THE HUNT SADDLES.
BROWN.
The saddles made by the Hunt Manufacturing Company of Westboro, Mass., have long been deservedly popular, not only on account of their design, but also because of the excellent material used in their construction. One of their most popular saddles is known as their “Hygienic,” and of this they were the introducers. The leather cover is lined with all-wool felt and rests upon a laced framework of leather strands. These strands are not raw hide or alum-tanned leather, which readily absorb moisture and also stretch and become brittle and hard when dry, but a specially tanned leather which is elastic and impervious to moisture. This leather is, of course, much more expensive than raw hide or alum-tanned leather used by the makers of cheap saddles who imitate their construction. Their ’98 Hygienic saddles have a depression in the middle in the rear, the object of which is to prevent danger to the spinal column by jolt. The leather top has an opening in the centre to afford ventilation and prevent perineal pressure. A modification of their Hygienic pattern consists in placing pads on the top of them, the saddle, of course, having the same laced framework found in their other patterns, so that in this construction framework as well as pads yield under the rider’s weight. For those riders who do not care for the padded saddle with a depression running between the pads, they furnish a pattern of padded saddle which only has a depression on the front and rear of the padded portion and not through the centre. Another variation in their Hygienic pattern consists in using strands of a special woven fabric instead of leather, making the whole leather smaller than their other styles, thus adapting it to young and light weight riders who only require small sitting space. They also make a rigid saddle, which is constructed of two plates of sheet steel so shaped that the edges of the leather cover, which is lined with thick felt, are firmly held by the two plates when assembled, without stitching or rivets. Another new type of saddle made by this company is a saddle absolutely without a pommel. It is of the padded pattern, with leather strand supports, similar to their Hygienic padded saddle, but without pommel. This model is said to be very comfortable for riders who have no difficulty in maintaining their balance without the pommel.