SADDLING. 43 



SADDLING. 



A Saddle should be made to fit the horse for which 

 it is intended, and requires as much variation in shape, 

 especially in the stuffing, as there is variety in the 

 shapes of horses' backs.* An animal may be fairly 

 shaped in the back, and yet a saddle that fits another 

 horse will always go out on this one's withers. The 

 saddle having been made to fit your horse, let it be 

 placed gently upon him, and shifted till its proper 

 berth be found. When in its right place, the action of 

 the upper part of the shoulder-blade should be quite 

 free from any confinement or pressure by what saddlers 

 call the "gullet" of the saddle under the pommel when 

 the animal is in motion. It stands to reason that any 

 interference with the action of the shoulder-blade must, 

 after a time, indirectly if not directly, cause a horse to 

 falter in his movement. 



N.B. — A horse left in the stable with his saddle on, 

 wdth or without a bridle, ought always to have his head 

 fastened up, to prevent his lying down on the saddle 

 and injuring it. 



Girths. — When girthing a horse, which is always 

 done upon the near or left-hand side, the girth should 

 be first drawn tightly towards you under the belly of 

 the horse, so as to bring the saddle rather to the off side 

 on the back of the ^beast. This is seldom done by 

 grooms ; and though a gentleman is not supposed to 

 girth his horse, information on this as well as on other 

 points may happen to be of essential service to him ; 



* I may recommend Gibson, 6 Coventry Street, Leicester Square, 

 as an excellent, intelligent, and experienced saddler. 



