THE SADDLE-HORSE 



ent, the arms too long. Look at the tender skin 

 on which these weapons must rest ; oh, reader ! 

 figure to yourself the agony easily inflicted, and 

 buy the largest, easiest bits you can find, seeing 

 that they lie always well below the angles of your 

 patient servant*s mouth. The saddle, well pad- 

 ded everywhere, should be well clear of the 

 shoulder blades, and, if you are a heavy man, be 

 sure your tree is long and wide, that the pressure 

 may be well distributed. If a woman, a thick 

 felt, girthed separately about the horse, will afford 

 a surface for your saddle to move on, while the 

 affixing of your stirrup-strap to a billet on the 

 off-cantle (after going around the body) will re- 

 duce all shifting and consequent chafing to a 

 minimum. 



If you will remember, after you have been out 

 about thirty minutes, to have your girths tight- 

 ened one or two holes, you will do well by your 

 beast, and save a possible fall. Upon return, if 

 saddles are left on for a while, the girths should 

 be tightened to compensate for the weight re- 

 moved, not loosened as is the custom; but if 

 plenty of cold water is well applied the pores of 

 the skin Vill be closed, no injury or swelling 

 result, and the saddle may be removed at once. 



^S3 



