v.] THE SEAT. 69 



with his weapons ; that the military rider should take up 

 his stirrups when he goes hunting ; the hunter the same 

 when he rides a race ; and for tours de force, I consider 

 the short stirrup-leather and the broad stirrup -iron of the 

 East indispensable they give, in fact, the strength of the 

 standing instead of the sitting posture. The Cossack 

 retains this standing posture even at a trot ; few Eastern 

 horsemen allow that pace at all, but make their horses 

 walk, amble, or gallop. 



The English hunting seat is, in point of length, the Medium 



for common 



medium of those mentioned ; and perhaps that seat, or 

 something between that and the military seat, is the best 

 adapted to common riding. It unites, in a greater 

 degree than any other, ease, utility, power, and grace. 



