152 THE SEAT. 



animal which suddenly swerves to the near side ; the 

 reason being that in such a case, the upper crutch acts 

 as the pivot of revolution. On account of causing the 

 weight to be brought forward, this hooked-back style 

 also tends to make her bump up and down in her 

 saddle. The lateral method, which is effected by the 

 inward rotation of the right thigh, is free from the fore- 

 going objections ; and by causing the lower part of the 

 right leg to be placed against the horse's shoulder, it 

 affords the rider valuable indications of the animal's 

 movements. Also, as the lateral pressure is as nearly 

 as practicable in a direction opposite to that of the 

 pressure of the left leg against the leaping head ; it will 

 act to the best advantage, and it will allow the body 

 full freedom to be drawn back by the play of the hip 

 joints. The pressure of the hooked-back leg is, on the 

 contrary, nearly at right angles to that of the left leg 

 (Fig. 80), and consequently it affords very little help 

 in the attainment of grip. 



The hooked-back style of riding induces fatigue by 

 continued muscular contraction, and is a fertile cause 

 of ladies becoming cut under the right knee, which 

 fact is fully proved by the numerous devices which 

 have been brought out by saddlers with the view of 

 obviating this injury. 



It is easy to prove by experiment, that when we sit 

 in an unconstrained position on a chair or saddle for 

 instance, the direction of our shoulders will be at 

 right angles to that of our legs, or, more correctly 

 speaking, at right angles to a line bisecting the angle 



