47 



The military and school saddle, -will ordinarily require a deeper seat 

 and a more straightly cut flaps, than the steeple chase or cross country 

 saddle. 



On hunting saddles, the puffs, which are intended to add to the 

 security of the seat, are frequently dispensed with and not without 

 good reason, as a rider who has for one or the other of many causes, been 

 thrown forward on the horses neck, will be able to regain his seat more 

 easily without the saddle puffs, which in this case would only prove a 

 hinderance and a cause for delay. 



The womans saddle has 'within the last ten years undergone many 

 changes in form and inner construction, and in its present shape, the 

 English side saddle meets in every respect the demands on safety, 

 elegance and durability. 



THE BRIDLE. 



The bridle is calculated to hold, guide and control the horse and to 

 enable the rider to bring the horse in that position, of equilibrium, which 

 will facilitate the carrying of both the horse itself and the rider. 



Which of the large variety of briddles is to be used, depends large- 

 ly upon the individuality of both horse and rider. 



The bits used in riding are : the snaffle and the curb, in their various 

 constructions and combinations. 



The simplest, easiest bit and the one, used in the first stages of 

 education of horse and rider, is the snaffle. It consists of two pieces 

 of steel, linked in the centre, with rings on both ends for the attach- 

 ment of the head-stall and reins, and sometimes bars are attached on 

 the sides, upward and downward of the mouth piece, to prevent the 

 shifting to one side , or the slipping of the rings into the horses mouth. 

 The snaffle acts upon the corners of the horses mouth and should lean 

 against the latter without gagging. 



The most common varieties of the snaffle bit are : The simple or 

 school snaffle, the racing snaffle, the double snaffle, the unevenly broken. 

 The snaffle with mouth piece broken in several places, the twisted 

 snaffle, the chain snaffle, the rubber snaffle, the robe snaffle, the four 

 ring snaffle, and the roller snaffle. 



All these bits answer one and the same purpose, and are selected 

 with regard to the individuality of the animal, exercising more or less 

 powerfully the pressure on the corners of the horse's mouth and the 

 tongue. 



The curb bit, consists of an inflexible mouth piece, with an elevation 

 or port in the shape of an arch in the centre, to give more freedom to the 

 tongue. 



At the sides of the mouth piece bars are attached, the lower ones 

 being ordinarily double the length of the upper ones. 



The head-stall is attached to the rings of the upper bars, and the 

 reins to those of the lower ones. 



The curb hooks in the upper bars, are connected -with the curb 

 chain, and the lipstrap, which connects the lower third of the lower 



