THE SADDLER.

Makes seats adapted to the horse's back for the convenience of the rider; he also makes bridles, girths, &c. The trade of a Saddler is also frequently joined to that of a Harness maker.

In the early ages, when the horse was trained to the use of man, the rider sat on the bare back of the animal ; but in the course of time a covering was used, which consisted of a dressed or undressed skin of some slaughtered beast. Such coverings became afterwards very costly ; they were decorated with many ornaments, and made large enough to hang down nearly to the ground.

But it was reckoned among the Romans more manly to ride on the bare back than upon coverings ; and Xenophon, in his Cyropoedia, reproaches the Persians for placing more clothes on the backs of their horses than on their beds; and giving themselves more trouble to sit easily than to ride skilfully.

The origin of saddles is very ancient, if it be true that the Selians, an ancient people of Franconia, were the first inventors of them, as the name Selle, the French word for saddle, would seem to import. However, it is certain, that neither saddles nor stirrups were in use amongst the early ages of the Roman Republic. Galen assures us, in many of his medical works, that the Romans were subject to frequent diseases of the hip, in consequence of their feet not being supported when they were on horseback; and Hippocrates has made the same observation relative to the Scythians. There is reason to believe, notwithstanding, about a century ago, a saddle used to be shown at Bern, as the same on which Julius Caesar rode, that saddles were not used by the Romans till the year 340 of the Christian aera. Before this period, square pannels were used, such as we see in the Capitol on the equestrian statue of Antoninus : it was also in this Century that Theodosius forbad the use of saddles weighing more than sixty pounds.

A saddle consists of a wooden frame, called a saddle-tree, on which is laid a quantity of horse-hair, wool, &c. and this is covered over with tanned leather, neatly nailed to the wooden tree. To keep the saddle steady on the horae, the crupper is used, which passes under the creature's tail ; and girths to prevent it from turning round. To support the legs of the rider, a fair of stirrups is also
added, one of which as very ueeful in assisting to mount the.animal; do prevent the saddle galling the horse's back a saddle cloth is sometimes used.

The articles made use of in the manufacture of these things are more or less costly according to the price which the purchaser pays for his goods.

Cutting-knives, hammers, and pincers, are the chief implements of the trade ; that is, of the person employed in the manufacture of
saddles. To complete a single article in the business, the aid of many different artizans is required.

The tree-maker furnishes only the wooden part of the saddle ; this is, however, a very important branch of the business; because
upon the saddle-tree the fitting of the saddle depends; and, incases when gentlemen wish to have their saddles fit properly, it is as necessary to measure the horse's back, as for the shoe-maker to measure his customer for boots or shoes. The saddle-tree-maker requires no great strength or ingenuity.

The saddler's iron-monger furnishes him with the iron or steel stirrups, buckles of all kinds, bits for bridles, and other steel or brass
furniture required for the harness of a horse, either for riding or drawing in a carriage. Many of these articles are originally made by
the iron-founder.

There is also a distinct trade, called a horse's milliner ; who makes roses for bridles, and other articles used in highly-ornamented caparisons. This tradesman should have an inventive genius, and a considerable share of taste, to set off the furniture belonging to a horse, and decorate it in a neat and elegant style.

The saddler makes all sorts of bridles, coach and chaise harness ; of course, besides the trades already noticed as peculiarly belonging to his business, he employs the tanner, or leather-cutter, the currier, the embroiderer, who works devices, crests, and coats of arms, in gold, silver, or worsted. He buys broadcloths and other woollens of the draper ; velvet and silk of the mercer ; ribbands of the weaver ; gold and silver and livery lace from the lace-man ; buckram, thread, &c. from the haberdasher. Of all these articles he should, for the sake of his customers, be a good judge.

A great number of saddles are exported to foreign parts, particularly to the East Indies, as English saddles are in great repute there.

There are many different kind of saddles, as the hunting-saddle, the racing-saddle, ladies saddles, called also side-saddles, &c.

The Saddler requires a considerable capital if he is in a large way, and called upon to give much credit ; in general, however, this is not one of the trades which requires a very large stock.

The journeymen, in almost every branch of the saddlery business, work bv the piece, and may earn a good living. They none of them require great strength ; the men always work in the dry, and, in most of the branches, cleanliness, which is no small requisite in the mechanical arts, is a principal one.