I do not approve of braided horse-hide girths, nor of the Western “cinch” for use with the conventional English side-saddle. The “cinch,” of
course, is a very useful device for use with a cowboy’s saddle, but there is no justification for its use with the side-saddle.
Adjusting Stirrup from Off Side
The balance strap, which is the strap running from the girth billets on the near side to a ring fastened on the off side of the cantle, serves to hold the saddle in position. It must not, however, be strapped too tight or it will pull the saddle too far over to the right and fatigue the horse unnecessarily.
Some of the best English side-saddles now are so made that, when ridden by a very good rider, a balance strap is not necessary. This is a great advantage, as many horses are ticklish and the balance strap annoys them, and, besides, the side-saddle without a balance strap is smarter, on the general principle that the less unnecessary harness there is on a saddle-horse the better.
It is most important that the bridle and reins should be made of the very best quality of leather throughout, and of course, when they are, they are not cheap, but, on the other hand, they last so much longer that it is economy to buy the best at the outset. Cheap leather may give way at a critical moment, and, in any case, the low grade of leather will become hard and stiff, will crack, and will not take the proper polish. The leather, both of bridle and reins, should be thin and pliable, but this should be the result of pressing and working by the strapper. The reins especially must always be pliable, as thick reins tire and hurt both the hands of the rider and the mouth of the horse, and with them one cannot have that lightness and firmness of touch by means of which alone a horse should be controlled by a woman. I cannot insist upon this too strongly, as many fine mouths have been ruined through the use of thick and heavy reins.
The reins for a woman’s use should be a little narrower than for a man’s, and should be in proportion to the relative size of her hands. Women with very small hands may find it necessary to have reins especially made for them. The width of the reins should be such that, when held in the position described, the fingers can be fully bent and the edges of the reins held between the second joint of the fingers and the cushions of the hands. If they are too wide, the fingers cannot be fully closed, which presents a very awkward appearance. If a rider has very long fingers the reins should not be too narrow, for, if they are, they cannot be grasped on the edges, and they slip through the fingers. Therefore, women with exceptionally long fingers usually find it better to use a man’s bridle.
With the Weymouth curb and bridoon a double bridle is, of course, used. This is illustrated in the cut and the names of the various parts given. The buckles should be leather covered and should be square rather than round. The cheek pieces and bridoon head may be buckled with the curb and snaffle bits, respectively, or be stitched. The latter looks much neater, but it makes the bits hard to clean and they cannot be changed.
The latest method is to have an invisible hook on the inside of the cheek pieces, which is similar to