TABLE OF CONTENTS. IX 



point as can be conveniently done For military purposes, 

 blankets in some respects preferable to feltplates under the 

 saddle The crupper is utterly useless The breastplate is 

 unobjectionable, . . , . . 45-63 



CHAPTER III. 



SEATS. 



The seat on horseback is maintained by balance, by friction, or 

 by the aid of the stirrups A combination of all these means 

 affords the greatest security The more perfect the balance 

 the less will be the quantity of muscular action required to 

 maintain the seat ; the closer the seat to the saddle, and 

 the greater the surfaces brought into contact, the more 

 easily will the balance be maintained ; the nearer the point 

 of suspension of the stirrup to the seat, the less will balance 

 and friction be disturbed, and the more will the stirrup 

 act in support of these, how or wherever the rider may 

 otherwise sit To have a good seat, his weight must be 

 distributed equally between the three bones forming the 

 triangle of his fork, and not on any two of these, or on the 

 third alone It is better to commence riding with stirrups 

 than without The jockey's saddle and seat The hunting 



' seat Road-riding Rising in the stirrups versus bobbing up 

 and down What is the object of both, . . 64-88 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE MILITARY SEAT. 



This is more easily reducible to rule than any other, the 

 object being alike in all cases, and the material selected 

 with reference to that special purpose The cavalry seat 

 must facilitate not only the mere progressive power of the 

 horse, but also such a degree of handiness as will insure to 

 its rider a perfect command over his weapons, and, in addi- 

 tion to all this, secure for the troop-horse the longest pos- 

 sible period of service These latter objects are but too 

 frequently sacrificed in favour of mere vehemence of move- 

 ment ; they are only to be attained by very careful saddling, 

 bitting, and a correct seat or method of riding Weight 

 carried by some cavalry horses compared with that carried 



