THE SADDLE. 61 



at different points, and by this means adjust the saddle 

 not only to all the different peculiarities presented by 

 the backs of various horses, but also equally to the 

 changes of form of one and the same back, induced by 

 changes of condition. You can do nothing of the sort 

 with the feltplate : this presupposes all horses' backs 

 alike, which is very wide of the mark ; and, moreover, 

 each individual back permanent in its form, whatever 

 change the condition may have undergone which is 

 equally so. The blanket men say " Yes ; and, more- 

 over, you can defend your horse from the cold in winter 

 bivouacs, and keep him serviceable for a much longer 

 time." * " Ay," sa y the opponents, " but the man 

 covers himself up and leaves his horse to shiver." There 

 is probably some truth in this ; and, at all events, the 

 man is kept warm, whereas the felt can never be mis- 

 appropriated in this way. The advocates of the felt 

 say further, in cases of alarm the horses can be saddled 

 quicker, which is indisputable to a certain extent ; for 

 whether the blanket be used as a covering for the horse 

 or man, it takes some time and two men to fold it 

 properly if once unfolded. The result is this : if the felt 

 happens to fit, the horse will be quickly and well 

 saddled if not, quickly and badly ; on the other hand, 

 two or three minutes more may insure all the horses 

 being well saddled, provided the men know how to fold 

 their blankets, and are made to do so. Two or three 

 minutes may be, however, of great importance : let us 

 endeavour to estimate their precise value. Cavalry on 

 outpost duty never unsaddle, therefore it can suffer no 



* The greatest possible luxury in the matter of blankets is, 

 however, powerless to keep horses alive whose rations consist of 

 their neighbours' tails, as in the Crimea. 



