Surcingle longe lines, requires the use of a surcingle to thread the longe lines through the rings. Compared to a saddle, a surcingle allows more precise adjustment of side reins due to the placement of additional rings. While a saddle only provides one height to attach the rings (the girth buckles), and can be uneven or at the wrong position, a training surcingle places rings at more appropriate locations for ground work. Many surcingle designs allow the side reins to be attached at several different heights along the sides of the horse. When used without a saddle, a surcingle sits just
Mirth & Girth portrait, Washington is holding a pencil in his right hand. His aide, Alton Miller, initially mistook Washington's slumping over his desk as an attempt to pick up a pencil that had fallen onto the floor. The title of the piece is presumably derived from Girth & Mirth, an organization for overweight gay men. In an interview with the "Chicago Sun-Times", Nelson stated that he had painted "Mirth & Girth" over the course of one night, standing in his underwear. He said that he had painted it in response to how the city populace revered Washington shortly after his death. Nelson