98 THE POCKET AND THE STUD. 



for though a horse may go moderately well in a 

 certain bridle, a man with nice hands, and who is 

 particular as to how he is carried, will not rest 

 till he finds the bridle that exactly suits : thus, 

 even supposing we set out with a small stock of 

 horse appointments, if a man often changes his 

 horses, that stock will, in a short time, multiply 

 greatly. Whenever I bought a horse, if the 

 saddle he had been accustomed to be ridden with 

 pleased me I generally bought that also, if I 

 could : the same with his bridle : of the latter, I 

 should be afraid to state here how many I have 

 had by me ; but even of saddles, I have often had 

 at least thirty. I include my own, ladies', ser- 

 vants' saddles, exercising, and, perhaps, three or 

 four racing saddles, of different weights : latterly 

 I made it all but a sine qua non, but if I sold a 

 horse his saddle went with him. 



Independent of this accumulation from circum- 

 stances, when we come to recollect that summer 

 or winter clothing has to be stowed away, 

 sweaters with their hoods, &c., old clothes for sick 

 horses, or those in physic, waterproofs to cover 

 clothes, if travelling, &c., it will be found that not 

 only is a saddle-room wanted, but a good-sized 

 one, if only, we will say, seven or eight horses 

 are kept. 



And here, to save constant cleaning of spare 

 bits, stirrup-irons, or any thing made of steel or 



