CHAPTER IV.

THE SIDE SADDLE.

It is of first-class importance that a lady's saddle should be made by a respectable and thoroughly competent saddler. Seeing the number of years a well-built and properly kept side-saddle will last, it is but penny wise to grudge the necessary outlay in the first instance. Those constructed on the cheap machine-made system never give satisfaction to the rider, are constantly in need of repair (grooms, if permitted, are everlastingly in and out of the saddler's shop), and are a prolific cause of sore backs.

With all saddles the chief cause, the source and origin, of evil is badly constructed and badly fitting trees that take an undue bearing on different parts of the back. At a critical moment, when just a little extra exertion would perhaps keep the horse on his legs, a somewhat tender muscle or portion of "scalded" skin comes in painful contact with some part of an ill-fitting saddle, the agony causing him to wince, checks the impulse to extend the "spare leg," and he comes down. It does not matter how hard or heavy the rider may be, how tender the skin, a sore back can be prevented by a proper system of measurement and a good pannel. Mrs. Power O'Donoghue, in her very interesting letters upon "Ladies on Horseback," unsparingly condemns the elaborate embroidery which adorned (?) the near flap of every old-fashioned saddle, pointing out that as it is always concealed by the rider's right leg, the work is a needless expense. "There might be some sense," that brilliant and bold horsewoman says, "although very little, in decorating the off-side and imparting to it somewhat of an ornamental appearance; but in my opinion there cannot be too much simplicity about anything connected with riding appointments. Let your saddle, like your personal attire, be remarkable only for perfect freedom from ornament or display. Have it made to suit yourself--neither too weighty nor yet too small,--and if you want to ride with grace and comfort, desire that it be constructed without one particle of the objectionable _dip_."

The foregoing two sketches, "The Old Style" and "The Straight-Seated Safety," contrast the wide difference between the old and fast disappearing form of side-saddle and that designed and manufactured by Messrs. Champion and Wilton. The disadvantages of the old style are so painfully obvious that it is marvellous they should not have been remedied years ago. On, or rather _in_, one of these, the lady sat in a dip or kind of basin, and unless her limbs were of unusual length--thereby pushing her right knee towards the off-side--she necessarily faced half-left, _both_, not her horse's ears, but his near shoulder; or, in order to attain any squareness of front, she was called upon to twist her body from the hips, and to maintain a most fatiguing, forced position during her whole ride (even through a long day's hunting), or else sit altogether on the near side of her saddle. This twist was the cause of the pains in the spine so frequently complained of. More than this, the height upon which her pommels were raised caused her to sit, as it were, uphill, or at best (in the attempt on the part of the saddler to rectify this, by stuffing up the seat of her saddle) to find herself perched far above her horse's back. The natural expedient of carrying the upper or middle pommel nearer the centre of the horse's withers, so as to bring the knee about in a line with his mane, was impracticable with the old-style of saddle tree, which gave the pommels a lofty, arched base above the apex of his shoulders. The result was, in all cases, (1) great inconvenience and often curvature of the spine to the rider, (2) constant liability to sore back on the part of the horse, through the cross friction produced by the lady's one-sided position. To meet and entirely remove the difficulty, Messrs. Champion and Wilton pruned away all the forepart of the saddle-tree, and, in place of the raised wood and metal base, upon which the lady's right leg formerly rested, substituted merely a stout leather flap or cushion.

As will be seen from the foregoing illustration, they were by this arrangement able to place the upper pommel in whatever exact position the form of the rider may require, to enable her to sit straight to her proper front, riding the whole upon a level seat, and distributing her weight fairly upon her horse's back. The importance of being in a position to face her work and to hold her horse at his, needs no comment. The small holster attached to the saddle is an exceedingly ingenious air and water-tight detachable receptacle for a reliable watch with a very clearly marked dial. The rider thus always has the time before her eyes, and is saved the great inconvenience--in the hunting-field especially--of unbuttoning the habit to get out a watch. This invention, though not a necessity, is a very handy adjunct.

This superlatively good saddle is fitted with a PATENT SAFETY-STIRRUP BAR, which, while it renders it impossible for the rider to be hung up or dragged when thrown, cannot possibly become detached so long as she remains in the saddle. The action of this perfect safeguard is explained by the accompanying diagrams.

The back of the bar is fixed to the tree in the ordinary way. There are only two moving parts, viz. the hinged hook-piece, marked A, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, upon which the loop of the stirrup-leather is hung, and the locking bar, B, upon which the skirt and the rider's legs rest. It will be noticed that the front of the hook-piece, marked A, Fig. 1, is cut off diagonally front and back, and that there is upon the back-plate a cone, marked C, which projects through the back of the hook-piece. The locking action may be thus described: The skirt, with lever, B, Fig. 2, is lifted, the hook, A, pulled forward, and the loop of the stirrup-leather hooked upon it; it springs back again (spring not shown) and the locking lever, B, falls down over it, as at Fig 3. While in the saddle, one of the rider's legs rests at all times upon the skirt and lever, which therefore cannot rise; but upon the rider being thrown and dragged, the stirrup-leather is tilted diagonally against the cone, C, in passing which the hook is thrust outwards, lifting the locking lever and skirt, as shown, Fig. 2, and thus reaching the releasing point, is free. There is another case more rare, that in which the rider is thrown over the horse's head, and also over a gate or fence when the horse refuses and backs; and here we have just the reverse action to that of the ordinary dragging, but in this case the bar acts equally well. When the rider is thrown and dragged on the off or reverse side, the stirrup-leather lifts the skirt and locking lever, Fig. 2, and there remains nothing to retain the loop to the bar. The above sketch of the side-saddle will aid in making the foregoing clear. Here A is the skirt, and locking lever, B, shown raised, in order to fit the loop of the stirrup-leather to the hook C below the cone D.

