SADDLES AND BRIDLES 213 



If a proper safety bar is used there is absolutely no 

 need for the use of such an ungainly looking thing as 

 a " safety stirrup," and in any case it never should be 

 used except in conjunction with the safety bar. By 

 itself it is quite unreliable.* 



The " furniture" of a side-saddle consists of the 

 girth "tugs" or straps, two metal "D's" on the off 

 rear of the saddle under the cantle (to which is at- 

 tached, when needed, the hunting-case), and two "D's" 

 on front of the saddle on each 'side of the withers, 

 through which the straps of the breastplate may be 

 passed. 



Girths should be soft, pliable, and fairly broad, for 

 although narrow girths make a horse sweat less than 

 broad ones, they are more apt to chafe him. Leather 

 girths, if well oiled and properly cared for, are the best, 

 as they fulfil the above requirements and are the neat- 

 est in appearance. White or brown webbing girths 

 are, however, more practical in a stable, in which the 

 help is inexperienced. Girths made of narrow parallel 

 strips of leather, rawhide, or cord, are admittedly cooler 

 than any other kind, they also take a good strong grip 

 without necessitating tight girthing; but as it is almost 

 impossible to distribute the pressure evenly with such 

 girths, they are apt to wrinkle the horse's skin and 

 gall him. Woollen or serge girths are heating to the 

 horse and should, of course, never be used. 



* Many safety stirrups open both ways, in which case the rider's 

 foot can slip through and be hung up just as in an ordinary iron. If, 

 to obviate this, the iron opens only one way there is considerable danger 

 of its being put with the wrong side toward the'heel, through ignorance 

 or carelessness. If the rider is thrown from the off side of the saddle 

 the average safety iron is not likely to work properly. Were the horse 

 to fall on the rider the iron is prevented from working by being jammed. 

 Then, again, if the "outer" iron is too large in proportion to the rider's 

 foot she may get hung up in it even after the "inner" iron has opened 

 and released her foot. 



