THE HUNTING-SEAT 225 



the armies. The German War Office was the 

 first to come to their rescue. 



It IS only by such reasoning as this that one 

 understands why mounted soldiers are given 

 breeches with buckskin straps to help them to 

 grip a saddle specially treated with beeswax to 

 make it slippery. Constructive thought would 

 remove the strapping to make the breeches 

 slippery as the saddle ; or, if a grip is wanted 

 would retain the strapping, and roughen the 

 saddle seat and panels by using the leather in- 

 side out, or replacing the surface with buck- 

 skin. 



Early in the eighteenth century British 

 racing and fox-hunting became fully organized 

 sports which needed bent-leg riding and a 

 slippery, light saddle. The British Army was 

 not officered by professional soldiers, but by 

 sportsmen who bought commissions. The 

 training of officers was in the hunting field, and 

 the old straight leg, weight-distributing war 

 saddle gave place to something really up-to- 

 date. This was the military saddle, too 

 cumbersome for running or jumping, too small 

 for weight-distribution, and therefore useless 

 either for sport or war. 



Meanwhile the Riding Masters who were 

 professional soldiers, and ceased to learn when 



