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body must not be supported with stiffness, but 

 with ease and boldness, nor must the legs be 

 pressed too close to the horse^s sides, or, on 

 the contrary, extended too far from his body. 

 The hams are to be kept stiff, but not with 

 constraint. The bridle must be held at such 

 a length as not to compel the rider to give to 

 his body a stooping position ; nor must the arm 

 extend farther over the withers than about tv»^o 

 inches. The reins should be of such a length 

 as to feel the horse's mouth gently, witliout 

 pulling him. In altering a pace, nothing more 

 is required than to give the horse his head, by 

 extending the arm forward, but not letting the 

 reins slip through the hand. The most trivial 

 relaxation gives him to understand the intention 

 of the rider. The proper seat is the middle 

 of the saddle ; and the saddle ought to be as 

 nearly as possible in the middle of the horse's 

 back, which is the centre of motion. The 

 elbows must not be pressed too close to the 

 body, nor held at too great a distance, but suf- 

 fered to hang naturally by the sides. A good 

 rider never presses his horse with his knees,, 

 except in leaping. It is not.by any constrained 

 exertion of tliis kind that the scat is kept, but 



