176 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



very curious phenomenon. The only time I was 

 ever hung up, it was in this way. I was riding 

 a very good mare belonging to a friend. She 

 was a good bold jumper especially at water, so 

 I let her go at a wide brook which she cleared 

 beautifully. But unfortunately it was greasy 

 on the landing side owing to a little frost, and she 

 slipped on to her side. The result was that my 

 spur and the stirrup came in contact as I have 

 attempted to describe and there I was till I was 

 released. Luckily for me I kept hold of the 

 reins, and the mare behaved well though I would 

 not have trusted her if she could have got her 

 head round. 



Always have a good ' tread ' in the stirrups. 

 A narrow ' tread ' will be found very tiring. 

 Whether it is hollow or solid is a matter of taste. 



We now come to the saddle itself. If you would 

 avoid sore backs, and especially if you are a heavy- 

 weight, let every hunter in your stable have his 

 own saddle. Let him be measured for it ; and 

 quite as important as the saddle fitting the horse, 

 is the saddle fitting the man or the woman who 

 has to ride upon it. So he or she should be 

 measured as well. 



Should it be inconvenient to visit the saddler 

 the purchaser should send his weight and height 

 to the saddler who will from such information 

 be able to make an approximately good fit for his 

 customer, but he cannot, from this, make a perfect 

 fit. How for instance can he learn whether a 

 man has long flat thighs or short and rather round 



