THE SADDLE ROOM i6i 



being put in their places, and when dry, should be 

 well beaten and brushed, care being taken that 

 the stuffing has not worked into lumps. If there 

 is a small lump in the stuffing it can easily be 

 broken up by using the saddler's awl. 



The saddles room should be panelled or lined 

 with match boarding from floor to ceiling and 

 glass cases should be provided for the bridles and 

 also for stirrups, spurs etc. The atmosphere and 

 dust both have a bad effect on burnished steel. 

 There will also be about any saddle room spare 

 stirrups and bridles which are not in use. These 

 are best placed in a box amongst quicklime. 

 This will preserve them from rust, and indeed they 

 will come out of the box in a better state than 

 when they were put into it. 



The horse clothing should be kept in a large 

 wardrobe, or wardrobes if the establishment is a 

 large one. Each horse will require two sets of 

 sheets — one for nights and one for days. He 

 will also require a suit for exercising, and knee- 

 caps for travelling. With respect to the latter 

 it is as well to insist that they should be worn 

 always when at exercise. Many grooms are 

 inexpert horsemen, though they would be very 

 indignant if they were told so ; and an accident 

 easily happens in the hands of an inexpert horse- 

 man. It is needless to dwell on the annoyance 

 which the broken knees of a favourite cause, and 

 especially when prevention was at hand in the 

 shape of knee-caps. Grooms do not like exercis- 

 ing in knee-caps and will avoid putting them on if 

 II 



