CHAPTER IX.

Racing Saddlery.

BRIDLES-MARTINGALES-SADDLES-LEAD CLOTHS-WEIGHT JACKETS-STIRRUP LEATHERS AND WEBS-GIRTHS.

Bridles. From a racing point of view, there is a great deal of truth in the old remark, that if a horse cannot be held with a snaffle, no other bit will hold him. The disadvantages of a curb are, that it tends to make the horse "gallop round"-by causing him to bend his neck and lower his head too much, and also, that, with it, he will not "go go up to his bridle" as freely as he will with a snaffle. However, when every kind of snaffle has been tried, without success, to control a hard puller, the lesser of too evils had better be chosen, and some of his galloping form must accordingly be sacrificed.

The choice of snaffles will generally lie between the ordinary plain, the twisted, the chain, the chain covered with leather, the double-ringed, the gag, the doublemouthed, the New Market-in which the nose-band takes some of the pressure-and the thin racing snaffle. I don't like the last mentioned, as, I think, it tends to make horses pull.

In case of doubt, a double bridle may be used, so that in the event of the rider not being able to hold his horse with the bridoon, he may have the bit reins ready to take up. Horses, that can be held with a snaffle, gallop

as a rule, in far better form with it, than with a double bridle, even when the bridoon reins alone are used; the very presence of the bit seeming to deter them from going boldly up to their bridle.

A double bridle is less objectionable for steeple chasing, than for the flat, on account of the greater necessity there is for obtaining command over the horse, in the former, than in the latter business. When it has to be used in a race, the rider, having previously ascertained the exact length of curb chain that suits his mount, should, before going to the starting post, see that the proper number of links, no more, and no less, are taken up.

As Pelhams have a tendency to make horses bore, I cannot advise their employment, except, perhaps, with star gazers.

Martingales.-A running martingle will generally be required; for apart from its use in keeping a star gazer's head down-in which case it will have to be shortened to a proper length-when lengthened out, it is a most powerful aid in steadying a horse in his gallop, in turning him, and in enabling the jockey to catch a firm hold of his head. It is specially useful with young horses that are apt to "yaw" about, and with steeple chasers.

A standing martingale is sometimes used for horses that rear and are restive at the starting post; it has also, with good effect, been employed, in some few instances, for cross country work.

Saddles. The chief point to be considered about racing saddles-of which Boyce and Rogers of New Market are, probably, the best makers-is that they should be long and roomy, as well as light. A 2 lb.

or 3 lb. saddle, all complete with irons, webs, girth, and surcingle, ought not to be less than 15 inches in length; while a 6 lb. or 7 lb. training or steeple chase one ought to be more than an inch longer.

For cross country riding, the saddle should fit as close as possible to the horse, without actually pressing on the vertebræ of the back, while all unnecessary stuffing and numdahs should be dispensed with, so as to avoid giving "play" to the saddle.

For a race, the position of the saddle should be such, that it should just escape interfering with the play of the animal's shoulder blade, and no more. But for a training gallop, it should be put further back, so as to lessen the strain on the fore legs, unless, indeed, the horse has a weak spot behind.

Saddles, used for training purposes, generally weigh about 7 lbs. each, all complete.

With a racing saddle, the surcingle alone should pass through the loop of the running martingale, while its buckle should come beneath the stomach of the horse, and should not press against his side, in which position it would hurt him at each inspiration.

A pad, about a foot broad and eight inches long, with about three inches down the centre unstuffed, will be useful, with a light racing saddle, to prevent the gullet plate from pressing on the withers.

Leaded saddles are very useful when dead weight has to be put up; or for trials, when the trainer does not want his jockeys to know more than he can help.

Lead Cloths.-The trainer should have weight cloths capable of containing different amounts, with their own

actual weights respectively marked on them. One or two cloths, weighted with leather up to 4 lbs. or 5 lbs., will come in useful; while there should be one, at least, capable of carrying about 21 lbs., so as to obviate the necessity of putting on two small ones, for the saddle will then have less play than it would, were the latter employed.

Each pocket of a weight cloth should be provided with a loop, for a strap-which should be sewn to the rear part of the cloth-to pass through, and thus to secure the leads. The strap should buckle on to the front part of the cloth, beyond the saddle flap. If the buckle be to the rear of the flap, the rider, when using the whip, might hurt his knuckles against it. Or the pockets may be attached to their flaps by buttons. To prevent the weight cloth slipping off during a race, it should be secured by a strap, which is made to pass over the flap of the pannel of the saddle.

The leads should be thin and very pliable, and may be covered with wash-leather, on which it is convenient to mark their respective weights, which will average about Ib. There should also be a few light leads to make up exact weight. In order to obtain increased pliability, leads of half the ordinary thickness may be sewn up in pairs.

Covering them with wash leather will make them less. liable to slip out of the pockets of the cloth.

In order to save the horse from being hurt, no lead should be put into the pockets over which the girth passes.

A weight cloth should be placed well forward, with

the leads equally divided on both sides. If there be an odd piece, it may be put in one of the off-side pockets, if the race be on a right-handed course, and vice versâ.

Weight Jackets.—Instead of a weight cloth, a weight jacket may be used, in case the trainer wants to keep a trial "dark." The jacket should be made to fit tight and should have pockets around the body to contain leads. In this way, a stone or more may be carried. For a race, and particularly so for a steeple chase, a weight cloth is much to be preferred to a weight jacket, as the latter impedes and often hurts the rider.

Stirrup Leathers and Webs.—With racing saddles, the upper part of the eyes of the stirrup irons should be covered with leather, in order to prevent the iron cutting the webs.

For steeple-chasing, stirrup leathers are to be preferred to webs, as they are less liable to break. Besides this, with webs, if the rider loses his stirrup, he will find it more difficult to pick up, than if he had leathers, on account of the former's greater tendency to twist on itself.

With webs, or with light leathers, the part, through which the holes are punched, should be strengthened by an extra thickness of leather, as the fracture, when it takes place, almost always occurs at the hole through which the tongue of the buckle passes.

For cross country riding, it is safest to use none but saddles with locks-and not bars-for the stirrup leathers. These locks should be left open, or, at least, should be well oiled before mounting.

The following is a very useful method for causing a