THEORY OF THE SEAT. 149 



them to apply the necessary grip with promptness and 

 precision. Hence the rider should not move about in 

 the saddle, as some are inclined to do, in the attempt 

 to " sit back " when going over a fence. 



While keeping the legs in a uniform position, the 

 rider will obtain all the balance she needs, by the play 

 of her hip joints and by that of the joints of the body 

 above them, and will thus be enabled to sit erect, lean 

 back or forward, or bring her weight to one side or 

 the other, as may be required. 



Grip from the left leg is obtained by pressure 

 against the leaping head, which can be effected either 

 by certain muscles of the thigh or by those of the ankle 

 joint. The amount of pressure which can be obtained 

 by the former method is far less than by the latter, for 

 which a short stirrup leather is necessary. The com- 

 parative feebleness of this action of the thigh muscles 

 can be readily seen by the small resistance which they 

 can make against downward pressure, when the knee 

 is raised with the foot off the ground. If, however, the 

 foot is on the ground, the muscles which straighten the 

 ankle joint will enable the knee to be raised, even 

 against strong downward pressure. It might be objected 

 to this mode of obtaining grip, that the powerful pres- 

 sure thus exerted on the stirrup iron, would cause 

 a downward pull on the (near) left side, which is, 

 however, counterbalanced by the upward pressure of 

 the left leg on the leaping head, and consequently it 

 has no displacing effect on the saddle. It is evident 

 that this action of the ankle joint can be performed 



