214 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



Aside from the material, the best style of girth to use 

 is what is called a "Fitz William" girth. It consists 

 of a broad under girth on top of which is passed, through 

 narrow loops, a narrow upper girth. This last is very- 

 convenient for the use of a martingale, which can 

 thereby be put on or removed without touching the 

 under girth, or endangering the position of the saddle 

 during the operation. By pressing on the centre of the 

 broad girth, the narrow one has the advantage of keep- 

 ing the edges of the former inclined outward, and thus 

 preventing a horse from becoming girth-galled.* 



All girth buckles should be of the double "bar" 

 variety, and the girths on a side-saddle should always 

 be fastened high up on the near side, so as not to make 

 a bunch under the rider's leg. By this arrangement 

 there is plenty of girth-strap length left on the off side, 

 should the girths require tightening after the lady is 

 mounted, f 



The purpose of the balance strap is to prevent any 

 undue motion of the saddle, and to counteract any 

 excess of weight which might fall on the near side. Al- 

 though, as we have already stated, small show saddles 

 are sometimes made without a balance strap, it is not 

 wise to attempt any extended riding without one. 



NumnahsJ are of great assistance in making a sad- 

 dle fit a varying number of horses. In fact, I have 

 found that even with a saddle that has been espe- 

 cially fitted to a particular animal, it is wiser always 



* In default of a girth of this kind, a substitute may be made by 

 tying an old silk boot-lace around the girth to bend the edge outward. 

 This is sometimes useful on young horses or those with very low fore- 

 hands, on whom the saddle and girths are apt to slip forward and cause 

 sores behind the elbows. 



t Grooms should at once report any rips in girths or girth tugs, for 

 on the security of these safety in the saddle depends. 



X So called from the Hindustani word for "felt." 



