104 SEATS AND SADDLES. 



into the horse's belly to sustain it, or wholly abstained 

 from the attempt to reproduce his figures in motion. 

 And the ease and dignity of his statuettes depend on 

 the impression they make on the spectator of their 

 perfect security, and because they exhibjt the rider as 

 having a perfect control over the movements of his 

 horse; and this is what a cavalry soldier should have. 

 What can be more undignified or repugnant to good 

 taste than to put a great military leader on a horse in 

 the position in which grooms used to ride to water 1 It 

 disgusts, from being altogether out of character. 



But, as we have shown, the safety of the horse's back 

 and the life of the rider that is to say, the efficiency 

 of the cavalry depend altogether on perfect equilib- 

 rium; and this, we take it, is a much higher considera- 

 tion than appearance. Fortunately, however, what is 

 really good and to the purpose does please the eye in 

 this as in many other matters. Lastly, far from think- 

 ing that a good method of riding to hounds is incom- 

 patible with, or antagonistic to, a good system of mili- 

 tary riding, we believe that the former has been of 

 great use to the latter in emancipating it to a certain 

 extent from the pedantry of the old haute ecole, and 

 laying the foundation for the modern system of " cam- 

 paign riding," which is better adapted to our present 

 cavalry tactics. And, after all, there is not so much dif- 

 ference between a good hunting and a good military seat 

 as many people suppose ; nor should they, on the other 

 hand, be considered identical, as many others believe, 

 the objects to be attained and the means being differ- 

 ent. And this is quite certain, that the " wash-ball seat " 

 is just as useless for the one as " tongs across a wall " 

 is for the other. Exaggeration spoils good riding, as it 

 will the best argument, and is ridiculous into the bargain. 



