STIRRUPS. 17 



that my modest advice may render such accidents rare in 

 the future. 



Standing on the stirrups is Hke standing on a spring-board, 

 in which case, if any violent movement is produced by the 

 horse, the rider is Hable to be shot forward as if from a cata- 

 pult, and ah^'ays on to his head. Even when the horse plunges 

 forward, the rider will be rareh' unseated if he is sitting well 

 into the saddle, with the weight resting on his seat. Then 

 the worst thing that can happen to him is to be shifted on to 

 the horse's neck, in which case he will fall softly ; but if he 

 is bearing his weight on the stirrups, with his legs straight, 

 nothing will be easier for the horse than to send him between 

 his ears. When the rider adopts this faulty position, his 

 body is carried forward, and the horse is able to plunge 

 as he likes, on account of the weight being taken off his 

 loins. 



The rider who stands on his stirrups is in the position of a 

 gymnast standing on the hands of a comrade, whose business 

 is to give him the necessary propulsion for making a dangerous 

 leap. In order for him to be projected very far, it is 

 necessary for him to keep his body and legs straight, but 

 if he bends his knees he cannot go far. The stirrups 

 play a role similar to that of the hands of the gymnast who 

 is ready to give the propulsion. Hence, if the rider bends 

 his knees he will remain in the saddle. 



We should bear in mind that if the pupil, before his legs 

 have got well down, is allowed to use the stirrups, he will not 

 be able to keep his feet in them. He will then make all sorts 

 of contortions in order to retain them, in which case, not onh' 

 the muscles of the legs, but also those of the body and face, 

 will become contracted, and the neck and the shoulders will 

 assume a characteristic form of stiffness. 



Notwithstanding all the care which the teacher ma}^ take 

 later on to correct these faults, tlie pupil very rarely succeeds 



2 



