26 THE ART OP 



portrail or breast leather, the girths, and the 

 stirrup straps. 



The saddle-bows, are two pieces of beech 

 wood, turned round to embrace the back of 

 the horse. They give form to the saddle, 

 and support all the other parts. The front 

 bow comprises the pummel, breasts, and 

 points ; the pummel is that rounded part 

 which surmounts the withers ; the breasts 

 are the sides of the bow, the extremities of 

 the breasts form the points. 



The back bow, is more widened and round- 

 ed than that of the front, on account of the 

 wider form of the hips. It is surmounted in 

 French saddles by a species of edge or bor- 

 der, which surrounds the reins of the rider, 

 and which is called troussequin. 



The side bars, are two little pieces of wood, 

 three or four fingers wide, and of the length 

 of the saddle, which make fast and tie the 

 bows. They should bear exactly the length 

 of the back below the spine, in order to pre- 

 vent the bows bearing upon the withers and 

 upon the reins. 



The pannels are two cushions of linen, stuff- 

 ed with hair, as hair of a cow or of a deer, 

 which line the two sides of the saddle. They 



