SADDLING.
The choice of a lady’s side-saddle is a most important matter, and
ought not to be treated in any other light; yet with multitudes of
equestrians it seems to be regarded as almost a thing of nought. “Look
out for a second-hand saddle for me, there’s a dear!” writes a country
lady to a town friend; “I am actually going to ride!” And away goes
the town lady on a search through alley and slum, and comes home the
triumphant purchaser of an awful instrument, which gives a sore back
to the bearer of it in no time at all, and is then sent to be stuffed,
coming back to its owner all the worse for the process, owing to the
fact that the stuffing has, in the first instance, been entirely over
done. Articles of this description never give any satisfaction, and
would be dear if purchased at half-a-crown. Economise as you will in
other directions--put up with cheap hats, habits, boots, and gloves,
if you cannot really afford any better,--for, odious though they be,
they can prove injurious to yourself alone,--but let your saddle be
of the best. Go to a first-class maker; get measured as accurately as
a man does for a pair of hunting breeches--tell him that you need the
_best_ materials and very best workmanship--and if he knows his art he
will require no further directions. It is almost superfluous to repeat
that a well-made side-saddle should be level-seated, and should have
no perceptible dip, or sinking, from front to cantle. It ought to be
amply long for the rider, and the points of the tree should fit close
to the horse’s sides behind the shoulder-blades. I object to stitching,
on either near or off side, as being unworkmanlike; but an unpractised
rider may have the seat of her saddle covered with buckskin, which will
afford her a more secure grip than she can obtain from the ordinary
slippery leather. The gullet-plate should either be dispensed with
altogether (as mentioned in a former chapter), or be sufficiently
arched to prevent its pressing on the horse’s withers. I prefer the
former plan, and have found it answer admirably. The up-pommel should
be barely high enough to afford a secure catch for the right leg. When
higher than this it sticks up like a horn beneath the habit, and is
extremely disfiguring.
The leaping-head should be movable. I do not mean that it should merely
turn round and round, or bend downwards with a hinge, but it ought to
be capable of being placed higher or lower, according as the rider may
desire. This can be accomplished by having two, or even three, holes
made for it within varied distances of one another: a plan which will
be found of especial benefit in cases where a saddle is purchased
with a view to more than one lady making use of it--and a tired rider
will frequently find it a great boon. Of course, in such case, the
leaping-head must be a screw one, a thing to which I know many ladies
object on the ground that it gets out of order. It really ought not
to do so,--nor does it, except when entrusted altogether to a groom,
who keeps unscrewing it every day as if for mere pastime. It should
not be touched at all, except when necessary for cleaning purposes,
or to lubricate it with a little oil, and it will be well then to do
it yourself, unless your servant happens to be an exceptionally good
and trustworthy one, or that you are too grand in your ideas to put
your hand to anything in the shape of work. I hope, however, that I
am not writing for any such silly person. You should never be above
looking after _everything_ connected with your own riding gear. It
will not lessen your dignity one whit: rather the contrary--for your
servants will then see that you are not a simpleton, and will respect
you accordingly. The lady who shudders at a duster, and wonders where
puddings grow, is in reality not an atom more to be despised than
is the foolish-minded equestrian who thinks it is inelegant to know
anything about the conduct or management of her own stable. I like to
see a woman able and willing to put her hand to everything that comes
in her way, without feeling in the least lowered by it. One of the most
perfectly ladylike women whom I have ever met, on one occasion groomed
and fed her own hunter, when the stableman who had charge of him was
found tipsy, on her return one wintry evening from a long day with the
hounds; and she did it, too, before ever removing her habit. Sense and
humanity combined.
I may add, before passing to another portion of my subject, that where
a screw-pommel is used it will be found a wise plan to have it made
with the thread of the screw _reversed_; by which I mean that the
pommel should turn from left to right, in place of the ordinary way. By
this arrangement the left knee pressing against it serves to fix it all
the more firmly, instead of, as is usual, misplacing it.
I am often asked what ought to be the weight of a side-saddle, and what
the size. Much must of course depend upon the dimensions of the rider.
About eighteen pounds is, or ought to be, the average weight of an
ordinary saddle, although my own were much lighter. I do not, however,
see that there is very much to be gained by riding in too light a
saddle. A few pounds one way or the other can make little difference
(except in racing) to a good horse, and light saddles are sometimes apt
to give sore backs.
