THE MAN'S SEAT. 119 



tall thin men, such as Jim Mason, or Tom Oliver, but 

 men of the most unlikely shapes, by dint of practice 

 and pluck, go well in the hunting-field, and don't look 

 ridiculous on the road. 



There are certain rules laid down as to the length of 

 a man's stirrup-leathers, but the only good rule is that 

 they should be short enough to give the rider full con- 

 fidence in his seat, and full power over a pulling horse. 

 For hunting it is generally well to take them up one hole 

 shorter than on the road. 



The military directions for mounting are absurd 

 for civilians ; in the first place, there ought to be no 

 right side or wrong side in mounting ; in both the 

 street and hunting-field it is often most convenient to 

 mount on what is called the wrong side. In the next 

 place horses trained on the Earey plan (and very soon 

 all horses will be), will stand without thinking of moving 

 when placed by the rider, so that the military direction 

 to stand before the stirrup becomes unnecessary. 



The following is Mr. Rarey's plan of mounting for 

 men, which is excellent, but is not described in his book, 

 and indeed is difficult to describe at all. 



To mount with the girths slack without bearing on the 

 stirrup. Take up the reins and a lock of the mane, 

 stand behind the withers looking at your horse's head, 

 put your foot in the stirrup, and while holding the reins 

 in one hand on the neck, place the other open and flat 

 on the other side of the saddle as far down as the edge 

 of the little flap, turn your toe out, so as not to touch 

 the horse's belly, and rise by leaning on your flat hand, 

 thus pressing hard on the side of the saddle opposite to 

 that on which you are mounting. The pressure of your 

 hands will counterbalance your weight, and you will be 

 able to mount without straining the girths, or even 



