Horse Companionship 289 



into a fight with them before you are fairly started. If 

 the horse is light-waisted, ride him with a hunting breast- 

 strap. When you reach the covert-side, take your girths 

 up a hole, if necessary, while sitting in the saddle.* If your 

 mount has the proper conformation you need have little 

 fear of a saddle turning. 



Don't choke yourself with a stock, a tight-fitting coat or 

 boots. These things make the man cross, and the horse 

 generally has to suffer for it. 



Don't neglect to give your stirrup-leathers a good twist- 

 ing before you mount, so that the stirrup, when in position, 

 instead of hanging flat against the horse's side, hangs at right 

 angles to it, with a straight opening for your foot. It 

 looks better, feels and is better. (See page 109.) 



Don't ride in a knee-padded saddle, or one with a flask- or 

 sandwich-case fastened to it. They are more or less in the 

 way, and the pad and flask prevent an easy return to your 

 seat if you are thrown on to your horse's neck. The flap- 

 ping sandwich-case also cannot but be a source of annoy- 

 ance to the horse. 



Don't buy a thick padded saddle that sits high up on your 

 horse. Get one as thin as possible, and stuffed with real hair. 

 The nearer you can get your seat to the horse, the better. 

 You will be surprised, if you have always ridden on a thick 

 saddle, to note how much easier you ride on a thin one, espe- 

 cially if you ride by balance. There should be little or no 

 padding whatever under the flaps of the saddle ; a thick piece 

 of pigskin under the girth-buckles is quite sufficient. Half 

 or three quarters of an inch makes a wonderful difference. 



* See illustration, page 109. 



