THE SADDLE AND BRIDLE. 97 



The author has been thus particular in de- 

 scribing the bit and saddle with their proper 

 arrangement, as well as the girthing of the 

 horse, because so few lady riders bestow any at- 

 tention upon these very important matters ; and 

 yet, if one desires to ride safely and well, a 

 knowledge of them is positively necessary. 

 Grooms cannot always be depended upon, and, 

 indeed, seldom know much about the side-sad- 

 dle ; there is an adage which is applicable to 

 many of them : " Too much must not be ex- 

 pected from the head of him who labors only 

 with his hands." In the instructions given by 

 gentlemen writers, useful as they may be in 

 many respects, there is usually a good deal of 

 practical information omitted which a lady rider 

 ought to know, but the necessity of which it is 

 perhaps impossible for a gentleman fully to ap- 

 preciate or understand ; this knowledge the 

 lady will have to gain either from her own ex- 

 perience or from one of her own sex who has 

 studied the subject carefully. 



In preparing for horseback riding, nothing 

 should be omitted that can give greater security 

 to the rider, or protect her more completely 

 from accident of any sort. Every article should 

 be of the very best material, so that a breakage 



7 



