117 



and fairly distributed, but if not it falls 

 unevenly and produces a sore back. Al- 

 though, as already remarked, it is not often 

 convenient to have a saddle made for every 

 riding horse, yet when it can be done, the 

 resulting advantage is very decided. The 

 owner of a very valuable riding horse 

 should, if possible, get a tree to fit his 

 horse, especially if the animal is to be much 

 ridden. In other cases, and when nothing 

 but light work is to be done, it is possible 

 to obviate injury by stuffing the saddle so 

 as to make it a tolerable fit, but the stuffing 

 of saddles and collars should be minutely 

 examined, as, owing to accident or careless- 

 ness, hard foreign matter has often found 

 its way into stuffing, and has been the 

 means of disabling horses. It should like- 

 wise be clearly apprehended that the blade 

 bones and the loins are not intended to 

 bear weight, and that if the side-boards of 

 the tree be long enough to extend to them, 

 the horse will sooner or later be crippled. 

 Neither is the spine capable of bearing 

 weight. 



The following extract from Professor 

 Smith's " Military Manual of Saddles and 

 Sore Backs," should be studied by all who 



