260 THE HORSE 



writer has ever used have been thick white ones, known as 

 Scriven's Patent Wilson Numnah. These do not shrink 

 as the ordinary felt ones are apt to do, and an experience 

 of them for many years has proved their value and suit- 

 ability. Leather numnahs can be also recommended, but 

 like the similar lining for saddles they need to be kept very 

 supple and frequently greased. 



All saddles should have the lining sponged over to remove 

 the accumulated sweat, when taken to the saddle-room 

 after being used ; they should then be dried at a distance 

 from the fire, being afterwards gently beaten with a light 

 stick, to get rid of any impurities which the lining has 

 absorbed. The leather part should have any mud washed 

 off and then have a damp sponge passed all over it, which 

 has been previously rubbed on ordinary yellow bar soap. 

 This is an excellent preservative of leather, and keeps it 

 supple, while there is nothing in it to soil or stain white 

 breeches when riding in rain, which is so often the case 

 v/ith ordinary saddle-pastes. Soft soap is not good for 

 leather, for though it softens it at first it causes it after- 

 wards to become hard, and possibly crack. 



Girths. 



Girths are of great variety, and when the ordinary kind 

 are used broad ones are much easier for the horse than 

 narrow ones, although they have a greater tendency to 

 make the horse sweat underneath them. Still, the pressure 

 being distributed over a wider area more than makes up 

 for this slight drawback. Yoimg horses with a low fore- 

 hand are very subject to sores behind the elbow, from the 

 saddle working forward, so that the edge of the girth comes 

 in contact with the thin skin immediately behind the elbow, 

 when the friction soon breaks the skin. A very simple 

 remedy for this state of things is to tie something soft 

 round the girths, bending the edge outwards, and well 

 back, and then no friction can result. Nothing answers 

 better for this purpose than an old silk boot-lace, as it lies 

 flat and is quite soft. Perhaps tlie best girths of all are the 



