NEW SYSTEM OF LINING SADDLES. 123 



trying a saddle is by no means as satisfactory as 

 the actual animal itself, I was fully convinced of 

 the very great additional grip which must be ob- 

 tained by using saddles so treated, as also of their 

 apparent comfort to the rider. 



In order to keep the leather lining soft and 

 supple, nothing further than a little soap is required, 

 and I should say that they must be charming to 

 ride on, and should be equally comfortable for even 

 the most tender-backed horse, and I am assured that 

 such is the case. 



I had almost forgotten to make mention re- 

 garding the head of a saddle — the ' pommel,' as it 

 is generally called — but I can do so here as well 

 as elsewhere. In some provincial, but nowadays 

 in no well-made London saddles, the head of the 

 saddle is cut back towards the seat, and is what is 

 termed ' cow-mouthed.' Now, this is wrong alto- 

 gether, and positively dangerous, and no hunting- 

 saddle should ever be so made, and I am inclined to 

 believe that a g-ood London saddler would refuse to 

 sell a saddle of such a shape. I will ask the reader 

 to follow me in supposing that he has the mis- 

 fortune to be thrown slightly forward in his saddle 

 against the head of a saddle with a ' cow-mouth.' 

 Let him but look at such a saddle ; he will be able 

 to judge for himself what amount of injury he could 



