THE LENGTH OF THE STIRRUP 38 



The length of the stirrup has nothmg whatever 

 to do with the lateral measurement of the horse, 

 as many people suppose. It is quite immaterial 

 whether the horse is round- or flat-sided. If any 

 of my readers still think it has, I will ask them, 

 next time they are in the saddle, to open out their 

 knees well from the horse's sides for a moment, 

 and they will find that in so doing it does not 

 alter the length of the stirrup leather in the very 

 slightest. What does require a different length 

 for different horses is nothing more or less than 

 action, or in other words, the length of his stride 

 and the distance that he is in suspension. 



The next chapter will deal with the length of 

 rein, which is certainly second to, if not as equally 

 important as, the subject that has just been dealt 

 with. 



