SADDLES AND BRIDLES 205 



different saddles, each especially fitted to the horse 

 on whom it is most used. 



In order to keep the saddle from shifting about and 

 giving the horse a sore back, and in order that the rider's 

 weight may be so evenly distributed that no pressure 

 will fall on the animal's back-bone, the bars of the tree 

 must fit absolutely accurately — thus bringing all the 

 rider's weight to bear on those muscles which run ad- 

 jacent to the back-bone. The two bars should never 

 be less than four inches apart. At the same time a 

 fair amount of space must be left between the gullet- 

 plate and the animal's withers. This last may satis- 

 factorily be accomplished, without giving undue height 

 to the fore part of the saddle, by having it well "cut 

 back" in front. The gullet-plate should, in a well- 

 made saddle, be of sufficient strength to bear the rider's 

 weight without changing its shape and bearing down 

 on the animal's withers. 



Before the rider's weight is in the sadcfle there should 

 be about two inches between the withers and the gullet- 

 plate. But the only proper way to determine if a sad- 

 dle fits well at this point is to run the fingers into this 

 space after mounting. Unless two or three fingers, one 

 on top of the other, can easily be inserted, a pommel pad 

 or numnah should temporarily be used and the saddle 

 altered at the earliest possible moment. Any rubbing 

 which might occur on the horse's withers will be very 

 hard to cure, owing to the fact that there is but little 

 flesh over the bone, at that point, to insure healing. 



The points of the tree* are usually made of different 

 lengths. The near point must be long, so as to help 



* It is of interest to note that the trade of "tree" making is quite 

 distinct and separate from that of the saddlers. There is, for example, 

 only one tree maker in the city of New York, to whom, in fact, even 



