CHAPTER VII. 



THE PLEASURE HORSE. 



I. THE BENT LEG. 



The human mind may be hkened unto a 

 stable with horses all in a row. That strong 

 team Tradition and Custom are overw^orked. 

 Bias and Prejudice have plenty to do. Passion 

 and Vice get an occasional airing, and Vanity 

 has daily exercise. But Reason is kept in his 

 stall, the master's own mount, stale for want 

 of use. He is not popular w^ith the other 

 horses, he is not easily ridden, is heavy to 

 handle, and goes painfully lame from having 

 been kicked too much. 



Let us try him : 



The Bent Leg. So far we have traced the 

 straight leg method of riding from savage life 

 through the Greek practice and that of the 

 Ages of Armour. We have seen the European 

 war seat and war saddle adapt themselves to 

 range practice in wild countries, and so become 

 the basis of outdoor horsemastership. 



ao; 



