66 SEATS AND SADDLES. 



the most wonderful curvatures of the rider's back, 

 knowing positions of his head, and artistic contortions 

 of his lower extremities, each and all of which have 

 their partisans and admirers. 



We set out with the declaration that we have n 

 desire or intention to set up any one kind of seat as a 

 model ; but this is no reason why we should not try to 

 find out and lay before our readers what are the real 

 essentials, leaving them to adopt whatever suits their 

 purpose best. Now the seat on horseback is main- 

 tained either by balancing or by friction — that is to 

 say, the greater or less amount of the rider's sitting 

 parts brought into contact with the saddle — or by the 

 support given by the stirrup; and it is easy to perceive 

 that such a combination of all three means as leaves 

 each individual one its greatest amount of efficiency, will 

 necessarily secure a much greater amount of stability 

 than can be attained by depending on one to the neglect 

 of the other two, or even depending on two in such a 

 manner as to sacrifice the third. The best and safest 

 seat will be always that which depends exclusively on 

 no one means of support, but uses them all in the best 

 manner. 



In order to answer the question. Which of the three 

 is the most important 1 it becomes necessary to review 

 the positive value of each in detail ; and first as to 

 balance. 



It has been shown, in the preceding chapters, to 

 what an extent the action of the horse depends on the 

 balance or poise of rider and bearer taken together, 

 and how eveiy modification of the latter affects the 

 former, and therefore, that not only some one particu- 

 lar poise must be adopted, but also maintained,, for 



