ON HUNTING. 49 



so weird that it would seem almost impossible to get into, 

 much less maintain. If the body is thrown too far for- 

 ward, that is, on to the fork, it is obvious that the man is 

 half way over the horse's head already and a peck or stumble 

 shoots him up its neck or off over its shoulder. Sit with the 

 body well poised over the hips or, if anything, slightly back, 

 with as much of the thigh touching the saddle as possible. 

 Screw yourself into the saddle, as it were. You can feel 

 yourself doing it quite well, especially on the way home from 

 hunting, when the limbs are relaxed. From the knee downward 

 the leg covers the girth ; the body free, not resisting 

 the movements of the horse. Drawing back the leg from the 

 knee downwards you press the horse behind the girth, but only 

 just behind it, to urge him forward, to keep him up to his 

 bridle or to see he does not shuffle off a fence when you 

 present him at it. The elbows should not be " akimbo," 

 but should hang loosely from the shoulder, free to move 

 backward and forward so as not to have a dead, heavy feel 

 on the horse's mouth. Try to ride with long reins, the hands 

 almost touching the bottom button of the coat. If the horse 

 shoves out his nose, do not scramble up the reins and dig 

 your heels into his ribs. Drop the hands and feel the horse 

 with the legs below the knee. If a horse jumps aside, as a 

 fresh one will if a bird flies out of the hedge, do not clutch at 

 the reins ; move with him and sit still. 



Haute Ecole riding is a much more scientific business. 

 It is very clever, and, if anyone has grasped the 

 principles, is an advantage in ordinary riding, but not 

 worth the trouble of learning so far as hunting is con- 

 cerned. When hacking, ride with the toe in the stirrup, 

 keeping it there by sinking the heel and pressing on the 

 ball of the foot. You have the elasticity of the ankle 

 to assist in taking the bump when trotting, and also the 

 leg, with the toe in the stirrup, is in a better position 

 to apply the " aid " just behind the girth. For hunting 

 push the foot home in the iron, but keep the toe up ; 

 if you let it point down, it throws the whole body off the 

 balance. Also, by keeping the heel down you are able to 

 " feel " the waist at the small of the back, which brings the 

 body on the proper part of the anatomy to meet the saddle. 



E 



