100 WOUNDS AND BEUISES. 



cantle ; of the off side of the back underneath the cantle ; of the 

 parts against which the points of the tree rest ; of the general bear- 

 ing surface of the saddle ; and of the " girth place," which is the 

 bottom part of the chest over which the girths pass. We may 

 divide saddle and girth galls into bruises of the backbone and of the 

 structures near it, and into ordinary bruises, cuts, or irritated 

 patches of skin, or of skin and muscle. Bruises of the backbone 

 and of its adjoining parts are always serious; as they are likely 

 to develop into more or less troublesome abscesses. Although, 

 under all ordinary circumstances, they are due to bad management, 

 they may be the unavoidable results of legitimate work, as during 

 military field service. In some cases of inflamed withers, the 

 injury results in a synovial enlargement, to which I shall allude 

 on page 332. 



BEARING SURFACE OF THE SADDLE.— The only part of a 

 horse's body which is fit to bear the weight of a saddle containing 

 a rider, are the muscles which, on each side, cover the upper and 

 more or less horizontal portion of the ribs between the loins and 

 the upper end of the shoulder blade. These muscles rest on the 

 upper portion of the ribs, which are connected underneath to the 

 breast bone. As the vertebrae of the loins are unprovided with ribs, 

 or with other firm support for these muscles, weight should not be 

 placed by the saddle on the loins. As the spines of the back 

 vertebrae (backbone) are incapable of supporting even a moderate 

 amount of pressure without becoming inflamed, no part of the 

 saddle or roller should bear on them. If the saddle be put so far 

 forward as to press on the upper end of the shoulder blade, its 

 presence in that position will more or less hamper the movements 

 of the animal during the forward and backward play of that bone 

 at each stride ; even if it does not produce a wound or bruise. 



WAYS IN WHICH THESE INJURIES OCCUR.— When the skin 

 is unaccustomed to pressure, it will naturally be particularly liable 

 to become bruised or cut from even moderate work. No matter 

 how well inured to contact with saddle gear it may be, it can easily 

 become inflamed by long-continued pressure interfering with the 

 local circulation, as might occur with a very tightly girthed-up 

 saddle during a long day's hunting. This undesirable result may 

 also be brought about by the irritating effect of the panel or of 

 the girths ; or by the part becoming unduly heated. 



The girths cause hurt, usually, by pressing upon a fold of skin, 

 or by being kept too long in a tight condition. 



As the use of a panel is, by its softness, to enable the back 

 to bear with impunity the pressure of the hard tree of the saddle, 



