304 



THE POPULAE EDUCATOR. 



rest, and, opening them when they are above the croup, you 

 como lightly down into the seat. 



5. In the neck mount, you start as with the saddle mount, but 

 throw the right leg over both croup and saddle, removing both 

 hands as the leg passes. 



6. In dismounting from the saddle seat, the right hand rests 



upon the pommel in front 

 of you, and the left is placed 

 upon the saddle ; you then 

 throw the left leg backward 

 over the croup, and, at the 

 same time, grasp the back 

 pommel with the left hand. 

 This brings you back to 

 the position of the rest, 

 Fig. 19. but on the off-side of the 



horse, and you then spring 



lightly to the ground. In dismounting from the croup, you 

 throw up both legs backwards, and come to the ground on the 

 off-side, without an intermediate position. From the neck you 

 dismount as from the saddle, by swinging the left leg back- 

 wards, or you may occasionally descend to the ground by the 

 direct leap forward. 



There are various other ways of mounting and dismounting, 

 more or less fantastic in their nature, but it would require too 

 much space, and serve no practical purpose, to describe them 

 here. 



7. In descending from the horse, both in the exercises just 

 described and in the more advanced of the series, the backward 

 siving off may be performed with advantage, as follows : When 

 the position of the rest is reached, grasp the pommels firmly, 

 throw up the legs backwards, and, at the same moment, push- 

 ing off lightly with the hands, you descend to the ground some 

 distance from the horse. In descending in this manner, you 

 may also either turn to the right or to the left before coming to 

 the ground, or completely round, so that the back is towards the 

 horse when the feet touch the earth. 



8. Balancing upon the horse is performed in a variety of 

 ways, but in these exercises the legs must not touch the horse. 

 One form of balancing is shown in Fig. 21. In executing this 

 balance you start from the croup seat, and throw your legs 

 gradually behind you, leaning well forward upon the hands at 

 the same time, the weight of the body resting upon them. In 

 this way you raise the legs to the position shown in the illus- 

 tration, and, as you become more expert and confident, you may 

 continue the upward movement until you stand upon the hands. 

 But when attempting to perform this teat, it is necessary that 

 some one should be close by the gymnast to render assistance 

 in case it is required. 



9. The same kind of movement may be performed from the 

 position already described as the rest (Fig. 20), but in this case 

 the legs, even from the moment of starting, may be kept entirely 

 clear of the horse. Grasping both pommels firmly, gradually 



raise the legs from the ground until the 

 knees pass between the arms, but without 

 touching the saddle. Then you may con- 

 tinue the movement until the legs are thrust 

 entirely through the arms, and extended 

 straight before you, when you are, as it 

 were, in a sitting position, but resting en- 

 tirely upon the hands. This is a capital 

 exercise, and, with a little care, may be per- 

 formed in perfect safety. When weary of 

 the position, spring forward to the ground, 

 descending on the other side of the horse, 

 hut without allowing any portion of the 

 body to touch it in passing. Remember 

 here the rule already given in our paper 

 on leaping exercises, to alight on the balls 

 of the feet, bending the knees slightly as 

 you touch the earth, and you thus come 

 down without a violent shock. 



10. Starting from the saddle seat, grasp the forward pommel, 

 and then, keeping the legs just clear of the horse, raise the 

 back until it forms almost a straight line with the head, the legs 

 extending straight downwards on either side. After you can 

 do this with ease, you may bring the head downward until it 

 touches the horse, and stand on your head, the hands, of 



Fig. 20. 



course, grasping the pommel; but here, again, it is necessary 

 to have one or two persons by to assist you in case of a 

 slip. 



11. The balancing movement will assist you in changing 

 readily from one seat to another. Thus, from the croup seat 

 you raise the body as in Fig. 21, the legs being close together ; 

 you then throw the legs downward and forward along the side 

 of the horse, and, when level with the saddle seat, pass one leg 

 over ; then removing the hands to the front pommel, the change 

 of seat is complete. The change from the saddle to the neck 

 may be made in the same manner. 



12. In changing from the croup to the neck without the inter- 

 mediate seat, you first grasp one pommel in each hand, then 

 raise the legs (Fig. 21), 



and swing them forward 

 as before, but as you 

 pass one leg over the 

 neck you face about, and 

 come into the seat with 

 the forward pommel in 

 front of you. These 

 exercises may be done 

 on both the near and 

 off sides of the horse 

 in turn. 



13. Sit on one side of Fig. 21. 

 the croup, and grasp one 



pommel in each hand, then raise the body and pass it com- 

 pletely over and round the horse until you reach the neck 

 seat, and descend into it, facing about as before. In this 

 exercise the body describes a complete semicircle, the weight 

 resting upon the hands. 



14. There are various ways of vaulting over the horse, one of 

 which is shown in Fig. 22. Grasp both pommels before taking 

 the spring, but relinquish the hold of one hand as the body 

 passes over. A run of a few paces will give an additional 

 impetus for the spring, but the movement should also be prac- 

 tised from the standing position. 



15. Vault straight over the horse, after a short run, by placing 

 the hands upon the pommels and springing upward,*the legs 

 passing between the arms, and the knees being. raised towards 

 the chest as you pass over. This exercise may afterwards be 

 done with the knees lowered and the legs bent straight behind 

 in taking the jump, which will give variety to the movement. 

 But these vaults should be practised only by an expert 

 gymnast. 



Other vaults are taught in our gymnasia, some of a much 

 more difficult and daring character. Among these may be men- 

 tioned the leap over the horse without touching it with any part 

 of the person, technically known as the free leap. It is usual 

 to prepare for this exercise by vaulting from the ground on to 

 the saddle, resting one foot thereupon ; and after the gymnast can 

 accomplish this, he is allowed to attempt the free leap.- There 

 is a still more hazard- 

 ous feat, known as 

 the tiger leap, which 

 is performed by 

 springing from the 

 ground with the head 

 thrust forward and 

 the arms extended, 

 and so clearing the 

 horse something in 

 the manner in which a 

 cat would perform the 

 movement - whence 

 its name. Again, 

 somersaults over the 

 horse are practised 



occasionally, generally starting from the position of the rest; 

 but we cannot commend any of these performances to the 

 emulation of our readers. In the gymnasia in which they may 

 occasionally be seen, only advanced gymnasts are allowed to 

 attempt them, nor is even the expert performer left without the 

 aid of one or more attendants, who stand by in readiness to 

 give any assistance that may be required. Even in the simpler 

 performances upon the horse caution is requisite, as in ma.uy 

 other gymnastic exercises. 



Fig. 22. 



