AD V ANT A GE OF KNEE-ROLLS. i i 5 



seeks to obtain as strong a grip in his new saddle 

 as he had in his old one, and so, in order to secure 

 it, he turns the bach of his calf into the saddle, so 

 as to obtain from the fulness of his calf the muscles 

 which should be sufficient, if they were present, on. 

 the side of his leg. The hack of his calf being into 

 his saddle, his toes must turn out, and very ugly and 

 ungainly his seat becomes. As a consequence to 

 this, though why I cannot explain, up go his hands 

 and out go his elbows. Now, this is no exaggera- 

 tion. I only ask the reader to take notice for him- 

 self, and if he does so he will see the truth of what 

 I say. 



Personally, I always use plain flaps. I like the 

 look of them ; they show off a horse's shoulder better. 

 They last longer, and look more sportsman-like ; 

 and I can ride in them, having had so many years 

 of cavalry service ; but if asked if I consider that 

 my seat is as perfectly strong in them as in a 'knee- 

 rolled' saddle, I at once reply, ' Certainly not.' 

 When does one ever see a man ride a steeplechase 

 in a small saddle without knee-rolls, and why .' 

 The question, I think, answers itself sufficiently. 



That best of good sportsmen and horsemen, the 

 late Major Whyte - Melville, urges in favour of 

 plain-flapped saddles that they are easier to get 

 back into if a man should be thrown at all forward 



8—2 



