight ; second, that the sides should be broad and 

 flat for a couple of inches from the sole upwards ; 



