THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 95 



it is very important for their safety to know 

 how these ill-formed animals should be saddled, 

 because should the saddle be put too far back on 

 such horses, it will be sure to turn. 



It not infrequently happens that after the 

 saddle has been placed in the correct position, 

 it becomes slightly displaced while being fast- 

 ened. To avoid this, it should always be 

 girthed on the off-side, and great care be taken, 

 when fastening the girths, especially the first 

 one, that the saddle be not jerked over to the 

 left ; and that in pulling upon the short strap 

 on the off-side, to which the girth is to be 

 buckled, the saddle be not forced to the right. 



When girthing the saddle, the lady may 

 place her left hand on the middle of the seat 

 and hold it steady while she arranges the first 

 girth, and with her right hand draws it as 

 tightly as she can, without using violent exer- 

 tion, or making any sudden jerk ; she will then 

 be able, with both hands, to tighten the girth 

 as much as is necessary, doing this with an even, 

 regular pull, so that the saddle will not be 

 moved out of place. Before fastening the other 

 girths, she should step behind the horse and as- 

 sure herself that the chamber is in a line with 

 the horse's backbone, as before described. If 

 it is not, she must loosen the girth, and, after 



