200 



Every one will suit the length of his stirrup leathers to the degree which 

 he finds it comfortable or proper to bend his knees. 



The chief precept of my old master, a training-groom, long since 

 dead, to prepare me for the long gallop, was, * Bend your knee, and 

 let it come forward.' However, if the knee be too much bent, and the 

 jockey ride too short, his seat will be extremely vacillating and uncer- 

 tain nor can he pull with all his force. It must not be bent so much as 

 to prevent the grasp of the thighs, since without such grasp, the seat 

 cannot subsist as it ought, almost entirely independent of the pulling of 

 the Horse, and would, moreover, be liable to derangement and loss of all 

 hold, upon any violent or irregular motions. 



The arms and legs to remain perfectly at rest, the elbows being joined 

 easily to the sides, the hands somewhat above the Horse's withers, or 

 the pommel of the saddle, and the rider's view between the Horse's 

 ears. The left, or bridle hand, failing in strength, the jockey always 

 supports it with the right, either in speedy gallopping, trotting, or going 

 down hill. The grasp of tlie thighs and of the calves of the legs, are 

 precisely of the same use and consequence in this system, as in the 

 mane<re; without such helps, it would be impossible for a rider to retain 

 his seat, in any irregular action of the Horse, or in tlie leap. As to the 

 equilibre, or balance, nature points it out to every animated being whilst 

 in motion, and in the horseman, practice furnishes its rules. 



The late Samuel Chifney had a superior jockey-seat, the form of 

 which has been handed down by Stubbs, in his portrait of Baronet, a 

 Horse belonging to the Prince of Wales. Indeed, good seats are al- 

 ways to be seen at a race, although we occasionally observe a straight- 

 knee'd slovenly jockey, even amongst those ot high repute. 



In order to spur, the jockey turns his toe still more out, and strikes 

 from his knee. Spurring is his most difficult action, whence the acqui- 

 sition of a jockey-seat is peculiarly intitled to the attention of those, who 

 are not to be trusted with spurs, because they are unable to keep them 

 from the Horse's sides. In fine, jockey-riding may be described in few 

 words, as either sitting or kneeling gracefully, upon the back of the 

 Horse. 



The reader will perceive, that the most useful principles of the ma- 

 nege. 