With regard to size, I consider that a lady of moderate height--say
five feet three, or thereabouts--ought not to purchase a saddle _less_
than nineteen inches long. Any good maker will, however, give the
proper proportions.
The stirrup-leather of a lady’s saddle is generally attached to it by
an iron ring, but I greatly prefer the spring-bar attachment, same
as is used with men’s saddles. Many ladies say that it is apt, with
pressure, to come away, and if this be the case, a greater objection
could scarcely be urged against it, but, for my own part, I have never
found it do so.
Peat & Co., of Piccadilly, have brought out and patented a really
first-class article in this line, namely, Born’s saddle-bar, a
contrivance which instantly releases the foot in case of a rider being
either thrown or dragged. I can confidently recommend it.
A very simple way, which some like, is to have the stirrup stitched
to a single leather, which is then passed through a ring, and drawn
downwards to within an inch or two of the end of the flap. It is next
passed round the horse’s belly, and buckled to a single tongue on the
other side. This keeps the flaps of the saddle close, and the rider is
enabled by it to shorten or lengthen her stirrup from the off side--an
advantage not to be overlooked.
Girths are of various kinds. Some are in favour of the elastic webbing;
others like the Fitzwilliam, which is a very excellent kind, and
thoroughly to be depended on for general work. For myself, I strongly
advocate the plaited girths, made of either hide, horsehair, or cord.
Being open-work they admit plenty of air, and are calculated to prevent
chafing.
I do not, as a rule, care for saddle-cloths, but no doubt they preserve
the inside of a saddle very much. If used at all they ought to be very
thin. To save a sore back, a sheepskin is best A leather saddle-cloth
will keep pliant if in constant use, but if laid by for a while it
should be moistened with a little oil. Cod-liver will be found the most
efficient for the purpose.
I am not in favour of _any_ of the so-called safety stirrups. Nicholl’s
patent is the best of them; but I cannot help regarding them all as
danger-traps, having twice nearly lost my life through using them. I
therefore strongly recommend all lady riders to adopt a perfectly
plain stirrup, such as is used by men, only of course smaller. A neat
little racing stirrup served me faithfully for years, and I cannot
advocate any other. Safety stirrups are perpetually getting out of
order, and my experience of even the best of them is that they are
liable to catch the foot and confine it in a dangerous manner, which
the plain stirrup never does.
To ride with a slipper, even for a very young beginner, is strongly to
be condemned. To allow children to use it is simply to train them to
ride _from_ it--thus sowing the seeds of a most pernicious practice.
It feels so snug and comfortable under the foot that there is an
irresistible desire to rest and dwell upon it: an evil of which I shall
hereafter have occasion to speak.
Having now said all that I consider useful concerning saddles and
bridles, I think it will be expedient to give a few instructions about
putting them on; for, as I have already said, a lady or gentleman who
cannot do this without the aid of a servant has yet (no matter how
accomplished in every other way) something very important to learn.
To bridle a horse, go quietly up to him, holding the headstall in your
hand. Make much of him for a moment or two before putting it on: not at
all because you think that he is going to fight against it--no lady’s
horse would be guilty of doing such a thing--but because it is a nice
and right habit, and one to be put in practice upon every reasonable
occasion. The way in which unthinking grooms drag poor horses’ heads
about, and _force_ heavy bits into their quiet, unresisting mouths,
is enough to make a humane heart feel grieved and angry together.
Gentleness is, however, a woman’s attribute, and the kindness with
which most women usually regard animals is one of their most loveable
traits.
