2 S o PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT 



the piftol when fuddenly returned, and to the carabine or muf- 

 ket, when brufhing through an hedge or other inclofure. The 

 facility of drawing and returning the carabine, alfo renders the 

 rife of the carabine belt and fwivel to the dragoon when mount- 

 ed unneceffary ; a matter of no fmall importance, as the carabine 

 when flung almoft difables the fword-arm from acting. A fmall 

 priming flafk, (fig. 5.) containing about two ounces of powder, 

 made of horn, which hangs from the left moulder below the 

 right elbow, will be found of great convenience, by faving the 

 breaking of a frefh cartridge, if in windy or wet weather the 

 piece mould happen to mifs fire. 



I have likewife to add, that, owing to the number of acci- 

 dents which troop horfes are fubject to, from the weight, in- 

 convenience, bad conitrudtion, and infufficiency of our dragoon 

 faddle, I have made fome alteration on the common hufTar-fad- 

 dle, which, I cannot help flattering myfelf, corrects, in a great 

 meafure, the defects of both. The common huffar-faddle is 

 fhorter than ours ; it raifes the feat of the rider confiderably 

 above the horfe's back. The flirrup-leathers are likewife re- 

 moved further back. Owing to thefe circumftances, the huffar 

 fits very high and erect on his horfe ; he appears rather to reft 

 on his fork than on his feat, his balance inclining forward. 

 The principal advantages of this faddle are, that it fits all horfes 

 equally well, and that the back-bone of the animal is perfectly 

 free and untouched. The difadvantages of it are, that, by 

 placing the horfeman fo high above the horfe, the fecurity of 

 his feat is affected, becaufe, the nearer a man fits to his horfe's 

 back, the firmer is the grafp which he is able to make with his 

 thighs, and the lefs likely he is to lofe his balance ; and al- 

 though in a flat open country the inconvenience of the huffar- 

 feat may not be fo much felt, yet in a hilly or inclofed one, and 

 where leaping is neceffary, the rider is continually expofed to 

 be thrown forward on his horfe's neck ; befides which, there is 



a 