A balance strap is usually supplied with a side-saddle, and is a very desirable adjunct. Ds also, to which the cover-coat is attached, should be fitted on.

Quilted or plain doeskin seat and pommels are matters of taste. These extras add to the cost of the saddle. A waterproof or leather cover is an essential. Hogskin caps and straps, to prevent the habit catching on the pommels, should be provided when the new patent safety-bar stirrup is not used.

When practicable a lady should invariably be measured for her saddle. It is almost impossible to find a lady's horse that at some time or another has not suffered from sore back, and it is imperative that the saddle should fit _both_ and that perfectly. We bipeds cannot walk or run in tight ill-fitting boots, neither can a horse act under a badly fitting saddle. I have read somewhere that the Empress of Austria rode in an 8-lb. saddle, a statement I take leave to doubt. Her Imperial Highness is far too fine and experienced a horsewoman to have been seen outside any such toy. In the present day there is a senseless rage for light side-saddles, much to be deprecated, as the lightness is gained at the expense of the tree, and light flimsy leather is used in their manufacture. Possibly when alum comes into general use we may see lighter and even strong trees. A lady weighing 9 stone 7 lbs. requires a saddle about 17 inches long, measured, as in the sketch, from A to B, the seat from C to D, 13-1/4 inches wide, the upright pommel 5-1/2 inches high, and the leaping-head 8 inches long. Such a saddle, brand new, will weigh about 14 lbs., and at the end of a season will pull the scale down at 18 to 20 lbs. A saddle made of the proper weight and strength in the first instance--the extra weight being in the tree, where the strength is required--will be lighter in appearance.

Light saddles always require a lot of extra stuffing, which soon mounts up the weight and detracts from the looks; moreover it is very inconvenient to be constantly sending one's saddle to be restuffed. Most ladies, from lack of proper supervision and want of thought, are neglectful of the make and condition of their saddles, and so some ribald cynic has hazarded the remark that although "a good man is merciful to his beast, a good woman is rarely so." A first class firm keeps an experienced man for the purpose of measuring horses, who is sent out any distance required at a fixed scale of charges. When a lady cannot conveniently attend to be measured, she should endeavour to get the measurements, as indicated in the sketch, from some saddle in which she can ride with comfort.

Though careful fitting and adjustment of the saddle will reduce friction to a minimum, and will, in the majority of cases, do away with its baneful effects, still with some very highly bred horses the skin of the back is so easily irritated, that during a long day's work, in hot climates especially, it becomes chafed, and injury is inflicted either at the withers or underneath the seat. Nothing is more difficult to deal with and heal than a sore back. In a prolonged and arduous campaign, I have seen regiments seriously reduced below their fighting strength by obstinate sore backs. A very great _desideratum_, in my opinion, is the new "Humanity" sponge-lined numnah, another of Messrs. Champion and Wilton's sensible inventions. This excellent preventative and curative Saddle-cloth keeps the most tender-skinned horse in a position to walk in comfort. It is an adaptation of the finer kind of Turkey sponge, the soft nature of which suggested itself to the inventors as an agent for counteracting saddle friction.

It is made in two varieties: (1) of bridle leather, lined at the withers with this fine, natural sponge, thus interposing a soft pad between the saddle and the withers (a point where the chief strain of a lady's seat is brought to bear during the action of the trot); (2) of a fine white felt, lined at the back as well as at the withers with the same quality of sponge, and intended for such horses as are apt to become troubled under the seat of the saddle as well as at the withers. The sponge has to be damped, preferably in warm water, but pressed or wrung out before using, and the leather part kept soft with vaseline, which is an excellent preservative and softener of leather. _Each time after use, the sweat should be thoroughly washed out of the sponge; to ensure best results, attention to scrupulous cleanliness is absolutely essential._ The following are representations of this numnah.

With the safety-bar and the Zenith habit it matters not what form of stirrup a lady uses, for these have done away with the necessity for the so-called safety patterns, of which there are several. The slipper has been objected to, as it, from being so comfortable, encourages ladies to lean their whole weight on it and thus throw themselves out of balance; moreover, it is out of fashion. Mrs. Power O'Donoghue advocates the plain iron racing stirrup, with the foot well home, as by its means the rise or purchase is from the instep, as it ought to be, and not from the toes. The Prussian side-pieces at the bottom take sharp pressure off the sides of the foot. The Victoria and French pad inside the stirrup, except when the safety bar and habit are adopted, are fraught with danger; with these precautions they are a great comfort, and guard the instep at the trot when the foot is thrust well home. The size of the stirrup should be proportionate to the foot.