88 SEATS AND SADDLES. 



hand of a first-rate pianist to do the trick ; for nothing 

 stronger than a single hair from a fair lady's head is 

 fit for a rein. 



There exists in many minds a strong prejudice on., 

 the subject of its easing the horse to tuck up the rider's 

 legs, and that nothing tires it so much as a long dang- 

 ling weight under its helly. In the first place, it comes 

 to this, that a giant should not mount a pony ; then, 

 again, why dangle the legs] They have a better 

 chance of lying close to the horse's body if the stirrup 

 be placed nearly under the seat, which does not involve 

 their being too long ; and further, how if the rider's body 

 be made to dangle in the air over the horse's hack, in 

 consequence of the attempt to tuck up the legs % This 

 is still more dangerous : one sees every day horses reel- 

 ing in trot under riders that adopt the very " lofty " 

 English style ; the centre of gravity gets a couple of 

 feet farther away from the basis, which is just equi- 

 valent to the latter being decreased proportionately. 

 Every one knows that a man with a long back and 

 short legs rides heavier that a long-legged one. 



It is scarcely necessary, after what has been already 

 said, toMemonstrate over again how conducive to handi- 

 ness, perfect mastery over the horse, independence of 

 the rein, and therefore good bitting, a central position 

 of the saddle, stirrups, and seat must be ; and these are, 

 we take it, the conditions under which road-riding 

 may be done safely and agreeably. High speed not 

 being the object, nothing can be gained by throwing / 

 the rider's weight forward ; on the contrary, it has this 

 further positive disadvantage in addition to those al- 

 ready pointed out. Corns with our horses are as equally 

 prevalent as broken knees, and the latter are very fre- 



