SADDLING. 47 



The Military Crupper j according to tlie rules of the 

 service, should be so loose between cantel and dock as 

 to admit of a man's hand being turned with ease be- 

 tween the horse's back and the strap. If the crupper 

 be intended merely for ornament, such a regulation has 

 hardly any meaning, for it cannot be considered orna- 

 mental to see an apparently useless piece of leather 

 dangling at one side over a horse's hip ; and if the in- 

 tention be to make it useful, to keep the saddle from 

 going too forward on ill-formed horses,* or in case of 

 strong exertion, it is obvious that a loose strap (accord- 

 ing to orders) could hardly serve any such purpose. If 

 the crupper be for use, it would appear that after the 

 saddle is placed in its proper position on the animal's 

 back (the crupper being left at its full length for this 

 purpose), and previous to girthing, it should be short- 

 ened so as to retain the saddle in that place under any 

 circumstances, — not, however, that the crupper should 

 be so tightened as to inconvenience the beast, and half 

 cut his tail off; it will be tio-ht enough to serve its 

 purpose if one or two fingers can be easily turned under 

 the strap. 



The Breastplate may be necessary in hunting or 

 steeplechasing with horses that are light behind the 



saddle from turning, a lady's weight being often altogether on 

 one side. 



* As a good shoulder, such as will keep a saddle in its place, is 

 one of the great essentials in a gentleman's hack, or indeed in 

 an officer's charger, giving him leverage to lift his legs safely and 

 showily, it stands to reason that not many such will pass into the 

 ranks at the Government price for remounts, which, however, is 

 ample to supply animals suitable for the service, and does so in 

 regiments where the class of horse provided at once proves that 

 the whole sum allowed is invested in the remount itself, and pro- 

 per judgment exercised in purchasing. 



