SEAT, LEGS AND SPURS 27 



sharp spur as an aid ; he can only see in its employment 

 however scientific, a som'ce of pain which cannot but 

 make hateful work, in which every demand is accom- 

 panied by enervating and painful pricks ; the animal 

 being thus victimised soon loses his good humour and 

 gaiety, and becomes disgusted with his work ; the rider 

 having lost all the benefit of his good will, is obliged 

 to master his bad temper by force and corrections." 



In fact, a horse, like a man, only does well what he 

 does willingly ; he must " feel like " doing it ; and, 

 if sharp or rough spurs make him angry, it is as well 

 not to wear them, except occasionally to make him 

 answer to the leg. It is as important to suit a horse 

 with a spur as with a bit, and, so far as the rider is 

 concerned, the neck of the spurs should be the right 

 length and slope which allows the calves to be pressed 

 strongly in just behind the girths, with the toes turned 

 slightly out, without the rowels touching the sides so 

 long as the heels are pressed down ; the prick of the 

 spur being given by dropping the toes, or turning them 

 full out. 



Though most school riders wear sharp spurs, they 

 wear them in the heels of their boots, and they do not 

 use the rowels as an aid ; they apply them merely to 

 stimulate the horse, and enforce obedience to the hand 

 and leg and to the touch of the side of the spurs, and, 

 unless a rider has confidence in his ability to keep the 

 lower part of his legs perfectly still, and in these days 

 of high-countered boots to turn in the toes when 

 drawing back the heels, he would be well advised not to 

 wear sharp spurs. Out hunting, long-necked sharp 

 spurs are in all cases objectionable, as in the case of a 

 fall they are certain to tear the horse's sides ; and my 

 o^vn opinion is that low-countered boots^are best, and 



