ce when the horse is jumping or "playing up," than when he
is going quietly. On the only occasion I ever rode over a fence in one
of these cheap Walsall saddles, the screw broke, but luckily I
"remained."

4. When the leaping head is a fixture, the bearing surface which it
presents to the rider's left leg should be in the same direction as the
upper part of that limb, so that the pressure on it may be evenly
distributed. By placing a straight stick under the leaping head, and
holding it in the direction which the left thigh would occupy, when the
rider is mounted, we can easily see if the bearing surface is in the
proper position.

5. As an aid to security of seat, it is well to have the under surface
of the leaping head and the off side of the upper crutch covered with
rough brown leather, which, we should bear in mind, is concealed from
view, when the lady is in the saddle, and consequently it will not
detract from the smartness of her appearance.

[Illustration: Fig. 13.--Grip with ordinary leaping head.]

STIRRUP-LEATHER.

The stirrup-leather, which is on the near side, should always be
attached to a bar, and not, as is sometimes done, to the balance strap
(p. 53); because, in this case, its length will be subject to frequent
variation, not only when the saddle is put on different animals, but
also when the horse gets slack in his girth from work. When it is fixed
to a bar, which should always be of the safety kind, no alteration in
the correct length of the leather will take place.

The arrangement for undoing the stirrup-leather is in the most
convenient position when it is close to the iron, and not in proximity
to the stirrup-bar, as is the case in a man's hunting saddle. If the
leather is used in the latter manner, the buckle will be apt to hurt the
inside of the lady's left leg, when she brings the knee close to the
flap of the saddle; and it will be more inconvenient to alter the length
of the leather, when the lady is mounted, than if the buckle or hook was
low down. The hook (Fig. 14) is better than a buckle, because it lies
flatter and is easier to arrange.

[Illustration: Fig. 14.--Hook for stirrup leather.]

SAFETY BARS.

A safety bar is a bar which will release the leather, in the event of
the rider falling from the saddle, and at the same time getting her foot
caught in the stirrup-iron. To be reliable, it should do this, whether
the lady falls on the near side, or on the off side. The b