It is safe to say that the pressure is never the same at any two points over the back; it is greater here and less there, depending upon the fit of the saddletree, so that we never expect to see the whole length of the skin of the back die as a result of pressure, but only those parts where the tree has been particularly ill-fitting and the pressure the greatest.

It is obvious that so long as there is a deep muscle bed beneath the skin the chances of completely cutting off the blood supply are very small; as the muscle becomes reduced in bulk the saddle is brought day by day nearer to the skeleton, and the unyielding saddle on one hand and rigid bone on the other very soon complete the destruction of the skin.

The muscle of the back may be regarded in the light of so much extra stuffing in the saddle, it saves the bones and skin from injury; it takes the jar and concussion, and forms an elastic cushion for the saddle to rest on.

This point having now been made clear it is easy to understand the harm that arises through horses being hour after hour under the saddle with no relief from their burden.

Continuous pressure will kill anything. The weight of a drop of water in course of time wears away a stone, and continuous pressure, quite irrespective and apart from bad saddle fitting will wear holes in a horse’s back.

The most perfectly fitting saddle that it is possible to conceive will cause sore backs if worn for hours and days together with no relief from pressure.

The value of this lesson will again be referred to in speaking of prevention, but the fact that long continued, unrelieved pressure will invariably cause sore backs cannot be too distinctly borne in mind.