INTEODUCTOEY CHAPTER. 11 



chiefly on one or two points of the horse's back, oPv 

 whether it be distributed equably over the whole sur-^ 

 face in contact with the latter, — in other words, what I 

 part of the saddle the rider should occupy in order to^ 

 secure the object he has in view, as stated above. It 

 will further depend on the general shape of those parts 

 of its under and upper surfaces that come in contact 

 with the horse's back and rider's seat respectively, 

 which, of course, includes the question of its proper 

 place, its mode of attachment — that is to say, where 

 and how the girths should be fixed — and the causes 

 of its displacement, which depend partly on its own 

 shape favouring, partly on the rider's seat producing, 

 lever action, which again depends to a great extent on 

 the exact point from which the stirrups are suspended. 

 This will furnish data for an estimate, not so 

 much of the relative value of different kinds of seats 

 — which would only divert attention from the real 

 object, and provoke controversy — as of their absolute 

 fitness for the particular purpose they are intended 

 to fulfil ; and will also aff"ord an opportunity of point- 

 ing out the danger of exaggerations, and the gross ' 

 absurdity of applying a style of riding more or less ) 

 specially adapted to one p>urpose, to others that haveV 

 no analogy with it ; in fact, it will be shown that dif-*^ ,^ 

 ferent styles of riding are not only inevitable but j 

 legitimate, because the ends to be attained vary ^o\^ 

 siderably. But at the same time, although the general 

 principles may be adapted to circumstances, they can 

 never be absolutely violated with impunity. Let each 

 particular style of riding be as perfect in itself as pos- 

 sible without being made antagonistic to others, or 

 losing sight of the general conditions that apply to all 



