THE MILITARY SEAT 10 3 



of gravity is most undoubtedly under the rider's seat ; 

 therefore, on this account alone, the lower and flatter 

 the pack the better. Secondly, if the pack be high 

 in rear of the rider, as shown by the English hussar, 

 Plate VII., the difficulty of getting into and out of the 

 saddle is greatly enhanced, and with it the chances c f 

 deranging the latter and causing it to turn round ; 

 which leads to overtight girthing. The Austrian 

 "hulan," shown on the same Plate, is taken from a 

 coloured penny picture, the only thing we can for the 

 moment procure, and is, consequently, not so correct as 

 the hussar, who was photographed from life ; still it 

 serves to show what can be done in making the pack 

 flat, and adapting it closely to the horse's body. The 

 white cloak, it will be observed, is folded flat and 

 placed above the sheepskin, where it can be got at 

 without opening up the whole pack, and the valise is 

 also flat. Why these articles w^ere ever rolled up into 

 long cylinders, the most intractable and inconvenient 

 form that can be devised, is utterly unaccountable, ex 

 cept on the supposition of cavalry officers having been 

 peculiarly subject to softening of the brain, in conse- 

 quence, no doubt, of the solidity of the shakos and 

 helmets worn in those days. Thirdly, a mountain of 

 pack in front of the rider renders it utterly impossible 

 to adopt a proper system of bitting, or to make the 

 pull on the reins act in the proper direction ; even with 

 the greatest care and management, the bridle-hand of 

 the cavalry soldier must be necessarily placed at a 

 greater distance from the horse's wdth^s than that of 

 the civilian : we shall, hoTvever, have more to say on 

 this point in the second part of this little work. 



The old heavy cavalry leather saddle is gradually 



