The Universal Saddle. 1 1 



sea for a similar reason had done before him) by 

 the artificial support which is afforded in the rolls 

 and pads of a somerset or demi-pique, as well as 

 to adopt the seat best suited to his disability. 

 And it was such a saddle, of a pattern perhaps too 

 pronounced to suit even the author's eye, however 

 comfortable and safe, — particularly so in leaping, 

 which provoked the censure, perhaps quite justi- 

 fiable according to the light of the critic, which 

 has been quoted above. This variation, however, 

 by no means conflicts with the author's belief in, 

 and constant advocacy of, the flat English saddle 

 in its place. But he has seen so many accom- 

 plished riders in quite different saddles, that he 

 became long ago convinced that the English tree 

 by no means affords the only perfect seat. In 

 fact, the saddle best suited to universal use, that 

 is, the one which might best serve a man under 

 any conditions, approaches, in his opinion, more 

 nearly the modified military saddle of to-day than 

 the hunting type. 



Nor because a local fashion, set but yesterday, 

 prescribes strict adherence to a style he cannot 

 follow, is the author less ready to venture upon 

 giving a friendly word of advice to many of our 

 young and aspiring riders. There are not a few 

 gentlemen in Boston, whose months in the sad- 

 dle number far less than the author's years, to 

 whose courage and discretion as horsemen he 