When the headstall has been nicely fitted, take a glance over it, and
note that the forehead-band is loose enough, and that the throat-lash
will admit at least two of your fingers between it and the skin. Fit
the snaffle-rein next, by the buckles, and see that it falls about half
an inch below the angle of the mouth. If you are in the habit of riding
with a curb, adjust it very carefully, observing the rule laid down
in my chapter on bitting, of resting the mouth-piece on _the bars_ of
the mouth, just above the chin-groove. I know it occasionally happens
that some irregularity about the teeth renders this a difficult thing
to do, and where such is the case the bit must of course be slightly
moved, but it ought to be placed only just as much above the obstacle
as will be necessary to clear it. You must next hook the curb, taking
the off side first, and leaving a link in reserve. Then come to the
near side, and leave it length enough to afford two links--making
sure also that it lies quite flat on the chin-groove, and has not the
smallest tendency to rise upwards at the draw of the reins. Ascertain
above all things that the chain is sufficiently slack, and that it does
not inconvenience the horse. A good test will be for you to insert the
first and second fingers of your left hand between it and the animal’s
chin: slipping them in, so that the palm of your hand shall go beneath
the under lip of the horse, and the back portion of your two fingers be
exposed to the pressure of the chain; then draw the reins quietly with
your right hand, and if you feel an unpleasant pinching, slacken the
chain a link, and try again until you have it right. I said in my last
chapter that the action of the mouth-piece on the bars of the mouth
was entirely controlled by the branches, which also regulate that of
the curb-chain, both on chin and bars. The pressure which it effects
on these constrains the horse to obey the will of his rider. Now, when
the curb-chain is left to hang in too loose a fashion, the pressure
cannot be effected at all, and the branches go backwards, because they
meet with no resistance from the curb-chain: and thus the action of the
cannons on the bars of the mouth is altogether defeated.
Saddling comes next to be spoken about. Place the saddle clear of the
play of the shoulders, if meant for hunting; when the adjustment is for
ordinary riding, an inch or two further back will do. It is a common
error to place the saddle out of position, in order to make it appear
as if the horse bridled better, or had a finer shoulder than he really
has; but it is a very wrong thing to practice constantly, and can only
deceive the most inexperienced judge’s eye.
If you want a horse to go particularly fast for a short distance, you
may adjust the saddle so that it shall be as far forward as possible
without interfering with his action: as the chief office of the hinder
part of an animal is to propel weight, while that of the fore part is
to bear it up.
When the saddle has been nicely placed, take up the first girth, and
then the hinder one, drawing both well back from the horse’s elbows,
so that they shall neither chafe nor inconvenience him in his action.
Do not girth him up too tightly at first, especially if he has been
recently fed; nor must you on the other hand leave him too much space
for the air to make way through, taking into account that some horses
are terrible rogues, and will actually swell themselves out ever so
much when they feel the girths tightening upon them, which shows that
they are more sensible than many who ride them, inasmuch as they object
to being too tightly laced. I had an arrant rogue once, who used to
present the appearance of a drowned pup whenever I came to girth him
up, and would gradually collapse inward, like an indiarubber ball with
a hole in it, whenever he thought he had me sufficiently gammoned. That
horse’s face would have won a fortune for him as a type of injured
innocence when I let him see one day in a practical manner that I was
up to his tricks; but we continued excellent chums, nevertheless, and
as it was to a male friend I subsequently sold him (who would, of
course, clap a leg each side of him, and so distribute the weight), I
said nothing about his little dodges, but laughed to myself when, a few
days later, I saw the dear old man (his owner) riding his wily purchase
in the Row, with girths so slack that he could have put both feet into
them, stirrups and all, without much inconvenience, and my cunning
friend trotting demurely along under him, with the most lamb-like
countenance in the world.
It is almost unnecessary to say that while tight girthing is for every
reason to be avoided, it will not do at all to leave the girths of a
lady’s saddle too loose. When they are so, the uneven distribution of
weight which a side position necessarily entails will be sure to draw
the saddle on one side, or perhaps even cause it to turn: in which case
the consequences will be both dangerous and unpleasant.
I think it an excellent plan to lead a horse about by the bridle for a
minute or two after girthing, and then try again whether he is tight
enough, by inserting a hand between the girths and the belly, and
seeing whether they need any further looking after.
I must not omit to say that if you are using a saddle-cloth or
sheepskin, you should, before finally girthing up, draw the front part
of it well forward on the withers, in order that the gullet-plate of
the saddle (if that article happens to be made with one) may not press
upon them.
The last thing for you to do before mounting will be to pass your
forefinger under the girths at each side of the horse’s body, and
smooth away any wrinkles that the action of girthing may have caused in
his skin.
It will not be amiss here to say that many ladies have asked me for an
opinion concerning the advisability of riding occasionally on the left
or off side of the horse. I cannot see any objection whatever to it for
ordinary riding, although I cannot advocate it for hunting; and where
young girls find it expedient to ride a good deal, I should be apt to
recommend it highly, as a means of preventing their growing awry. The
saddle necessary for it is a somewhat awkward-looking article to those
unaccustomed to view such things, but it may be satisfactory to know
that the Princess of Wales rarely uses any other kind.
[Illustration: LEARNER, ON OFF-SIDE.]