20 HORSEMANSHIP. 



''Bumping''' up and down in the saddle is often caused 

 by the rider advancing his feet, and putting too much 

 weight on the stirrups. He will be liable, when in this 

 position, to be jerked up out of his saddle, at each stride, 

 by reason of the rigid nature of the stirrup leathers. If, 

 on the contrary, he draws back his feet, and keeps his 

 legs bent, and not straight, the " play " of the knee joints 

 will tend to obviate the jerk communicated, by the 

 stirrups, to the legs. 



Except for park hacking, one should ride with the 

 feet home in the stirrups, when going faster than the 

 trot, at which pace the ball of the foot may rest on the 

 iron, so that the ankle joint may ''give " to the motion 

 of the rider, when he rises in his stirrups. 



A t the slow canter, it looks, and certainly feels, best 

 for the rider to lean his shoulders somewhat back ; while 

 doing so appears to me to be correct in theory, for 

 keeping the weight forward might throw more strain on 

 the leading fore leg than it could in safety bear. This 

 pace is one of three time. Let us suppose that the off 

 fore IS leading. The action will then be as follows : 

 (i) body supported by near hind ; (2) by off hind and 

 near fore ; (3) by off fore. In the gallop, which is in 

 four time, the hind legs make their stroke, almost. 



